Did Gwyneth Paltrow Use a Ghostwriter for Her Cookbook?

Did famous actor and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow use a ghostwriter for her cookbook>

A ghostwriter is someone hired to write a book, speech, article, or any other writing that will be officially credited to another person.

In the cookbook world, a ghostwriter will write and test recipes for the cookbook on behalf of their client.

The ghostwriter will receive no public credit for their work on the cookbook.

So, is it true that celebrities and celebrity chefs use ghostwriters for their cookbooks?

…Sometimes!

What is a Ghostwriter?

There are several reasons why a celebrity might use a ghostwriter.

The main reason is that creating a cookbook is a team effort.

The author needs to work with editors, designers and all sorts of other knowledgeable people to help bring their cookbook to life.

Often times these authors can’t do all of the writing and recipe testing on their own, but still want their name to be the sole author on the book.

This is where a ghostwriter comes into play.

There is some speculation around certain celebrity chefs using ghostwriters.

For the most part, these celebrity chefs deny using ghostwriters and claim to have written the cookbooks on their own.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook is one of the most famous celebrity ghostwriting scandals.

After the New York Times released an article claiming that Julia Turshen was the author behind Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, many people questioned whether or not the NYT’s claims were true.

Who is Gwyneth Paltrow?

If you’ve been living under a rock for the last twenty years or so then Gwyneth Paltrow is a famous American actress and businesswoman.

Born to American television film director and producer Bruce Paltrow and American actress Blythe Danner in 1972, Gwyneth Paltrow has lived her life in the spotlight.

Paltrow began her acting career in 1989, through her career as an actress didn’t really begin to take off until the mid to late 90’s.

Some of her most notable films include Iron Man, Shakespeare in Love, (one of my all-time favourites!) The Talented Mr. Ripley and Shallow Hal.

Her success as an actress is what has turned Gwyneth Paltrow into a household name. Though acting isn’t the only path she’s taken in life. In 2008, she launched her lifestyle newsletter, Goop, which has since turned into a web-based company.

Paltrow has been the center of several controversies as a result of her company. G

oop has received backlash for promoting medically and scientifically impossible treatments—many of which have harmful consequences.

In more recent years, Goop has been accused of engaging in deceptive marketing and promoting medical and scientific misinformation.

Controversy Surrounding My Father’s Daughter

Paltrow’s web-based company isn’t the only career-endeavour of hers that has sparked some controversy.

In 2011, Paltrow wrote a book titled My Father’s Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family and Togetherness.

The cookbook is compiled of easy weeknight dinner recipes and witty one-liners.

Shortly after Paltrow’s debut cookbook was released, the New York Times published an article claiming that Julia Turshen was the true author behind Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook. Paltrow immediately fired back on social media to dispute the claims.

Paltrow said about the claims that she used a ghostwriter, “Love [New York Times‘] dining section but this week’s facts need checking. No ghostwriter on my cookbook, I wrote every word myself.”

Paltrow’s response to the claims that she used a ghostwriter had many people speculating—did Gwyneth Paltrow really use a ghostwriter for her cookbook?

The people that believe Paltrow used a ghostwriter, refer to the excerpt in Paltrow’s cookbook that thanks the alleged ghostwriter, Julia Turshen.

Paltrow writes, “I literally could not have written this book without the tireless, artful assistance of Julia Turshen.”

The book says that Turshen tested recipes, oversaw the production of the photos and was Paltrow’s intellectual and emotional support throughout the cookbook writing process.

While this might not technically be proof that Turshen was a ghostwriter for the book, it does suggest that she was an “assistant” or a “collaborator.”

Those that agree with the ghostwriting claims also refer to the many controversies her company, Goop, has had regarding deception and misinformation.

People that defend Paltrow and believe that she wrote the book with no help of a ghostwriter, refer back to the lack of evidence in the NYT article.

Turshen is never quoted (on the record) claiming to be Paltrow’s ghostwriter.

People argue that Paltrow refuting the article’s claims and the lack of quotes from Turshen affirming what the article suggests is proof that Paltrow did not use a ghostwriter.

Even though the NYT has received backlash from Paltrow and another celebrity chef, Rachel Ray, the NYT has never released a correction on the article.

Some fans theorize that the claims of Paltrow using a ghostwriter was simply a publicity stunt.

Julia Turshen, the alleged ghostwriter, just so happened to be working on another cookbook with Gwyneth Paltrow during the time that the article was released. These people believe that this was a stunt to drum up hype for the upcoming second cookbook. Perhaps even it was an effort to get more publicity for the original cookbook.

So, Did Paltrow Use a Ghostwriter?

Regardless of if Paltrow used a ghostwriter or not, there is no shame in using a ghostwriter.

Many celebrities and authors turn to ghostwriters to better manage the daunting task of writing and publishing a book. Ghostwriters can be helpful in getting the job done efficiently and effectively, and the “author” still gets to take all of the credit.

But at the end of the day, none of us really know if the claim that Gwyneth Paltrow used a ghostwriter is true.

This might be something that the public will never know. It’s up to you to decide whether you believe Paltrow’s claims or the New York Times’.