About

Welcome to Golden Skillet Co.! I’m Isabella Reed, the recipe developer, cast iron enthusiast, and storyteller behind every dish you see here. My journey with cast iron cooking began in my grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen in rural Tennessee, where meals were crafted with love in skillets that had been passed down through generations.

When my grandmother passed away in 2016, I inherited her collection of perfectly seasoned cast iron pans—each one carrying decades of family history. As I cooked with these treasured heirlooms in my Austin apartment, I realized how many people were intimidated by cast iron or had forgotten the simple joy of cooking in these versatile vessels. Golden Skillet Co. was born from my desire to honor my grandmother’s legacy while making traditional cooking methods accessible to modern home cooks.

My cooking philosophy centers on simplicity, quality ingredients, and techniques that stand the test of time. I believe the best meals often require just one pan and a handful of thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Every recipe on this site has been developed and tested in my home kitchen using the very skillets my grandmother used to feed our family for decades.

What drives my passion is the beautiful versatility of cast iron cooking—from perfectly seared steaks to flaky biscuits, bubbling cobblers to cornbread with that irreplaceable golden crust. I’m particularly drawn to recipes that tell a story, honor regional cooking traditions, or breathe new life into forgotten classics.

When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll find me hunting for vintage cast iron at flea markets, teaching skillet cooking workshops in my community, or exploring farms and farmers markets with my husband James and our two young daughters, who are already learning to care for their own “starter skillets.”

The most rewarding part of this journey has been hearing how these recipes have helped revive cooking traditions in your families—the cornbread recipe that finally matched a grandmother’s memory, or the confidence gained from successfully restoring a neglected skillet found in an attic.

I believe good cooking isn’t about perfection or complexity—it’s about creating moments of connection around the table. My hope is that the recipes and techniques you find here inspire you to pick up your skillet, gather your loved ones, and create meals that become memories.

Thank you for being part of this community. Here’s to good food and the stories we share through it!

Warmly,
Isabella