About The Host Notes
Welcome!
The Host Notes is your place for simple recipes and hospitality guidance – designed to help you create connection, celebrate the everyday, and gather with intention and joy.
Meet Amber Dawn
I’m Amber Dawn Schultheis, a hospitality and culinary writer, recipe developer, and marketing professional based in the Greater Seattle Area. Thanks for being here!
My work is shaped by both hands-on culinary and event experience and years of professional storytelling and brand strategy. Before moving into corporate marketing, I trained and worked in commercial kitchens across the Pacific Northwest—as a baker, barista, prep cook, caterer, and event hostess.
My experience as a baker and barista at The Flying Apron Bakery in Seattle deeply shaped how I cook and host today: with inclusivity, care, and curiosity about new ways to make delicious food. In my time there, I specialized in gluten-free and vegan pastries and savory dishes. Prior to that, I worked as a hostess and server at a French-inspired bed and breakfast, where I was introduced to fine dining service and the quiet details that make people feel truly welcome.
Across café kitchens, dining rooms, and event spaces, I learned how to execute thoughtful food, adapt to specific dietary requirements, and lead with kindness and intention. Those lessons guide everything I share here at The Host Notes. I hope you find something meaningful here.
“Hospitality is at the heart of everything I do. I see the way it creates connection between people, the way it changes lives.“
Fun Facts About Me
Current Coffee Order
Americano w/ coconut milk
Hosting style
Warm + unfussy
Go-To Dinner
salmon w/ cucumber salad
Kitchen Soundtrack
Indie folk + blues
Favorite Place
Near the water
Pantry Staple
Flaky salt
Hospitality, Made Simple and Meaningful
Whether you’re planning a cozy brunch, hosting a crowd, or simply trying to get dinner on the table with a little less fuss, The Host Notes is here to support you with recipes, rituals, and not-so-subtle reminders that hosting should nourish you, too.
If you want to:
- Host more often, but don’t know where to start
- Make cooking for friends and family easier and more enjoyable
- Learn how to accommodate different dietary needs
- Create meaningful moments around the table
- Get out of your cooking rut
- Bring a bit of hospitality into your everyday life
… you’ve come to the right place.
Here you’ll find: Simple Recipes & Joyful Hospitality
- Make-ahead appetizers and crowd-pleasers to simplify hosting
- Flavor-forward, seasonal recipes designed to be joyful to make and share
- Brunch ideas, main dishes, sides, and sweets that are as delightful as they are doable
- Hospitality how-tos, checklists, and real-life hosting advice you can actually use
A Commitment to Continuous Improvement (in and out of the kitchen!)
I’m committed to learning from the best—continually refining my skills so the recipes and guidance shared here are accurate, thoughtful, and well-informed. In addition to years of hands-on kitchen experience, I’ve completed culinary courses ranging from sourdough baking to classic French techniques, and recipe-writing seminars through Tastemaker Conference, the world’s largest food blogger community.
Here are some of the cooking schools I’ve learned from and recommend:
- Belfast Cookery School – Belfast, Ireland
- Seawolf Bakers – Seattle, Washington, US
- King Arthur Baking School – Skagit County, Washington, US
- Culinary Immigration – Snohomish, Washington, US
- Dubuque Bakery – Snohomish Washington, US
Featured In
Amber Dawn and The Host Notes has been featured in Pacific Northwest food and lifestyle publications, including Snohomish City Lifestyle, local product campaigns, and small business storytelling outlets throughout the region.
Events & Experiences
The Host Notes has been commissioned for select private events including private chef services, hospitality workshops, retreats, and intimate cooking class experiences throughout the Greater Seattle Area and beyond. Inquiries are welcome! Reach out to [email protected].
Let’s Stay Connected!
Subscribe to The Host Notes newsletter for inspiration delivered straight to your inbox —seasonal recipes, real-life hospitality tips, and personal anecdotes to remind you to savor and connect with joy. I’d be so delighted to have you there!