My gosh, Kendra Adachi just gets me. You know how in some self-help/advice books, you can’t relate to any of the scenarios provided or you roll your eyes at how impractical the suggestions are for your life? Not only does Kendra constantly give “maybe you” scenarios that are *exactly* my life, but she also encourages readers and listeners to personalize any of her advice to fit their own preferences, seasons, and needs. The Lazy Genius methods are such that I think I can actually sustain them in my home, specifically in the kitchen. I’m excited about planning, organizing, and curating a space I enjoy being in that meets my family’s needs. ( )

If you are in her target audience, this is likely a helpful book. I found it too declarative. Do this. Don't do that.

And, I am not affluent as I think she expects her audience to be. My best example of this is the expectation that you have a big enough kitchen to have a dedicated dirty dishes zone that you "don't put anything else in ever". Right. I have exactly 2.5 feet of counter space, period. A dirty dishes zone is a good idea. Assuming that there is enough space to keep it clear of everything else, not so much. ( )

I adored The Lazy Genius and so I was excited to read this one too. There are a lot of repeated rules and strategies, so it’s helpful to read the original first. I love the way she approaches cooking in and organizing your space. It’s all about keeping things simple and doing
what makes sense for you in the season you’re in. Her tips on creating zones and plan B meals will stick with me. ( )

The "lazy genius is one who is a genius about only what matters (to you) and lazy about the things that don't." The trick is figuring out what matters to you at different points in your life and that's what Kendra Adachi helps with.

This is not a recipe book or really a how-to-cookbook, but the ground she does cover is useful and from a unique perspective. She doesn't teach you how to cook, but how to make your kitchen work for you.

Kendra helps you name what you personally prioritize in cooking, meals, and process and apply what you need to do to get the outcome you want.

Her principles are applied to the kitchen, but they work outside of it, too. Along the way, she presents some practical examples and applications and easy-to-absorb bonus cooking tips like:

- the liquid formula (no liquid = saute; a little liquid = stew; a lot of liquid = soup)
- cooking techniques that work well or don't for chicken/beef/fish

If you're sometimes overwhelmed by what other people do in the kitchen or what you feel like you should be doing, but can't quite manage to pull off, this book is full of "big sister energy" to help you sort it all out. Recommended. ( )

Fun, practical and encouraging. I'm not a kitchen or cooking person at all and this book made me want to try and change that. Maybe it's not my fault! ( )