Meet Clotilde Dusoulier: Parisian food blogger and lifestyle podcaster

***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***

Just under fifteen years ago, Parisian born Clotilde Dusoulier put pen to virtual paper and tentatively published her first ever Chocolate & Zucchini blog post. The former software engineer shortly after quit her tech-geek day job to pick up her idyllic foodie pursuits full-time and appease her readers growing hunger for more recipes, more food inspiration, more pictures, and more words. Over the years, Clotilde’s blog has grown and grown, along with her expanding portfolio of freelance work. She hosts personal food tours of Paris, has published several cookbooks – including her latest Tasting Paris – and on the road to personal development and growth, has delved into the world of podcasting with her weekly series Change Ma Vie (transl. Change My Life). We spoke to Clotilde about podcasting and got some personal advice in the process…

Where do you call home and what inspires you about your city?

I live in Paris, in the neighbourhood of Montmartre. I am endlessly inspired by the vibrancy of Paris, its walkability, its micro-neighbourhoods, its deep historical roots, and its spirit of innovation.

We’ve just started listening to your podcast Change Ma Vie – you have the perfect voice for it. Why did you start doing a podcast and what do you enjoy about it versus blogging?

I discovered personal development a couple of years ago, and some of the things I learned changed my life. I got pretty passionate about it, but didn’t have a platform to share my thoughts and discoveries, so I started one. I decided to do a podcast because I had long wanted to explore the format, and I decided to do it in French because my main inspirations are American sources, and I wanted to make those tools available to a French-speaking audience.

You release a new podcast every Thursday; how do you decide what to talk about each week?

I build the podcasts so they take my listeners from the basics to more complex concepts. I listen to their feedback and prepare episodes on themes that are particularly interesting to them, and then I follow my intuition – whatever I feel most moved to talk about, I do.

What tips would you give someone thinking of starting a podcast?

Like any kind of content creation, I recommend getting a clear idea of who you’re talking to and what value you want to create for them: what is it you want to provide for them, or help them achieve, and in what way do you propose to improve their life on a personal or professional level?

For now your podcast is in French. Would you ever do one in English? 

I’ve had a lot of requests to produce the exact same podcast, only in English. I already run a blog in two languages so I don’t have the bandwidth for that at this stage, but I’m thinking about it.

I khoollect a few… 

I collect handmade pocket knives. I’ve always been very fond of beautiful knives, and bought a Laguiole folding knife with my name engraved on it in the village of Laguiole a few years ago. Now whenever we’re traveling in a region that has a tradition of artisanal knife-making, I look for the knife that calls out to me, and fits perfectly in my hand.

A life lesson that you’d tell your younger self?

You are not your thoughts. Those sentences in your brain aren’t necessarily true, or useful. You don’t have to believe them all, and you can absolutely choose to think whatever you want to think, to create whatever reality you want to experience.

What’s your secret ingredient or top tip in the kitchen?

What grows together goes together. If you select ingredients that grow in the same area and are ripe or available at the same time, your dishes will have a natural, effortless harmony.

Where do you find your motivation? 

I’ve always been a pretty self-motivated person. I’m just so joyful to be alive on this amazing planet at this amazing time. Curiosity is a big driving force for me as well. There’s so much to do, see, and learn, I want to make the most of every minute.

Favourite corner of the Internet? 

I’m a total podcast addict, and I use OverCast as my app of choice. I subscribe to about 50 different ones (and I trim regularly), and of course I don’t listen to all the episodes, but I can say for sure podcasts have been my number one source of learning and inspiration these past few years.

Do you believe rituals are an important part of creativity? 

I’m a pretty consistent ‘journaler’. I do ‘thought downloads’ to examine what’s going on in my brain, and I love to use journaling prompts to expand my thinking. It’s a great tool to manage my mind, maintain my clarity of purpose and stay connected to myself.

Clotilde Dusoulier’s new book Tasting Paris is out now.

Follow Clotilde on Facebook and Instagram.

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Read more from Clotilde

Try Clotilde’s delicious recipes for potato chip and chive omelet or roast chicken with herbed butter and croutons.

Find out Clotilde’s favourite Parisian spots for the food-obsessed.

Enter to win Clotilde’s new book, Tasting Paris.