About Me
Hi, I’m Rachel, a professionally trained chef and the face behind The Hearty Life.
When I was 9 years old, I knew exactly what I wanted to be: a chef. That passion led me to culinary school and into years of working in high-volume kitchens, where I built a strong foundation in from-scratch cooking, flavor development, and efficient, real-world food service!
Today, I bring that experience directly into homes and kitchens through private chef services, weekly meal prep, cooking classes, and small event catering here in Iowa. I work with a small number of clients to create customized, chef-crafted meals that take the stress out of planning, shopping, and cooking.
Alongside my client work, I continue to develop recipes, create food photography, and partner with brands, but everything I do is rooted in my background as a chef. I also create and sell small-batch spice blends designed to simplify cooking while still delivering bold, layered flavor. Glad you’re here!
Connect with me!
What You Will Find Here:
- 400+ simple and approachable family friendly recipes!
- A hand-crafted line of spice blends made to take the guess work out of seasoning.
- An email newsletter where I share weekly recipes, chef tips, kitchen hacks, and life updated!
- My favorite kitchen gadgets and ingredients I use in my own kitchen.
How the Hearty Life Got Started?
I started The Hearty Life while I was in culinary school as a fun creative outlet and a way for me to publish my recipes. I had no idea it would turn into something that keeps me constantly busy and inspired, so many new opportunities have come my way since! When I first started I knew nothing about running a website or what it would take but I loved all aspects of recipe development and the art of food photography.
When thinking of a name for my site, The Hearty Life came to my mind immediately, in fact I think that was the only idea I ever had. I wanted my recipes to be items that you bring to family holidays, dishes that you made for weeknight meals, or comforting classics to have make for date night. To me, food brings people together and creates memories. When I think of living a hearty life, I think of a life that conveys a sense of warmth, strength, and most of all abundance. The recipes I create bring abundance and cheerfulness to my life everyday – and I can only hope they do the same for you!
I test, create, style, and shoot all the content you see here, scalloped sweet potatoes and snickerdoodle sandwich cookies were some of my very first published recipes! My recipes are a combination of everyday inspiration and techniques I have learned along the way. Subscribe to my email list so you can stay up to date on all of my hearty recipes. As always, feel free to email me or send me a DM – I love to connect with my community and see the dishes you’ve made. I’m so glad you’re here!
Culinary Journey:
- Attended the Iowa Culinary Institute from 2016-2018 – completed education in hands-on instruction of traditional cooking techniques. Education also included focus on business concepts, menu design, palate development, and wine education.
- Awarded the Marge Anderson French Scholarship – this included a one month trip to Paris focused on classical cooking techniques, I lived with a French family while working at their restaurant in 2018.
- Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Dotdash Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion in 2022.
- Published in the DSM Magazine – I created a recipe and did the food styling for an appetizer recipe. March/April issue 2023 (pg. 21-23)
- Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Midwest Living Culinary Discovery Pavilion in August of 2023.
- Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Midwest Living Culinary Discovery Pavilion in August of 2024.
- Launched a line of spice blends – in June of 2025.
- Took The Hearty Life fulltime – left my corporate job in July of 2025 to take my brand fulltime.
- Taught a cooking demo at the Iowa State Fair – for ‘The Kitchen’ in August of 2025
- Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Midwest Living Culinary Discovery Pavilion in August of 2025.
- Appeared on Hello Iowa – I visited WHO 13 and Hello Iowa to do a demo on perfecting chocolate cake in January of 2026!
- Launched a custom Meal Prep & Private Chef Service – January of 2026
- Started offering private, in-home cooking classes – January 2026
- Appeared on Hello Iowa – I visited WHO 13 and Hello Iowa to do a demo on my protien chocolate pudding in March of 2026!
Expert tips for mastering a chocolate cake!
I joined Hello Iowa to share how to perfect a simple chocolate cake, along with a few chef tips for getting rich flavor and a moist cake every time. Watch the full segment below!
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this protein chocolate pudding!
I joined Hello Iowa to share how to make a quick, no-bake protein chocolate pudding to keep on hand! Watch the full segment below!
Why Choose The Hearty Life Spice Blends?
- Chef-Crafted Flavor: Created by a culinary school grad with restaurant experience, so every blend is balanced and bold.
- Pure & Honest Ingredients: No fillers, MSG, or preservatives, just real spices you can trust.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: Packed in amber glass jars that look beautiful on your counter, keep spices fresh, and are reusable!
- Wide-Mouth Jars: Designed for easy scooping, measuring, and refilling.
- Versatile Everyday Use: From quick weeknight dinners to special meals, these blends take the guesswork out of seasoning. You can even mix and match blends together.
- Made in Iowa, With Care: Hand-blended in small batches to ensure freshness and quality.
Fun Facts About Rachel
my favorite recipe:
So, I technically can’t pick just one, so my to favorite recipes are my brown butter funfetti cookies and my marry me chicken meatballs!
one-woman show:
I run The Hearty Life by myself, but couldn’t do it without the support of you, my family, and my friends!
outside of cooking:
Outside of cooking and baking, I love to restore vintage furniture, play with my pup, Chief, and thrift shop!
Brand Partnerships:
I have been so lucky over the last couple of years to get to work with such wonderful brands that share the same passion I do! Here are just a few of them!
Common Q&A:
Here you will discover a variety of healthy, hearty recipes made for any occasion! Food brings people together and I am honored I get to create recipes that so many people make for their own family gatherings. Whether you looking for a girls night cocktail, a dinner for two on your next date night, or a dessert for this weekend’s birthday party, I hope my recipes inspire you!
If you want to connect, find me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, @theheartylife. Thank you for following along and being part of the journey! Sign up for my email list below so you never miss new recipes!