Podcast Summary: Trading Secrets Episode 264

Guest: Jake Cohen (Best-selling Cookbook Author & Chef)
Host: Jason Tartick
Date: November 24, 2025
Theme: The unconventional financial, personal, and career journey of Jake Cohen—from the Culinary Institute of America to best-selling cookbooks, Instagram stardom, and television—plus the economics behind the culinary and social media industries.

Episode Overview

This episode explores the behind-the-scenes financial realities of Jake Cohen’s multifaceted culinary career. Jake details his path from the Culinary Institute of America, through “bottom-of-the-barrel” restaurant work, the world of food media, digital entrepreneurship, and into his starring role as an author and TV personality. Through candid stories and specific numbers, Jake reveals the economics of restaurant work, magazine test kitchens, book deals, social media, and brand partnerships, all while emphasizing authenticity, personal growth, and redefining success in the culinary space.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jake’s Unconventional Career Path

• Never a Traditional Route: Jake highlights that while many pivot into food media or influencer status after dissatisfaction with traditional careers, “I never went a traditional route. I always knew this was the plan, and I just really set myself up for success.” (09:29)

  • Only applied to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) for college—no backup plan.
  • Sought foundational experience at 3-star Michelin restaurants but never aimed to own a restaurant.
  • Early realization about wanting creativity and storytelling, not just kitchen grind.

• Breaking Family and Social Blueprints:

  • Jake discusses undoing family/cultural conditioning (such as the pressure for Jewish Americans to become doctors/lawyers/bankers) and how being gay helped him “break one mold,” making it easier to shatter others. (12:12)

• Emphasis on Authenticity:

  • “Authenticity is the number one thing for not only success, but for sustainability... If you’re playing a role that’s not true to yourself, it is the most exhausting thing.” (13:33)

The (Low) Economics of Restaurant & Magazine Work

• Restaurant Experience:

  • Early jobs paid minimum wage ($10/hr); working intense hours at Michelin-level restaurants. (15:07)
  • Restaurant jobs: “Working like insane hours... pulling in money as an 18-year-old that could use it.” (15:30)

• Editorial Work Realities:

  • Started as an unpaid intern at Saveur magazine—got $8/hr after the Conde Nast “intern lawsuit”; first full-time test kitchen offer: $30,000 (non-negotiable). (17:58)
  • “Editorial world is infamous for these kinds of roles where you’re making $20, $30 grand.” (19:36)
  • Jake hustled side gigs (worked weekends at a spin studio for gym membership + cash, shared a 400 sq. ft. studio with his sister for rent support). (20:02)

Food Media, Social, and the Power of Strategic Connection

• Climbing the Editorial Ladder:

  • Became food editor at Tasting Table at 22, running the test kitchen and managing section content.
  • Laid off during the 2017 food media/digital shakeup, did freelance, then became restaurant critic for Time Out NY.

• Restaurant Critic Economics:

  • Food editor: $45k/year (under market); critic raised to $60k, then $75k at Time Out NY. (26:51, 27:29)
  • “You get really sick of eating out... The workload was easy, but I just wasn’t cooking. That wasn’t my dream.” (27:47)

• How to Get Value at Restaurants:

  • “Good is bad in New York” (i.e., if something’s just ‘good’ it’s not worth the inflated restaurant price).
  • Best value comes from dishes that require real culinary labor/expertise: “Would I be better off making this at home, or should I go out?” (33:24)
  • Sushi/stakehouse: worth the price for labor/skill; pasta: “something you can easily do at home” (34:08).

Growing on Social: From Chef to Brand

• Early Adoption & Smart Growth:

  • Focused on building his personal IG—“Coming home, shooting stuff” even after full workdays (42:00).
  • Created social cooking classes for influencers at Tasting Table—gave them value/education and positioned himself as a professional peer (42:50).
    • “It’s not until like the seventh, eighth time that they see you, they’re like, all right, I guess there’s something about this guy. Let me follow him.” (44:14)
  • Grew to ~70K followers by the time he pitched and sold first cookbook.

• Unique Collab Approach:

  • Only collaborates with real-life friends, avoids “just-for-show” influencer pairings: “I don’t make videos with people I don’t know.” (40:00)

• On Social Media and Identity:

  • Jake is critical of being labeled as “just an influencer” and underscores the identity crisis in the digital economy: “Just because I have some social clout does not define me.” (56:25)

Economics & Realities of Writing a Cookbook

• First Book Deal:

  • Advance: $65,000 plus $30,000 for photos (half recoupable against royalties) (48:16).
  • “You have to pay for all the groceries, all the development. It’s the time for developing the book... It’s not just like, I write these recipes.” (48:42)
  • Called in industry favors, organized free catering and discounted photography for the shoot.

• Financial Stakes:

  • For follow-up books, Jake cut all the checks himself: “My last book, I think I spent around $75,000.” (51:00)
  • Timeline: Each cookbook takes about 2 years.

• Royalty Reality:

  • “Tiny advance was a blessing. I paid off that advance in a few months... since then I just get royalty checks.” (53:01)
  • Not seven figures in royalties yet, but over $1M across multiple years is within reach.
  • “A million dollars spread across 7 years... living in New York, producing in New York, it’s not like the profit margins are [huge].” (53:40)
  • Brand deals/partnerships eventually rival book income.

Money & Business in Food and Social Media (Shocking $$$ Revealed)

• Editorial & Restaurant Jobs:
  • As low as $10/hour; full-time at $30-75K range.
• Cookbook advances: $65K–$100K+
• Book production: $30K–$75K per book
• Brand Partnerships/Influencer Revenue: Begins to rival book/salary income; necessary to underwrite less-lucrative but prestige projects.
• TV Show:
  • “Absolutely not [lucrative]. Again, it’s the same conversation similar to your first book advance... The pay is representative of [a lighter workload], but it introduced a new audience.” (64:48)
  • Greater value in brand/pedigree-building than short-term cash.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity:

  • “Authenticity is the number one thing for not only success, but for sustainability... If you’re playing a role that’s not true to yourself, it is the most exhausting thing.” (13:33)

• On Grinding & Hustle:

  • “You do what you have to do. It wasn't without help, it wasn't without support from my family. I would do whatever—random private chef jobs—whatever it took to keep it going.” (20:52)

• On Social Media & Influence:

  • “You’re letting people in on your journey, and you also still have to keep it real... Who’s your actual community? I get very hard on people in the industry that are always talking about their friends that are also in the industry… [but] they’re not your friend yet. You have a parasocial relationship with them.” (40:17, 40:51)

• On Money and Book Deals:

  • “Take an advance that allows you to—again, I'm not saying don't take anything—take enough that you can, that is your salary and pays for the production of the book and then pay it off." (58:26)
  • “Some of [the biggest influencers]... are selling a fraction of the books that I sell.” (59:19)

• On TV and Next Steps:

  • “If you want to be a professional person who cooks on TV and Rachael Ray’s calling you and telling you to do it, you do it.” (66:12)

• The “Superpower” of Execution:

  • Host: “Your superpower is to see the vision... and you just go. The speed at which you see it, hear it, feel it, your gut tells you, and you just go.” (71:22)

• On Success and Subconscious Motivation:

  • “Focus on what does my subconscious actually want? Ritual is the key... It’s my biggest advice... be yourself... As long as you’re doing it as your truest self, it doesn’t matter what you do.” (70:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 09:29: Jake’s career origin, the Culinary Institute of America (“I always knew this was the plan”)
• 13:33: Authenticity as the cornerstone of brand & career
• 15:07–15:30: Minimum wage, brutal hours in Michelin kitchens
• 17:58–19:36: Test kitchen/editorial jobs, $8/hr → $10/hr → $30K salary realities
• 20:02: “You do what you have to do” – Patchwork of side gigs
• 26:51–27:29: Salaries: $45K (food editor), $60K (critic), $75K
• 33:24: Best value on restaurant menus: labor-driven food (not pasta!)
• 42:00–44:14: Building social following via value-driven influencer classes
• 48:16–52:04: Cookbook advances, production costs, 2-year creation timeline
• 53:01: Royalties versus advances, financial realities of book publishing
• 56:24: Fighting the “influencer” label; business identity online
• 64:48: TV show economics: not lucrative, but critical for brand credibility
• 70:19: Jake’s “trading secret”—the power of subconscious intention and ritual

Lightning Round: Rapid Fire Q&A with Jake (36:44–38:16)

• Go-to takeout when too tired to cook: “Chicken fingers and lentil soup from Chirping Chicken (NYC), with barbecue sauce.” (36:44)
• Celebrity he wants to cook for: “Fran Drescher. And it’s going to happen.” (37:06)
• Indispensable kitchen tool: “A [digital] scale. The secret to all baking is weighing your flour by grams.” (37:19)
• Most inspiring figure in food right now: “Martha Stewart—her ability to keep evolving the brand.” (37:33)
• Food trends: Value of real-life crossover/collab with actual friends (“We need more organic crossovers… you can tell when it isn’t real.”) (38:16–40:02)

The Big Takeaways

• Financial Reality: Even at the “top” of food media—whether as a chef, critic, or author—the economics are tough, especially when living in NYC.
• Strategic Social Media: Jake leveraged early cross-discipline social events and relationships to become both a chef’s chef and a credible digital creator.
• Authenticity & Community: Staying true to yourself is both a business and life advantage—he is deeply selective about collaborations.
• Diversity of Revenue: True stability only comes with multiple income streams—books, partnerships, TV, and more.
• Success Comes from Ritual + Action: Jake ties his success to intense self-inquiry (journaling, meditation) and a superpower for acting on gut instinct.

Why Buy Jake’s Book?

• “It really is the most gorgeous book I’ve ever made…Focused on community… 16 menus for 16 different occasions… You actually get to be present and have fun hosting…even if you just make a recipe, your cooking is going to get better.” (68:11)

Final Trading Secret (Jake’s Wisdom)

“Focus on what does my subconscious actually want? … Ritual is the key… be yourself… As long as you’re doing it as your truest self, it doesn’t matter what you do.” (70:19)

For Listeners, What’s in It for You?

• A transparent look at how money really works in the culinary and influencer worlds.
• How to think about career pivots, personal branding, and leveraging authenticity for long-term stability and joy.
• The true cost (and thrill) of making it as a creative in today’s economy.

Find Jake Cohen:
Google “Jake Cohen,” follow @jakecohen on Instagram, and check out Dinner Party Animal—perfect for anyone who wants to host without the stress (or just take their cooking to the next level).

Bonus: Keep an eye out for Jake on Hulu: Jake Makes It Easy!