Stephanie Wilson — Food Writer, Certified Private Chef & Former Television Producer
Stephanie Wilson is a certified private chef, food writer, and former television producer specializing in seasonal cooking, afternoon tea, and thoughtful home hospitality. She is the founder of 31Daily.com, where she shares approachable recipes, menus, and encouragement for everyday living rooted in real life, tradition, and joy.
About Stephanie
The recipes and entertaining ideas you'll find at 31Daily are inspired by a lifetime of gathering with the people I love, in places that continue to shape how I cook and host.
Many ideas also come directly from readers - their questions, suggestions, and shared stories. It's a community rooted in food, family, friendship, and the simple joy of gathering around the table, in every season.
Writer's Bio
Stephanie's work is shaped by more than two decades of professional experience in food, hospitality, and media. As a certified private chef, she has worked as a caterer, event planner, and personal chef, developing recipes and menus designed to be both beautiful and practical - whether for intimate gatherings or large celebrations. Her recipes are developed and tested in her own kitchen, informed by classical technique, seasonal ingredients, and years of feeding family, friends, and community.
Before founding 31Daily in 2016, Stephanie spent many years in broadcast media as a television writer and producer, creating and producing nationally syndicated content. That background continues to influence her editorial approach today, blending clear storytelling, disciplined structure, and reader-first clarity across her food and lifestyle writing.
At 31Daily.com, Stephanie focuses on seasonal recipes, weekly meal planning, holiday menus, and afternoon tea - a subject she has written about extensively and passionately. Her work emphasizes calm, confidence, and hospitality without overwhelm, encouraging readers to create meaningful moments at the table without striving for perfection.
Stephanie's writing and recipes have been featured in national and international publications, and her work resonates with readers who value timeless food traditions, seasonal living, and the quiet beauty of everyday meals. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she continues to cook, write, and gather inspiration from local markets, changing seasons, and shared tables.
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Professional Background & Culinary Journey
Stephanie began cooking at a young age, learning foundational skills from her mother and grandmother - both accomplished home cooks who encouraged curiosity and experimentation in the kitchen. Those early experiences shaped a lifelong relationship with food that eventually grew into a professional career.
Over the years, her work expanded to more than 15 years of catering and event planning, cookbook development, and private chef work. She has compiled and published cookbooks, including a centennial cookbook for George Fox University, and became a certified personal chef, always leaving space for her love of afternoon tea and seasonal gatherings.
In addition to her culinary work, Stephanie spent many years in broadcast media as a television news writer and producer. She produced nationally syndicated television programming for CBS and other affiliates, including award-winning work recognized for excellence in media. That background continues to inform her writing today - bringing clarity, structure, and storytelling to every recipe and feature.
With certification from Stanford University: Cooking for Busy Healthy People and a Mediterranean-leaning approach to everyday meals, her work balances nourishment and enjoyment - healthy, healthy-ish, and celebratory in equal measure.
What You'll Find on 31Daily
- Main dishes, sides, soups, salads, and sauces. When planning meals, you'll find recipes for every part of the meal.
- Whole foods-focused recipes. Made mostly from scratch, using wholesome ingredients.
- Holiday favorites. There's nothing I love more than cooking for the holidays. From the main feasts to cookie trays, desserts, appetizers, sides, and more, you'll find my holiday favorite dishes here!
- Teatime recipes. If you love the celebration of tea, of hosting tea parties, or love finger food, you'll find ample recipes and ideas for afternoon tea.
Join Us
Want more delicious recipes and insights? Join my community of over 50,000 readers by subscribing to my Substack or email list for updates on new recipes and inspiring ideas for holidays, entertaining, and more.
When Did 31Daily Begin?
This website was a natural extension of my love and experience in cooking. While I had been writing online for more than five years, I published the first 31Daily blog post in May 2016. I wanted to create a space dedicated to delicious food, beautiful living, and tea.
The inspiration came in the middle of the night during an unusual Seattle warm spell when the spring flowers bloomed, and early crickets were making music. And summer outdoor parties were on my mind.
And the next morning, it all began.
Here, you will find the fresh, delicious recipes I love making and eating at home. From healthy to healthy-ish, from sweet treats to quick and easy recipes… to simple weeknight dinner meal plans.
- You can search all of our recipes here.
- Or view our weeknight dinner menus here.
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is a favorite respite in the middle of the day - whether at home or in a favorite tea room. At 31Daily, you'll find inspiration and practical guidance for hosting afternoon tea with ease, along with recipes for finger sandwiches, savory dishes, sweets, and scones.
- See our latest Afternoon Tea Posts here.
Personal Life
I was born in Seattle, Washington, but spent my early years with my family of five in Washington State, Oregon, and Southern California.
After graduating from Seattle Pacific University with two degrees in communications and history and graduate classes at Portland State University and Duke University, I began my working life and, shortly after, married my husband, Rick.
We have raised our son in the Puget Sound area and love living life to the fullest, from years of traveling for basketball and cooking for many high school and college basketball players to visiting friends and family around the world.
Stephanie's Cookbooks and Books
Stephanie's books can be found on Amazon in print and ebook formats.
Media & Features
Since beginning 31Daily in 2016, we've been incredibly honored to be featured in blogs like Pioneer Woman and media outlets like Parade, TeaTime Magazine, Victoria Magazine, Brit & Co, PureWow, BuzzFeed, Yahoo!, Mashed, Livestrong, Taste.au, Google, and others.
As Featured In
Let Us Know What You Love
I would love to hear about what you're cooking, baking, and creating. It would mean the world if you could tag @31daily1 on Instagram or follow me on Pinterest. Let's share ideas!
If you haven't already, you might want to join our weekly email to send all our recipes to your inbox each week.
Thanks for joining the journey!
