Julia Turshen Thinks of Recipes ‘Like Formulas’ with a Chart System [Video]

Julia Turshen thinks of her recipes in charts and wants you to, too.

“I think the charts really reflect how I’ve always thought about cooking, I just didn’t really have the tool to express it until I landed on the charts,” the New York-based food writer tells PEOPLE for this week’s issue.

Turshen — who was named one of PEOPLE’s 31 Food Faves of 2024 — first started articulating her dishes with a handwritten diagram in her newsletter to represent how recipes are “almost like formulas.” For example, a “Type of Pesto” chart organizes recipes for classic, parsley walnut, minty almond and pepita cilantro pestos horizontally by nuts, grated cheese, fat and “a little something.” Fans immediately took to her simplified, visual explanation.

“When I started doing them in my newsletter and I got such a positive and warm response and people telling me this really helped them really get it, really understand cooking, I was obviously thrilled. But I also thought, ‘Isn’t this how …