Joanna Gaines may be the face of a lifestyle empire, but shes not chasing the Hollywood spotlight.Instead, shes content living a slower, more grounded life in Waco, Texas.The "Fixer Upper" star is keeping things real in the Lone Star State, where she lives in a modest farmhouse, cooks dinner nightly and fills her home with handwritten notes, along with family photos.CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES' MAGNOLIA NETWORK BACKLASH PUTS HOME RENOVATION STAR IN HOT SEATIn a recent interview with Delish, the "Fixer Upper" star opened up about why staying rooted in her home state is key to keeping her grounded. For Gaines, that foundation starts in the kitchen."I dont know how to express home without talking about food. Because, yes, home is a beautiful space. But its also, What are you eating? What are you smelling? Food has so much power."Whether shes hosting the holidays or preparing comfort food for her own family, Gaines said food is her purest expression of love, and its the heartbeat of her home.Gaines additionally shared that her kids are stepping into her love of food, even as they get ready to leave the nest."My kids are all now in the season of life where theyre closer to leaving than they are staying," she said, noting her four oldest are 20, 18, 17 and 15.Her eldest, Drake, lives about an hour away for college and loves cooking with his girlfriend."They have these nights where they go all out, and they cook three-, four-, or five-course meals," she explained. "I mean, he still gets Whataburger, but I think the fact that hes feeding himself hes making grilled chicken, hes making steaks hes set for life."For Gaines, cooking has evolved into a form of meditation amid her busy family life."I get home every day from work at 5:30. Thats when the kids typically get home after sports and everything," she shared. "And now its become a thing where if Im not working with my hands in the kitchen, Im not getting that downtime."Behind her popular lifestyle brand is a woman who built her home literally and emotionally around food and family.Gaines roots are firmly planted in Waco, where her family settled when she was 12 after living in Austin and Seoul, Korea.In 2023, Chip and Joanna opened up about how the couple turned Waco, Texas, into a Magnolia-fueled tourist hot spot.CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES TRY SOMETHING NEW IN THEIR MARRIAGE AFTER 25 YEARS"Can you believe you turned Waco, Texas, into a tourist destination?" Jenna Bush Hager, a "Today" show host, asked Chip at the time."I cant believe it," Chip replied. "Even saying it out loud feels like we want to hide in the corner. Like, that cant be true."What started as a simple dream exploded into a nationwide phenomenon."We built and built and tried and tried, and, for the first time, Jo and I are looking backward," Chip said. "A lot happened, and you didnt get to really stop and smell the roses while it was occurring. Now, were finally in a really nice place."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERIn 2020, Gaines admitted she was skeptical about their current Waco farmhouse, calling it a terrible investment at first."Wed recently finished renovating a house that was intended to be a flip but that Id come to love, that truly finally felt like home for our family, when one day Chip announced a new prospect," she recalled in Magnolia Journal via People."A client of ours would soon be selling her farmhouse just outside of town," but Joanna thought it was "a long shot." And once they saw the place, "it was a no for me right from the start." Until she witnessed her five children enjoying the property."The kids would run wild while Chip and I sat beneath one of the oak trees. Something felt right about our family being there despite all the very good reasons we didnt belong."JOANNA GAINES SAYS COLLEGE SENDOFF IS 'ONE BIG, BREATHLESS SURRENDER' IN EMOTIONAL POSTThe Magnolia Network stars tied the knot in 2003. Joanna and Chip are parents to five children Ella, Drake, Crew, Emmie and Duke.As the Gaines planted their roots in Waco, Texas, their Magnolia businesses took off.The couple first gained fame more than 10 years ago when they were cast on the HGTV series "Fixer Upper" in 2013, which showed the couple revitalizing dilapidated homes through their Magnolia Homes business in Waco, Texas.After five seasons, they decided to leave the show and then signed with Discovery+, starting the Magnolia Network in 2022.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSAlong with the network, the couple also have the 5-acre Magnolia Market at the Silos, which includes the shops at the Silos, the Silos Baking Co. bakery and the Magnolia Press coffee shop. They also own the Magnolia Table restaurant several miles away.They also own the Magnolia Journal magazine and have written a series of lifestyle books, including Joannas "Home Body" and Chips "No Pain, No Gaines." They have their own Magnolia Home, furniture and accessories line and a home line created by Joanna called Hearth and Hand for Target.Chip and Joanna also opened a boutique hotel, Hotel 1928, in 2023, after renovating a historic hotel in Waco with 33 rooms. The pair also offer vacation rentals in Waco, including Hillcrest Estate and Hillcrest Cottage, the original carriage house for the estate."Delishs" Fall Treats baking issue is on newsstands now.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this report.