The Un-Launch Episode
Babe Cave
What do you do when you've announced a launch... but it feels completely wrong? In this episode of Babe Cave, host Amanda Polick shares why she's "unlaunching" her newly announced group coaching program—and why that might be the bravest move she's made all year. In this conversation, you'll discover: → How to tell the difference between fear-based resistance and genuine misalignment → The wild story of Hillary Rushford: how a business coach with 200K followers lost a six-figure book deal that went to auction (and what it teaches us about creative disappointment) → Why stopping your...
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The Vision Casting Episode
Babe Cave
What if the meals you ate this year could reveal exactly where you're stuck—and where you're headed? In this reflective episode of Babe Cave, Amanda Polick shares her signature year-end practice: using the way you set your table as a mirror for how you show up in your creative work and life. Through three powerful questions about the meals that defined your year, you'll uncover patterns you didn't realize were there—and design the table you actually want to sit at in 2026. In this conversation, you'll discover: How a single meal can reveal the comparison patterns and insecurities...
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The IRL Episode
Babe Cave
Your content calendar won't save you. Your algorithm hacks won't either. Sometimes the entire trajectory of your business changes because you showed up in a room. In this episode of Babe Cave, Amanda Polick gets honest about hiding behind digital connection—and why face-to-face networking for introverts isn't optional if you want to actually grow your business and community. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why six months of perfect pitch emails lost to one 20-minute in-person conversation The five-mile rule for building authentic community How one woman at a children's...
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The Great American Novel Episode
Babe Cave
What does the "Great American Novel" really mean—and why should writers care? In this episode of Babe Cave, host Amanda Polick explores the surprising history of this literary term and why it matters for anyone with a story to tell. You'll discover how the concept was coined in 1868, why its first example was a book that challenged (not celebrated) America, and how thinking of literature as a mosaic changes everything about whose voices matter. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why the Great American Novel hasn't been written yet (and why that's actually good news for writers) How...
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The Half Baked Harvest Episode
Babe Cave
When medical professionals—dietitians trained to identify malnutrition and disordered eating—start flooding social media with concerns about a food influencer with millions of followers who's about to release a "healthy eating" cookbook, we have to talk about it. Tieghan Gerard built Half Baked Harvest into a multimillion-dollar empire with multiple NYT bestselling cookbooks and massive brand deals. But this episode isn't about her success—it's about the responsibility that comes with influence, and what happens when that responsibility gets ignored. In this solo episode, Amanda...
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The Consistency Episode
Babe Cave
Struggling with writing consistency? You're not alone. In this raw, unfiltered episode, Amanda Polick shares what happened when she almost skipped recording altogether — and why that moment became the perfect catalyst for a conversation about what consistency really means for writers and creatives. After eight years of wrestling with the same novel, Amanda reveals the simple daily word count strategy that's finally helping her reach the finish line. Spoiler: it's not about waking up at 2am or having perfect conditions. In this conversation, you'll discover: → Why tracking 500 words...
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The Community Episode
Babe Cave
What if the reason your author platform isn't growing has nothing to do with the quality of your content—and everything to do with your willingness to show up imperfectly? Book marketing strategist Stephanie Moon (15 years at Chronicle Books, Harper Collins, Scholastic) joins Amanda to unpack the uncomfortable truths about building author communities. From spending hours on Canva graphics that got zero engagement to understanding why "B-level work" is actually the secret to consistency, this conversation flips traditional platform advice on its head. In this episode, you'll discover: →...
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The War of Art Episode
Babe Cave
If you keep asking yourself "Am I really a writer?"—that's your answer. You already are. In this episode inspired by Steven Pressfield's The War of Art, writing coach Amanda Polick tackles the creative resistance that keeps writers stuck in planning mode and afraid to put words on the page. From her own experience resisting personal material in her novel to coaching clients who avoid their most powerful stories, Amanda reveals why fear is actually your creative compass. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why the question "Am I really a writer?" proves you are one—and why confident...
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The Best Of Episode
Babe Cave
Are Michelin stars and James Beard Awards actually worth pursuing? Amanda Polick reveals the uncomfortable politics behind best-of and awards lists—and what they really mean for your career. In this episode, you'll discover: → Why restaurant awards are often more about PR relationships than food quality—and what happened when Amanda's Oakland restaurant picks got killed for "not fitting our demographic" → The truth about the Michelin Guide's Southern expansion and why Top Chef's Gail Simmons says she "hates that cities judge themselves by awards" → How awards impact cookbook deals...
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The Cookbook Coach Episode
Babe Cave
Ever wondered what a cookbook coach actually does? (Most people don't even know it's a thing!) In this solo episode, Amanda pulls back the curtain on my work helping food creators and influencers turn their ideas into traditionally published cookbooks. From the detailed intake form that reveals everything about working together, to the 4-month breakthrough moment that every author experiences, this is your insider look at the cookbook publishing process. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ What makes a cookbook proposal so critical (and why you can't skip sections) ✨ Why platform size...
info_outlineWhen medical professionals—dietitians trained to identify malnutrition and disordered eating—start flooding social media with concerns about a food influencer with millions of followers who's about to release a "healthy eating" cookbook, we have to talk about it.
Tieghan Gerard built Half Baked Harvest into a multimillion-dollar empire with multiple NYT bestselling cookbooks and massive brand deals. But this episode isn't about her success—it's about the responsibility that comes with influence, and what happens when that responsibility gets ignored.
In this solo episode, Amanda examines years of accumulated concerns: readers who consistently report recipe failures (high-altitude baking issues that never get addressed), cultural appropriation accusations, a New York Times profile where Tieghan refused to cook for the reporter, and now medical professionals raising red flags about potential health issues while she promotes wellness content.
This isn't cancel culture. This is about asking: when do we stop staying silent to be nice? When does our silence become complicity?
In this conversation, you'll discover:
- Why successful food bloggers owe their audiences more than just pretty recipes
- The Netflix show Apple Cider Vinegar that changed perspectives on food influencer responsibility
- The difference between trolling and legitimate professional concern
- How to build a sustainable cookbook career without losing your integrity
- What responsibility actually means when you have influence
- Why staying silent isn't always the kind choice
Perfect for: Cookbook authors, food bloggers, content creators, anyone building a platform in food media who wants to do it responsibly
Amanda Polick is a cookbook and food-memoir coach with 20+ years of storytelling experience, guiding food writers as they shape the stories only they can tell. A former culinary producer whose work appeared across Cooking Light, Time, Southern Living, and Food & Wine, she's been an IACP Awards judge and frequent speaker at industry events like the inaugural M.F.K. Fisher Symposium for Les Dames d'Escoffier. Amanda lives in Nashville, Tennessee now, but a piece of her will be in California forever.
Show Notes: https://www.amandapolick.com/blog/half-baked-harvest-episode
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Connect: @amandapolick on Instagram