Kim Selby is a passionate cook, storyteller, and former competitive ice skater who has spent her life embracing the connections between food, love, and tradition. Kim Selby grew up in a small town in Illinois, USA, as one of seven children, where the kitchen was the heart of her home. As an ice skater travelling the world at just 15, family recipes became her lifeline to home, offering comfort and connection no matter the distance. In Everything With Love, Kim brings together recipes from diverse cuisines and occasions, each infused with the notion that cooking is more than just nourishment—it’s an act of love.
What inspired the title Everything with Love?
The title reflects the way I approach not only cooking but life itself. Love is the ingredient that transforms a simple meal into a memory, and it’s what binds people together at the table. There wasn’t just one moment, but rather a lifetime of experiences, from growing up in a big family where food meant togetherness, to raising my own children — that
showed me Love is at the center of it all.
Over the years, family and friends have often told me, ‘Kimmy, I can taste your love in this food.’ That has always been the greatest compliment, because it’s exactly what I hope people feel. That every dish I make carries a sense of care, warmth, and connection, and most of all Love.
Where did your passion for cooking come from?
My passion began in childhood. Food was always about connection in our home, gathering around the table, celebrating life’s little moments. From the time I can remember, I would watch my mom in the kitchen, completely captivated by the way she created homemade deliciousness. On weekends, I woke up to the fragrance of fresh cinnamon rolls streaming through the house, that continual wave of sweetness filling the air is still one of my most vivid memories.
Family gatherings always began with us holding hands in prayer, giving thanks for the food before us. Those moments of gratitude, warmth, and togetherness shaped me. Over the years, I realized cooking was my own way of creating beauty, joy, and comfort for the people I love. It became less about the food itself and more about the experience and memories it created.
You began your career as a competitive ice skater — what led you from the ice rink to the kitchen, and ultimately to writing a cookbook?
Skating taught me discipline, creativity, and resilience — qualities that translated beautifully into the kitchen. But the real turning point was leaving home at just 15 to pursue competitive skating. I missed the smells, the flavors, and the comforts of home so much that I started calling my mom and asking her to send me recipes. Over time, I filled four pink binders with her recipes, along with creations of my own. Cooking became my way of finding solace and connection, it felt like choreography with flavors, a new kind of performance that blended artistry with comfort. What began as a way to ease homesickness eventually grew into a deep passion, one that evolved into writing Everything with Love so I could share that same sense of comfort, artistry, and joy with others.
Is there a particular dish that captures the essence of Everything with Love?
If I had to choose one dish that truly captures the spirit of Everything with Love, it would be my epic, ginormous pumpkin pie. But it’s not your typical pumpkin pie — it’s a cinnamon molasses pumpkin pie with a pecan crust. The layers of spice, richness, and texture make it unlike anything most people have ever tasted. Every time I serve it, people are blown away. And beyond the flavor, there’s something deeper: it’s scientifically proven that cinnamon evokes comfort, love, and connectedness. To me, this pie embodies everything the book stands for — taking something familiar and elevating it with warmth, artistry, and soul, so it feels both comforting and unforgettable.
How does Everything with Love connect with UK tastes and culinary traditions?
Everything with Love celebrates global influences but always emphasizes simplicity and elegance, something I know resonates deeply with UK cooking traditions. Many of my recipes balance sophistication with comfort, much like the way people in the UK gather around the table to share both heritage and innovation in food. And on a personal note, the first time I ever performed in London, I tasted the most outrageously delicious curry of my entire life. I became so captivated by it that I came home determined to re-create those flavors — and that’s how my Chicken Curry recipe was born. To me, it’s a perfect example of how the UK inspired not only my travels, but also my cooking.
How has your personal background shaped the recipes?
Every recipe in Everything with Love is rooted in my life story — from the discipline I learned as a skater, to the creativity that’s always been a part of me, to my travels around the world, and of course, to being a mother of three. The book weaves together all of those influences, showing that food isn’t separate from life; it’s a reflection of it. Each dish carries a piece of my journey, blending discipline, creativity, adventure, and love into something meant to be shared.
Which dish do you turn to for comfort or connection?
For me, it’s my Sunday Roast Chicken. It’s classic, deeply nourishing, and always brings people together. There’s just something about this dish! The way it fills the house with comforting aromas while it cooks. I think it must be tied to our ancestry, because a simple chicken roasting in the oven with vegetables evokes such warmth, connection, and belonging. It’s a reminder of family, tradition, and home, and it never fails to bring comfort and joy to the table.
How do you recommend busy people bring more love into their meals?
It’s not about complexity, it’s about intention. Even the simplest dish can be elevated if you pause, light a candle, put on music, and plate it with care. Love shows in the details, and it doesn’t require extra hours in the kitchen.
As a mom of three, how has motherhood shaped your approach to food?
Motherhood made me realize food is more than nourishment, it’s a way of showing care, of creating traditions, of building a safe place to land. Cooking for my children has always been an act of love, and it shaped the way I see meals as the heartbeat of family life.
Motherhood made me realize that food is love made visible. Cooking became my way of nurturing and of creating traditions my children could carry with them. No matter how busy life became, sharing a home-cooked meal together was always our anchor. It’s where stories were told, laughter was shared, and memories were made.