Linda Miller Nicholson
Known to many as Salty Seattle, Linda Miller Nicholson is disrupting society’s traditional take on pasta by turning simple and natural ingredients into colorful works of art. From dough inspired by that of Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” to her signature rainbow fusilli, the combination of natural ingredients she has so carefully merged together in order to churn out the colors loved by all of 283k Instagram followers, has been rewarding to say the least. Appearing on The Today Show, O Magazine, The New Yorker, Saveur, Good Housekeeping, Buzzfeed, Elle, the BBC and Business Insider, to name a few, Linda’s recognized colors and patterns continue to unite all pasta and art enthusiasts from around the world.
A relocation to Torino, Italy with her husband in the mid-2000s laid the groundwork for an existing pasta lover, who has been cooking pasta with her grandparents since the age of 4. However, it was when her son stopped eating vegetables, that she then had the lightbulb moment of wanting to experiment with more colors in her cooking. Having used spinach and beets in her dough, she knew that she had hit the jackpot, after realizing that not only were these pasta doughs more nutritious, but they were just that much more fun with their brightly hued shades.
Since that first initial aha moment, she has now been able to accumulate a passionate following including the likes of celebrity clients such as Matthew McConaughey, Snookie and Katy Perry. However, it was most recently publicized that Linda has further dabbled in home decor, with her work making a noticeable appearance in Gigi Hadid’s recent renovation. This permanent instalment of edible pasta art is only one of many of Linda’s projects.
Constantly updating her YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes footage, she has further debuted a cookbook called ‘Pasta, Pretty Please’. Met with widespread critical acclaim, the book includes 30+ recipes detailing different pasta dough colors. The book further dives into recipes explaining how to execute each shape, pattern and sauce familiar to those who follow the aesthetically dreamy Instagram account. All made possible by use of natural colors from vegetables, herbs and superfoods, these recipes make for a deliciously fun activity for the whole family.
From polka dots to more elaborate emoji-inspired raviolis made entirely from sheets of pasta, Linda continues to encourage her followers to take on this activity with the help of her rainbow pasta dough kits. She further hosts the occasional workshop, for those wanting to learn more from the Chef herself. Inspiring a generation to experiment with colors, taste and fun in the healthiest of ways, Linda continues to create the most appetizing and aesthetically-pleasing pasta dishes, one color at a time. To learn more about Linda’s workshops, dough kits and for behind-the-scenes content, make sure to keep updated with her instagram and website.
