FROM beauty tutorials TO bestselling recipes, REMI CRUZ PARSONS HAS BUILT A CAREER BY inviting her audience INTO EVERY CORNER OF her life.
Over the years, the YouTube star and host of the Pretty Basic podcast has expanded her brand far beyond lifestyle content, turning her genuine love of cooking into the beloved “Cooking With Remi” series.
Rooted in the Korean dishes her mother made while she was growing up, Cruz’s approach to food is equal parts nostalgic, approachable, and deeply personal. Whether she’s sharing a go-to weeknight recipe or hosting friends at home, her goal is always the same: to make cooking feel joyful rather than intimidating. In this conversation, Cruz reflects on the family meals that shaped her palate, the pantry staple she can’t live without, and why a simple pasta is still her favorite way to impress on date night. Read about Remi’s journey in her C&C 100 interview below.
What are some of your earliest memories of food that still bring you joy? Did it center around the holidays, or were you regularly helping your family out with everyday meals?
Some of my earliest food memories are honestly the everyday ones. My mom made so much Korean food growing up, and at the time I do not think I fully realized how lucky I was to have homemade Korean food all the time. Of course holidays were special, but so much of what stayed with me came from regular nights at home, being in the kitchen, watching my mom cook, and eventually helping here and there. Looking back, that rhythm of everyday cooking shaped me just as much as any big occasion.
When did you realize food could become your work—not just a side quest?
I think it happened gradually. Food was always part of my life, but when I first moved out and started cooking more on my own, I was really figuring it out as I went. A lot of that came from missing the food I grew up with and wanting to recreate the Korean dishes and flavors my mom had always made for us. Over time, that process of learning, experimenting, and getting more confident in the kitchen became something I genuinely loved sharing. Once Cooking with Remi started becoming a real community, and people were cooking alongside me, asking questions, making the recipes, and coming back for more, I realized it had become much more than a side part of my content. It started to feel like a real part of my work and a much deeper part of my connection with my audience.
Many people might think a food creator’s job is just to taste delicious recipes all day, but what’s a surprisingly challenging aspect of your work?
I think what surprises people is how much of it is actually about problem-solving. It is not just about whether something tastes good. It is whether the recipe translates, whether the instructions are clear, whether the timing makes sense, whether it feels approachable without losing what makes it special. There are so many small decisions behind the scenes that help someone actually feel successful when they make it at home.
“I really want people to feel like cooking does not have to be intimidating or overly precious.”
Can you walk me through your creative process of developing a recipe? Where do your best ideas come from?
A lot of my best ideas start with a craving, a memory, or a dish I cannot stop thinking about. Sometimes it is something I grew up eating, sometimes it is something I had out that I want to recreate in my own way, and sometimes it is one ingredient that sparks everything else. From there, I usually think about the feeling I want the dish to have. Do I want it to feel comforting, nostalgic, fresh, indulgent? Once I know that, I can start building the recipe in a way that feels balanced, flavorful, and worth making again.
How do you stay inspired and able to consistently dream up good ideas when food is both your passion and your job?
I think a big part of it is that food is so tied to real life for me. It is connected to memory, culture, comfort, hosting, and everyday routine, so inspiration never feels too far away. It usually comes from paying attention to what I am actually craving, what I miss, what I want to make for people I love, or what feels exciting in the moment. Because it still feels personal, it still feels creatively energizing too.
How do you want people to feel when they experience your recipes?
I want them to feel excited, comforted, and more confident in the kitchen. I really want people to feel like cooking does not have to be intimidating or overly precious. It can be joyful, a little messy, and still turn into something really delicious. More than anything, I want people to feel like they can make the recipe their own and actually enjoy the process.
What is the one go-to ingredient in your pantry or fridge that you must have on hand at all times?
Gochujang. Always. It adds so much depth and flavor, and it is one of those ingredients that instantly makes something feel more like my cooking.
What’s a date-night dish that looks like you tried hard, but is secretly very simple?
A really good pasta is always my answer. It feels a little elevated and romantic, but it is usually much simpler than people think. That is my favorite kind of dish, something that feels special without turning into a whole production.
How would you describe your approach to cooking right now?
Right now my approach is very rooted in flavor, comfort, and real life. I want food to feel approachable, but never watered down. I care a lot about texture, balance, and whether something feels worth making again, not just whether it looks good once. A lot of how I cook is also shaped by hosting and feeding people, so I naturally think about food as something to share.
Rapid fire POP QUIZ:
The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is:
It’s not good, but I check my phone.
If I had one more hour in the day, I would:
Sleep. I’ll always take more sleep!
A song that describes the era I’m in right now is:
“House Tour” by Sabrina Carpenter. I just moved and I’m in my newlywed era!
My current obsession is:
Iced matcha lattes with a fun syrup.
Three words to describe the legacy I want to leave behind…
Representative, inspirational, welcoming.