How do you build a life that unfolds like a story worth telling?
This week, I sit down with the inimitable Kate Hill—writer, cook, mentor, and founder of the creative retreat Camont in Southwest France. Kate has lived many lives: as an art curator, barge navigator, cookbook author, and now as a Substack writer sharing deeply personal reflections on food, place, and creative practice.
In this episode, we talk about:
The thread of storytelling through every chapter of Kate’s career—from puppeteering to cookbooks
How she knows when it’s time to pivot and the inner signals that guide her
What makes a place feel magical—and how she intentionally designed Camont to nurture quiet creativity
The ritual (and snobbery) of the French farmers market and why it’s more than just food
Why she chose to serialize her memoir on Substack and how she thinks about paid vs. free content
Advice for people in midlife and beyond who are yearning to take a leap but don’t know how
This one’s for anyone wondering if it’s too late to start something new. (Spoiler: it’s not.)
📰 Read a bit about Kate and her summer pie recipe in the New York Times earlier this month.
🇫🇷 Here’s my recap of the two week’s I spent at Camont: My French Writing Adventure
🌿 Learn more about Kate’s work and retreats at https://relaisdecamont.com/
📝 Read her writing:
