UPDATE: Victoria Rosenthal, a former NASA employee, is reshaping the culinary landscape with her innovative video game cookbooks, captivating gamers and food lovers alike. This trend is gaining momentum as her latest work, Guild Wars 2: Feasts of Tyria, launched in September 2025, highlights her unique approach to blending gaming and cooking.
Rosenthal, who spent years developing augmented reality technologies for NASA’s astronaut training, discovered a passion for cooking inspired by the games she played. “I’ve been a gamer my entire life,” she stated, reflecting on her journey from childhood Nintendo to her culinary career. Her blog, Pixelated Provisions, emerged as a creative outlet, allowing her to share video game-inspired recipes that resonate with fans.
The big breakthrough came in 2017 when Rosenthal was approached by Insight Editions to create the Fallout: The Vault Dweller’s Official Cookbook. Tasked with developing 70 recipes in just two to three months, she not only met the challenge but exceeded expectations when the cookbook became a bestseller. “Somebody will pay me to do this?” she recalled her reaction to the offer.
Rosenthal’s cookbooks are meticulously crafted. Each recipe aims to recreate dishes seen in the respective game, using ingredients that feel authentic to the game’s universe. “If a recipe uses deathclaw, what meat is it always going to be closest to?” she asked, solidifying her unique culinary approach. By establishing rules, she ensures her cookbooks feel like extensions of the game worlds, including lore and thematic elements that engage fans.
Her books have attracted a diverse audience, with many parents reporting that Rosenthal’s work has inspired their children to cook. “I’ve gotten many messages from parents saying, ‘You convinced my kid to get in the kitchen and start cooking,'” she revealed, emphasizing her goal of making cooking accessible and enjoyable.
Looking ahead, Rosenthal has two major releases scheduled for October 21, 2025, including a second volume of Final Fantasy 14-themed recipes. She remains optimistic about future projects, expressing interest in creating cookbooks for franchises like Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Baldur’s Gate.
As the popularity of video game cookbooks surges, Rosenthal cautions consumers to be wary of unofficial, low-quality alternatives flooding the market. “There are a lot of unofficial ones that are pretty trashy,” she stated, reinforcing her commitment to quality and authenticity in her work.
Victoria Rosenthal’s journey from NASA employee to culinary innovator is a testament to how passion and creativity can inspire a new generation of cooks. Her books not only celebrate gaming culture but also promote the joys of cooking, proving that even the most niche concepts can resonate on a global scale.