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When you're single it's easy to feel like you're moving through the world alone and unseen. Everyone else seems to have someone who is obligated to check in, show up and be there. And you, well, it's just your sad little lonesome self fighting all the battles, or so it seems. Recently, after another rejection email that made me want to throw a toddler-like tantrum and then go to bed for the rest of the day, I was reminded that the story many single people tell themselves isn't true.  As the sadness and disappointment started to rise throughout my body, my phone rang and it was a very good friend on the other line. She called out of the blue because she just felt like I needed it. During the course of our conversation I was reminded that sometimes the people who "run toward you" aren't romantic partners, they're your friends who call, listen, offer help and never let you forget that you matter. And most importantly, drill it into your thick skull that you're not alone. In this episode, I chit chat about what it really means to feel seen when you're single, how friendship anchors us in ways we don't expect and why choosing—and being chosen—by our people is one of the truest forms of love out there, all while making my go-to salmon bowl.

Season 7! I'm back, baby!  In my little Paris kitchen, but this season I'm going back to my roots, just you and me. No guests, no filters, just honest conversations about what it really means to live (and be) alone. In this first episode, "Confronting the 'A' Word: Alone," I dig into the myth of being "okay" by yourself, the quiet nights, the loneliness that creeps in, and the beauty in sitting with it instead of scrolling it away, texting it away, or worse… To the listeners riding with me since 2018, I'm so happy you're here for this 7th season. If you're new here, welcome to the guild.

On this episode, I dined on pasta alla gricia with my guest Robin Davis while we spoke about the tricky balance of being in a relationship while cultivating and celebrating a solo life. Like me, Robin is an American in Paris. She's also a writer, producer, and a soon-to-be-published author!  I really enjoyed this episode because all of the prior guests I've spoken to this season were single and living alone, so it was interesting for me to get the perspective of someone who loves living alone but is in a happy and healthy romantic relationship.  During our conversation, I, surprisingly, found it hard to change my mindset about relationship milestones and expectations. While editing the episode I realized that I asked Robin different versions of the same question because it didn't fit the "proper steps" of a romantic relationship progression.  Robin so graciously reminded me that we write our own rules for our lives and the way we want to live it. As long as we live with integrity, are happy, and stay true to ourselves, we're on the right path regardless of what it looks like.

Two episodes in one week! Look at meeeee! This is my way of apologizing for the long break between episodes. So all is forgiven now, yeah?  In this episode, I talk about how what started as a way to center myself (and, let's be honest, keep me off the streets and out of the wine bars) turned into something way bigger. I didn't realize it at the time, but every solo dinner I made was laying the foundation for the life I have now. Cooking for myself became more than just something to do to pass the time. It was how I learned to listen to what I truly needed, how I built self-trust, and how I started making decisions that aligned with the life I wanted, even when I didn't fully know what that life looked like yet. To my surprise, asking "what do I want for dinner?" was really me asking "what do I want for myself? For this life?" And that's when everything started to shift and evolve in ways I still kinda can't believe it has.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Tanisha Townsend, the founder of Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency, and woman whose honesty, humor, and intelligence I admire deeply. I made fried chicken and mashed potatoes, she brought a beautiful bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and we got to talking! Tanisha brought her wit and no-nonsense attitude to the conversation in a way that left reflecting for days on some of the gems she dropped like, like: "Are you actually ready for what you really want?" and "If someone watched your habits for a week, would they reflect the life you say you want?" We also explore how living alone has given Tanisha the space to envision, build, and expand her business. It's not that she couldn't have achieved everything she has otherwise, but having the freedom and space (mentally and emotionally) to pour fully into herself and her vision made all the difference. I'm always moved and inspired by women who stand tall in their truth, show up fully, own their choices, and walk boldly toward the life they deserve.

Je parle français dans cet épisode. Pas le meilleur français et pas sans fautes, mais au moins je l'ai fait, et pour cela, j'en suis contente. Bien sûr, le fait d'avoir cette conversation avec une amie m'a beaucoup aidé. Dans cet épisode, "Pour que je m'aime encore", j'ai parlé à mon amie Farah, parisienne qui y est née et y a grandi. Elle est l'une des personnes les plus rayonnantes, réfléchies et profondes que j'ai pu rencontrer ici à Paris. Elle a raconté comment vivre seule pour la première fois dans sa trentaine lui a permis de s'épanouir et de s'aimer. De la décoration de son propre appartement avec beaucoup de couleurs à son rituel du dîner, en passant par le fait de se permettre de ressentir les flux et reflux de la vie, sans honte. C'était une conversation édifiante, amusante et honnête que j'ai beaucoup appréciée et et j'espère que ce sera la même chose pour toi.

My first guest of the season is my friend Jessica Hodge, an Australian sommelier living in Paris. This episode turned out to be quite an interesting one because I initially expected Jess to share similar feelings and ideas about creating and embracing a life of living alone, even if it's temporary. Well, listener, I was wrong. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, and perhaps most importantly, I walked away with a valuable reminder about assumptions and expectations. It's crucial not to assume that the people close to you share the exact same ideas or feelings about everything. That doesn't mean your friendship is any less meaningful, it's quite the opposite actually! It means you have an opportunity to listen more and ask thoughtful questions. And you know what happens when you do that? You'll learn something new about that person and probably about yourself, which can, ultimately, help you evolve your own perspective as this conversation did with mine.

And I'm back!  To be honest, I thought the last episode published in June 2023 would be my last, but clearly I was wrong.  When I started this podcast in 2018, I was in my early 30s grappling questions: "How can I survive this colossal life shift?",  "What does survival even look like?" "Can I stay in Paris?" "Will I stay in Paris?" For all intents and purposes, I survived and did some cool shit. Some would even say I thrived. My podcast became pretty popular, I published my first book,  launched a monthly supper club, started doing pop-ups at different restaurants in Paris, interned in a restaurant kitchen, co-hosted a dinner in Milan, and even prepared my first private dinner. A lot has been going on.  Now as I approach a very significant age milestone, new questions have started to plague me:  "What does it mean to truly live?" and "How can I design a life that really resembles me?"   So this new version of Dinner for One, version 2.0, isn't revolving around a love story gone bad. Instead, it is about self-discovery and continuing to bloom where you're planted even when life's path looks a bit blurry.

It's been a long time since the last episode, but I'm back! From my Parisian kitchen to your ears, join me on a trip down memory lane with some of the best moments from the Dinner for One podcast.

In this episode, I talk to my very Parisienne, very chic, very cool pal, Marie Chalamet.  Like me, Marie is divorced. And like me, her marriage ended when she was in her early 30s. In this episode, we talk about food, of course, but we also talk about divorce and romantic relationships.  Her approach to relationships and life, in general, is quite different from mine. Where she goes with the flow and takes things as they come, I am someone that needs to plan, understand, and analyze. Essentially, I overthink everything. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I'm getting better at not doing that all the time, but it's still my default. I walked away from this conversion with the following questions: why am I worried about what's going to happen in 3 months when it's day 4 of me getting to know someone? Why am I putting so much pressure on myself? Why am I getting SOOOO WOUND UPPPP???  I won't say that this conversation completely changed me but, if you suffer from overthinking like me, I hope this conversation helps you to BREATHE take it easy and, as Marie suggests, just live in the moment.

Ciao a tutti! I recorded this episode from a much bigger kitchen during my stay in Monopoli, Italy a few weeks back. In this episode I talk about why I went to Italy, the pull that the country, and specifically Puglia, has on me, traveling solo as a lady and I answer your IG questions (you guys are REALLY curious about TFM!) all while attempting to make pasta alla gricia. I hope you enjoy it and buon ascolto!

Sometimes we forget to take stock of and appreciate the love we have in our lives when we feel like it's lacking. In this episode, I talk about a time in taking for granted the care, support, and affection I have around me and the things that happened that made it very clear that I need to focus on what I have versus what I perceive as a lack.

19 years, 3 children, 2 long-distance stints and the love that Camille has for her husband Bruno is as strong and palpable as when they met in school at the tender age of 18 years old. It really is just a coincidence that this episode is being released on Valentine's Day and their anniversary. I didn't plan it this way but my unwavering procrastination led to this twist of fate. I spoke to Cam about how she's sustained her relationship through the ups and downs of life, how they've grown as individuals, as a couple, and in love. I found our conversation very insightful and reassuring. And as I was editing the episode the one thought that was on replay in my mind was: Love is patient, love is kind Merci encore Cam for your friendship and taking the time out of your schedule to talk to me and for sharing your experience and wisdom.  Happy Valentine's Day à tous.

I'm not cooking in this episode and there is no chatting about my current life in Paris instead, I'm going to tell you a little story about what led me to you and you to me. So find a cozy spot, your fave beverage of choice, and listen to me tell you about the fateful Saturday that led me to start cooking dinner for one by reading the prologue of my memoir. I did get a *little* EMOSH during the reading 🤪. I can't help it. Maybe with every reading, it'll become a bit easier…. As always, thanks for listening and rocking with me. Happy Holidays and talk to you soon.

It's been almost 4 years since I started the podcast. In 2018 I was very much on a 'no boys allowed' train. I needed to get my shit together by myself and was very wary of falling into the trap of using a relationship to help me. Time has passed, things have changed and now for the first time I find myself in a place where I think I *may* actually be ready to open myself to the possibility of falling in love again. I'm ready to share everything I've learned about myself, my mature outlook on love and life, essentially a new and improved Sue B with the lucky bugger that captures my heart. In this first episode of season 5, I cook a finger-licking good, stick to your bones, make you feel warm and cozy fried chicken and herb-infused mashed potatoes while talking about love. Specifically, I talk about how my idea of love has evolved, I randomly share what I consider my first love (hint: it was in Jamaica and I was like 3 years old haha)  and I go on a few tangents but it all makes sense in the end….trust me. Throughout the season I'll invite friends into my kitchen to cook and discuss all types of love: long-term love, love in a second language, love post-divorce, etc. Hope you'll stick around. Et voilà, quoi. On y va.