If you haven’t been introduced through social media or word-of-mouth to Meredith Hayden, better known as Wishbone Kitchen, consider this your official Cape Cod Life welcome. She is the culinary sensation whose recipes are relatable, charming, and deeply rooted in her love for our coastal region. She turned her career as a private chef into becoming one of social media’s most influential accounts and has whisked her way into our hearts and kitchens. She recently shared some of her thoughts and even a recipe with us!

CCL: Your cooking style feels both elevated and comforting. How would you describe the philosophy behind your recipes and the food you create?

MH: My approach to cooking really depends on my mood. Some days I’m feeling adventurous and inspired to try something completely new, while other days, I gravitate towards dishes that are familiar and comfortable. When it comes to the recipes I choose to share online, I try to find a balance between the two.

CCL: Your social media content has evolved from food-focused videos to also include lifestyle content that gives followers a glimpse into your day-to-day life. How has that shift happened naturally for you, and what have you enjoyed most about sharing more of yourself beyond the kitchen?

MH: When I first started creating content, the food was the focus because that was what I felt like I was supposed to do. I spent over a year posting only food content and, honestly, saw very little progress. I remember coming across a piece of advice that said, “Create the content that you enjoy consuming,” and it completely shifted my perspective. It gave me permission to stop putting myself in a box and let my creativity run a little more freely. I started sharing the things that naturally surrounded the food, like the places I was shopping, the tables I was setting, my routines, my travels, and the people I was cooking for. Ironically, that’s when everything started to click. 

CCL: You’ve become known for making entertaining and home cooking feel approachable and not intimidating. Was that always your intention when you began sharing recipes online?

MH: Absolutely. I’ve always believed that entertaining should be fun, not stressful. Some of my favorite gatherings have been the simplest ones, like a few friends sitting on the floor around a coffee table eating pizza. I wanted people to feel empowered, rather than overwhelmed.

CCL: What are some of your earliest food memories, and where do you think your passion for cooking truly began?

MH: Some of my earliest food memories are of watching my Mom cook. I was an inherently curious child, and I wanted to stick my hands into everything. Family Thanksgivings were also hugely impactful, in that they showed me the magic of how food can bring people together. 

CCL: One of our favorite things about your work is your connection to Cape Cod and the Islands. What is it about this part of New England that continues to inspire you?

MH: My primary source of inspiration is my own lived experiences, so having spent 30 summers on Nantucket, I have A LOT of memories to pull from. The Cape and Islands are truly so special and unique, there’s a rhythm to life out there that encourages you to slow down and appreciate those fleeting summer moments—like eating as much local seafood as you can.

CCL: Are there particular ingredients, dishes, or traditions from around here that feel nostalgic or meaningful to you?

MH: Everything seafood, but especially lobster and clams! My family is obsessed with New England seafood. When I was 13, my parents decided I was old enough to order my very own whole steamed lobster from the Lobster Trap. To commemorate the moment, my mom saved and eventually framed my paper placemat from that dinner. 

CCL: Before Wishbone Kitchen became what it is today, what path did you imagine for yourself professionally? Did you always see food as the destination?

MH: Yes, I always wanted food to be at the core of my career. I was a marketing major in college and hoped to eventually work in the food media space. After college, I spent three years working in corporate marketing and sales at a major media company, but I quickly realized it wasn’t what I had imagined. I was attending culinary school simultaneously and hoping to pivot to food writing or recipe testing after I graduated. My culinary school graduation was in March 2020, so it’s safe to say I was forced to abandon any “plan” that I had envisioned for myself.  

CCL: Your recipes often combine simplicity and luxury. In your opinion, what makes a meal memorable? 

MH: I think the most memorable dishes are the ones that surprise you. The ones that are impossibly simple to prepare using only humble ingredients but are far more delicious than you even thought possible. Those are the recipes that I find myself not shutting up about. 

CCL: Social media has changed the way people discover food and cooking. How do you stay connected to your own voice despite the constant, demanding pace of content creation?

MH: Using my own personal lived experiences as my North Star helps me stay focused on what genuinely excites me rather than chasing every trend. The content that resonates most is usually the content that feels most true to who I am and reflects what I’m actually experiencing in real time. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by the pace of social media, I come back to what inspires me most—cooking. Those fundamentals help keep me grounded.

CCL: What surprised you most about the process of creating your cookbook? 

MH: I was surprised by how emotional the process felt. This cookbook was always so much more than just a collection of recipes to me. I wanted it to tell my story. In many ways, it became as much a personal project as a culinary one. 

CCL: Is there a particular recipe in the book that has special meaning or a story that readers might not know?

MH:For those who may not follow me on social media, the “Green Garlic Chicken and Rice Soup”is a recipe I made out of leftovers when I was home sick one day. I almost didn’t film the recipe because I thought it was such a strange mish mosh of ingredients and techniques that no one would want to make. Well, the video went “viral” and it ended up becoming one of my most popular recipes of all time. During its viral moment, a follower of mine referred to it as Swamp Soup, and I thought it was hilarious so that’s the unofficial name. 

CCL: What do you hope readers feel when they cook from your cookbook?

MH: I hope they feel inspired! I put a lot of effort into the visuals of the book because I wanted it to be just as much fun to flip through whether you were planning to cook from the recipes or not. 

CCL: Being an influencer today seems to require so much—you have to be a creator, producer, editor, businessperson and at the same time, a good storyteller. What has surprised you most about building a career in this space, and what parts of it do you genuinely love?

MH: The part I love most is being able to wear so many hats. I’ve always wanted to be self-employed, long before this was a viable career path. What surprises me the most about being an influencer is how much people underestimate the industry. While a lot of progress has been made in the last 6 years, I still feel like we have a long way to go.  

You can follow Meredith Hayden on Instagram @wishbonekitchen and purchase her cookbook at wishbonekitchen.com or locally at Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore at 432 Main Street in Chatham or booksonthecape.com.

Leslie Hatton is the editor of Cape Cod LIFE.