After years of developing recipes, building a dedicated online community, and sharing her personal Jewish journey through food, Melinda Strauss has now channeled all that energy and expertise into her new kosher cookbook, “Eat Jewish.” 

“Eat Jewish” is more than a recipe collection. It’s a full celebration of Jewish identity. With over 100 dishes, from reimagined holiday classics to inventive everyday meals, Strauss invites readers to experience Jewish cooking with curiosity, confidence and joy. The book blends personal stories, cultural insights and practical guidance, drawing in readers with its heart as much as its flavor. 

With more than 1.4 million followers on social media, Strauss has created a space where food and culture mix as she shows her fans how she preps for Shabbos at a kosher market, or her opening up about her orthodox community. Her friendly smile, approachable tone and signature humor introduce each topic with the warmth of a friend standing beside you in the kitchen. 

We spoke with Melinda, and she told us her journey started in college, where she found out she had diabetes, and she began cooking for herself. Years later, after she had her second child, Melinda found herself with plenty of free time, as her child napped so she started cooking and posting her creations on Facebook. 

Eventually, she joined TikTok, and videos were needed, so she added them. The community grew, and Melinda has been on an enjoyable ride ever since. As she told us, “I am having so much fun seeing where things go!” 

We’re delighted to share a selection of her Hanukkah-friendly dairy recipes from “Eat Jewish” that we think will become instant classics in your home. Melinda, who grew up in Seattle and now lies in New York, said that “Hanukkah is the biggest time of the year that I miss being home. It’s such a fun time to be with my family, with everybody playing the dreidel game, and they play for, like, big bets. I miss all of us standing around the menorah, lighting it together. And my dad makes amazing latkes, a little mushy in the center and crispy around the edges!”