An Inspired Chat with Pascale Beale

Pascale Beale shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Pascale, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
One of the pleasures and challenges of running your own business is that no two days are the same. On any given day I’ll deal with a multitude of issues, from researching new products to carry on our online store, developing new wholesale accounts, teaching classes and workshops, testing recipes and working on photo shoots to writing articles and working on the next chapter of my new food and travel memoir From Provence to The Pacific. Days are very varied and usually long – about 10-12 hours on average.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Pascale Beale. I grew up in England and France surrounded by a family which has always been passionate about food, wine and the arts. I was taught to cook by my French mother and grandmother. After graduating from Business School in London, and 15 years working in the property markets in California, I returned to my first passion, cooking. The Pascale’s Kitchen Mediterranean style cooking school opened in 1999. Over the past 18 years, I’ve written 11 cookery books, hundreds of articles for local newspapers, food magazines, and am a multi-award-winning columnist for Edible Santa Barbara.

Since 2014 I’ve focused on ingredient driven books starting with Salade: Recipes from The Market Table. The first edition sold out in only 14 weeks. Les Fruits: Savory and Sweet Recipes From The Market Table followed in January 2016, and Les Legumes: Vegetable Recipes from the Market Table, in November 2017. After selling out of the fourth printing of Salade, we released a new, larger and updated version, Salade II: More Recipes From The Market Table in January 2020. My latest book, FLAVOUR: Savouring The Seasons . was released in November 2024.

The Pascale’s Kitchen Cooking Channel launched on YouTube in September 2016 with videos showcasing seasonal, Mediterranean and Californian inspired dishes. In March 2020, with the coronavirus shutdown and the cancellation of my book tour for Salade II, I launched an IGTV channel on Instagram with daily episodes showcasing easy to make dishes while quarantined at home and also launched (in April 2020) a new series of virtual cooking classes, hosted on Zoom.

In late 2021 Pascale Kitchen reopened to in person classes and now specializes in Farmer’s Market tours, seasonal cooking classes, bread making workshops and Team Building Events.

Launched in December 2022, I released my food memoir, 9’ x 12’: Adventures in a Small Kitchen, Recipes for Stirring Times, a subscription based, multi-media book hosted on Substack.

My new multi-media food and travel memoir, From Provence to The Pacific was released in August 2025 also on Substack. Inspired by Charles Dickens, a new chapter is released each month.

My company, Pascale’s Kitchen, brings a range of culinary products, including a signature line of custom blended herbs and spices, oils and vinegars, as well as exquisite kitchen and tableware, to our customers, making cooking pleasurable, delicious and fun.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I believe that partnerships, friendships and all relationships thrive when there is honesty and trust. It takes time to build trust and dependability. I strongly believe that being able to discuss one’s feelings or concerns freely and openly helps build those bonds. Letting grievances fester for long periods of time, for example, only makes situations worse. It’s much better to openly discuss challenges to help foster better relations, trust and bonds between people.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Honestly, rebuilding my business again for the second time in 24 months, after the fires/mudslide, and again after the onset of the pandemic just about had me throw in the towel. The week of March 9th, 2020, was truly a low point when a year’s worth of planned events and bookings cancelled. It was an economic tsunami. We persevered though, as we all had to, and I’m delighted that my business is now in its 26th year.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I currently working on a food and travel memoir that has been more than 10 years in the making. I’ve thought long and hard about this narrative, and it is finally coming to fruition. I have been wanting to share this story for many, many years.

I’ll be honest when I tell you that I have been second-guessing the wisdom of writing and releasing this memoir now, given the catastrophic developments in Washington over the past eight months. The political maelstrom and transatlantic diplomatic upheavals have left most of us reeling and trying to catch our collective breaths. Given this upheaval how can I write about the joy of discovery, of creativity, of food and the power of communion? I asked this question of my readers, and the unanimous response was, ‘keep writing!’ which is what I’m doing. I hope this book will bring joy and spark curiosity in those who read it.

I have discussed my concerns with friends and family. All of them have said essentially the same thing: experiencing the creative output of those around us, be it music, poetry, literature, art, or food, is a moral booster, and they need it. I’m hanging my hat on that need and hope that the stories, and food, in this upcoming memoir will provide nourishment, both metaphysically and literally.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
Being more spontaneous. I tend to plan things. If I’m traveling, I need to know where I’m staying that night. I’m not very good at the it’s ok, we’ll find somewhere to stay along the way, kind of trips. I like the security of knowing those things in advance, but I think a certain kind of freedom comes from having a little more spontaneity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pascaleskitchen.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pascaleskitchen/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascale-beale-6037b510/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pascalescuisine
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PascalesKitchen
• Other: https://substack.com/@pascaleskitchen9x12

Image Credits
Pascale Beale