Welcome to The Bold
Welcome to The Bold, where Chef Crista Luedtke shares her fearless approach to food, travel, and life—delivering inspired recipes, global adventures, and the stories behind them straight to your inbox
Hey Gang!
Well, this is exciting! I’ve decided to finally launch a newsletter, and I’m calling it The Bold. If you’ve been following along on my journey, you’ll get it—bold flavors, bold choices, a bold life! After all, how else do you go from biotech sales to living your dream? You gotta Be Bold!
You can expect a newsletter at least once a month, with the occasional special announcement or invite. I wanted to bring you all a little closer into my world—what’s always cooking in the back of my brain. Whether it’s a chef I admire, a recipe I adore, an unforgettable trip centered around food and culture, or something amazing happening at the restaurants or hotel, this newsletter will have it all. And, of course, a dash of my personality—music, books, design, TV, wine… you know, all the good stuff!
Travel
First up, a trip I’ve put together with my buddies over at Modern Adventure! Mark your calendars for Sept 28th – Oct 5th, 2025 as this is shaping up to be another fantastic experience as we explore the culinary culture of Northern Spain… Basque country, baby!
Food, art, wine! All the things that make a life BOLD!
Here is what I have planned:
Tasting of rare vintages
A private Guggenheim tour
Roasted lamb at Spanish vineyards
Michelin-starred dining
Walk the San Martín market
Chef-led cooking class
Gastronomy at Les Halles de Biarritz
And learning along side me, of course!
Spots are limited so click here to sign up and to see an in-depth itinerary of the trip. This is going to be fun!
On Your Screen
Chef Crista on Wild Card Kitchen – Catch Her on Food Network!
Chef Crista is back in the Wild Card Kitchen, hosted by Erick Addegupoaung on Food Network. Known for pushing boundaries in the kitchen, Chef brings her bold flavors and creative techniques to the competition, where competitors face unexpected challenges and high-stakes cooking.
If you have never caught an episode, Wildcard Kitchen is Food Network’s exclusive, late-night culinary card game where all-star chefs bet, bluff and backstab for cold hard cash and bragging rights. In each episode, host Eric Adjepong welcomes three chefs who know each other well to the test kitchen after-hours for three hands of his underground poker game
Don’t miss her episode—tune in on Tonight at 9pm on Food Network or stream it on Food Network GO. Check your local listings or visit Food Network's website for more details
Recipe
Boon Brussels Sprouts (as seen on Food Network)
It’s cold and rainy here in Guerneville, which means it’s time for some healthy-ish comfort food. These Brussels sprouts are an OG Boon recipe that I still absolutely love. Make them bold, make them yours!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, reserving any loose leaves
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons blended oil (canola + olive oil), plus extra for frying leaves
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat a wood oven to 500°F (or a regular oven to 450°F).
Toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl.
Heat two 12-inch cast-iron pans in the oven until hot and slightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon blended oil to each pan, then split the sprouts between the two pans.
Roast for about 10 minutes, tossing periodically, until crisp and lightly browned.
While roasting, whisk together the lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to make the dressing.
In a small skillet, heat 1/3 cup blended oil. Fry any reserved Brussels leaves until crispy (about 40 seconds), then drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while warm.
Toss roasted sprouts with the dressing, then top with crispy leaves and a sprinkle of pepper. Serve hot.
Just Something Bold
What’s Inspiring Me This Month
Read: Idaho Mountain Express - I was stoked to be a part of the Sun Valley Culinary Institute’s Food and Wine Celebration. Fun snap from the event!
Music: Purple Rain - Prince — Last month was wet…I’m
ready for spring.
Vibes: New GLOR Viola bags at Boon Hotel shop.
Stay bold, stay hungry, and stay tuned!
~Crista