# Alison Roman

> Alison Roman is a New York-based food writer, cookbook author, and newsletter publisher who turned unfussy home cooking into a cultural phenomenon. Best known for viral recipes like #TheCookies, #TheStew, and #ThePasta, she has authored four solo cookbooks - including the NYT bestsellers 'Nothing Fancy' and 'Something from Nothing' - and built a fiercely loyal subscriber base through her candid, witty voice. After stints at Bon Appétit, BuzzFeed, and the New York Times, she went fully independent, launching a newsletter, YouTube series, a Catskills corner store called First Bloom, and her own tomato sauce line in 2025.

- **Role:** Independent Creator at Alison Roman Inc.
- **Organizations:** A Newsletter, First Bloom, A Very Good Tomato Sauce
- **From:** Los Angeles, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Dropped out (Creative Writing), University of California, Santa Cruz
- **Known for:** Four solo NYT bestselling cookbooks including 'Nothing Fancy' and 'Something from Nothing', Created three culturally viral recipes: #TheCookies, #TheStew, #ThePasta, #ThePasta (Caramelized Shallot Pasta) was the most-read NYT Cooking recipe of 2020

## Career timeline

- **2004** — Dropped out of UC Santa Cruz; began working in restaurant kitchens in Los Angeles
- **2006** — Worked as pastry chef at Quince, San Francisco
- **2008** — Joined Momofuku Milk Bar under Christina Tosi, New York City
- **2010** — Worked at Pies 'n' Thighs, Brooklyn
- **2011** — Joined Bon Appétit as freelance recipe tester; rose to Senior Food Editor
- **2015** — Published first cookbook 'Lemons'; moved to BuzzFeed Food as senior editor
- **2017** — Published 'Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes'
- **2018** — #TheCookies went viral; joined New York Times Cooking as columnist; co-authored 'A Very Serious Cookbook'
- **2019** — Published 'Nothing Fancy' (NYT Bestseller); #TheStew went viral
- **2020** — #ThePasta became NYT Cooking's most-read recipe; controversy with Chrissy Teigen; departed NYT
- **2021** — Launched independent newsletter 'A Newsletter'; launched YouTube series 'Home Movies with Alison Roman'
- **2022** — CNN+ show developed; platform shut down; moved show to Tastemade
- **2023** — Published 'Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook' (NYT Bestseller); opened First Bloom corner store in Bloomville, NY; married Max Cantor
- **2025** — Published 'Something from Nothing' (4th solo cookbook); launched 'A Very Good Tomato Sauce' product line; welcomed son Charlie
- **2026** — Featured on Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast discussing tomato sauce business expansion

## Achievements

- Four solo NYT bestselling cookbooks including 'Nothing Fancy' and 'Something from Nothing'
- Created three culturally viral recipes: #TheCookies, #TheStew, #ThePasta
- #ThePasta (Caramelized Shallot Pasta) was the most-read NYT Cooking recipe of 2020
- Built an independent newsletter with hundreds of thousands of subscribers
- Opened First Bloom, a curated corner store in Bloomville NY (2023)
- Launched 'A Very Good Tomato Sauce' product line (2025)
- 'Sweet Enough' named Best of Year by SF Chronicle, NY Post, Vice, IACP Award finalist
- 'Something from Nothing' named Best of Year by NPR, The Economist, Lit Hub, Bon Appétit
- 800K+ Instagram followers
- Featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2025)

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Appeared on Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast to discuss her 'A Very Good Tomato Sauce' business expansion plans
- **2025-11** — Published 'Something from Nothing', her 4th solo cookbook, to critical acclaim
- **2025-11** — Appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- **2025-09** — Launched 'A Very Good Tomato Sauce' in three flavors: Classic Garlicky, Spicy with Fennel, and Caramelized Shallot and Anchovy
- **2025-01** — Welcomed son Charlie Davis Roman Cantor
- **2025-10** — First Bloom store featured in the Washington Post

## Links

- Website: https://www.alisoneroman.com/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/alisoneroman
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP2dODeygZWBJe2xoby-XzQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisoneroman/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/alison-roman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-23