Brooke Siem

Hi! I'm Brooke Siem. Like so many in my generation, I am a "career slasher." That is, I am part of a modern tribe of professionals who, thanks to varied interests and the emergence of the gig economy, work multiple jobs (and write books) in wildly different sectors. I am a writer/chef. My second book—a memoir called MAY CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS—is about antidepressant withdrawal, a very real and common experience largely ignored by the mental health and psychiatric community. I wrote the book because it's the story I wish I'd had while I was going through hell. In the end, getting off antidepressants, surviving psychiatric drug withdrawal, and recovering from depression has been the greatest gift of my life. I hope my story can bring hope to others. I'm also the co-author of Prohibition Bakery, a cookbook based on my (now closed) boozy bakery in New York City. In addition to my writing, I'm a Food Network "Chopped" Champion (Season 32, episode 6, available on Hulu), a 2014 Zagat 30 Under 30 honoree, hold a degree from Middlebury College and the Institute of Culinary Education, and have written for The Washington Post, EatingWell Magazine, and more.