Episodes
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Molly and Kate go behind the scenes of a partnership publishing house as they speak about the Cookbook Collective with its founder, Angela Engel, and its editorial director, Amy Treadwell. Angela shares a bit of her background and her impetus for creating a more collaborative publishing model before walking us through some industry terms as she banishes stigma and describes the differences in her approach. Amy tells us how she got involved with the collective, what she tackles on the editorial side and how this changes her working relationship with authors. They both speak about the partnership and custom avenues, how they differ from traditional publishing and give us a broad overview of the process of expenses, distribution, submissions, acquisitions, design and drive before leaving us with a thought on the special, unique story that a physical cookbook can communicate.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
The Collective Book Studio
Episode 02: Do You Need a Cookbook Agent?
Episode 148: Heartland Masala with Jyoti Mukharji & Auyon Mukharji
Episode 56: Hybrid Publishing with Vasudha Viswanath
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Heartland Masala, by Joyti and Auyon Muhkarji Vegetarian Reset, by Vasudha Viswanath 52 Shabbats, by Faith Kramer 20 Amici, 40 Ricette, by John Bersani Modern Hippie, by Lauren Thomas Nosh, by Micah Siva Aebleskiver, by Pim Pauline Overgaard -
Kate and Molly speak with author Alana Kysar and her editor Kelly Snowden about their professional relationship after working on two cookbooks together. Alana shares why she initially didn't think she had a second book in her and what she hopes this new vegetable focused book adds to the Hawaiian food conversation. Kelly talks about first connecting with Alana's proposal, the elements she brought to the project and the timeline of the process. Both of them discuss the lessons learned from book one and how they helped in the sequel's creation, how they worked together and some best practices for a strong, continuing working relationship. Alana talks about the recipe selection and testing, the design and structural decisions and the approachability of her photography while Kelly explains her thoughts on option clauses, comp titles and what she sees as her mission while working on a book.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Alana Kysar
Website InstagramTen Speed Press
4 Color Books
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Aloha Veggies, by Alana Kysar Aloha Kitchen, by Alana Kysar Kimi's Kitchen, by Kimi Werner Whole Food Cooking Every Day, by Amy Chaplin -
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Kristin and Molly speak with writer Ella Quittner about her new book, Obsessed with the Best, and the work and intent behind it. They get right into the nitty gritty details of the book; its origins, proposal, the research and testing involved and its unorthodox release date and promotional experience. Ella talks about blending personal stories and journalistic research, the vast testing process and how it was organized and a peek at her cookbook collection and its own organization. She takes listeners through the photography and design choices, the editing and formatting decisions and finally leaves us with how the experience of commodifying herself has led her to a more thoughtful, intentional approach to future projects.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Ella Quittner
Website InstagramTaste podcast interview with Ella Quittner
Cherry Bombe Radio interview with Ella Quittner
Milk Street Radio interview with Ella Quittner
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Obsessed with the Best, by Ella Quittner More than Cake by Natasha Pickowicz -
Molly and Kristin invite our very first copy editor to the show, Melissa Haskin. Melissa talks about getting started in the editing profession, her love of food writing and how her experience working with magazines like Cooking Light informs her work now. The hosts share some of their personal experiences and thoughts about copy editing and Melissa shares her own process and approach— the tiny details she looks for, the red flags she knows to avoid and the programs she uses to work. She discusses what it takes to be a good editor, what she's learned running her own freelance business and the projects she does, and does not, take on. Finally she tells us her favorite parts of the job and what led her to create an entire course on recipe editing.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Melissa Haskin
Website Recipe Editing 101, 6-week courseReedsy
PerfectIt
Susan McWilliams
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Single Thread, by Kyle and Katina ConnaughtonGo to our Substack to find two downloads from Melissa: 1) A recipe editing reading list and 2) A self-editing checklist for cookbook authors.
POSTSCRIPT: During our interview, Melissa mispoke and cited a Susan Williams as her mentor at Cooking Light. It was Susan McWilliams. Melissa also misheard Kristin’s question about professional editor groups. She is part of many such groups, but none that specialize in cookbooks. In characteristic copyeditor fashion, Melissa sent us these corrections immediately upon hearing the episode.
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Molly and Kate speak with Tanya Bush, the author of Will This Make You Happy, about her cookbook/memoir mashup and how the pandemic contributed to her decision to marry a personal story and a technical text. Tanya shares some the life experiences behind the book, her impetus to create and the themes she wanted to explore as well as the process of getting an agent, earning an MFA and how the project shifted since its origins. We get into her thoughts on why she wanted to write this particular blend of genres, how the recipes, the book's design and her real life experiences fit in and how important critical distance and play are to her voice. Finally she hits on her hopes for the work, the audio version and potential adaptations and a few thoughts on her print magazine, Cake Zine.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Food Friends Podcast Newsletter
Episode 162: The one in which we issue an apology and answer listener questions
Tanya Bush
Website Instagram Cake Zine The Little Egg RestaurantWhy We Can't Stop Reading — and Writing — Food Diaries, Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker
Clare Mao, agent
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Will This Make You Happy by Tanya Bush -
Kristin speaks with hosts Molly, Andrea and Kate about blurbs; the good, the bad and the questionable. The hosts define the term and share their first blurbing experiences before chatting about the purpose and goal behind these endorsements. They talk about a blurb's swaying power, what makes a good one, how to know if it is trustworthy and the etiquette and process of soliciting, editing and including them in the finished product. They each discuss their experiences on both sides of the request, their thoughts on how a blurb affects sales and the role they see the author, editor and PR team playing before getting into some of the practical procedures and personal relationships involved when creating a list of hopeful 'blurbists'.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
"Blurb Your Enthusiasm" by Sally Ekus
"We Need to Talk About Blurbs" by Kathleen Schmidt
"Are Publishers Dropping Blurbs?" by Lisa Tener
"Here's How Social Media Is Changing Book Blurbs" (NPR, May 2025)
"Author Blurbs: Do They Matter?" by Alessandra Torre Ink
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
A Bird in the Hand by Diana Henry
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Kate and Kristin speak all about crowdfunding with Nandita Godbole, who has fully funded seven books (and counting) through Kickstarter. Nandita shares how it all began, from her wildly successful supper club to funding her first book in just a few days and takes us through the details, ups and downs and pros and cons of going this route. She speaks about finding her audience, why she decided to self-publish, how she learned the technical specs and what the driving mission behind her projects is. This approach takes an immense amount of work for quality control, design choices and even hands-on mailing, and Nandita's persistence and perseverance has gotten her through stolen laptops, co-opted ideas and immense challenges. She leaves us with lovely and sage advice for others curious about crowdfunding and gives us a little peek into what's next.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Nandita Godbole
Website Books InstagramFood Friends Podcast Newsletter
Kitchen Arts & Letters (Matt Sartwell)
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
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Molly and Kristin speak with Saeng Douangdara, a personal chef and academic counselor turned online content creator and now, cookbook author and food photographer. Saeng shares what motivated him ten years ago to get into the online food space, why he wanted to show off Lao cuisine and how he's built up an audience and community during that time. His refreshing approach means he doesn't dilute or censor his interests and instead continues to challenge himself to learn and grow. This mindset came into play when he 'manifested' his cookbook, took on the daunting prospect of learning professional food photography on the job and collaborated with the writing and typography elements of the book. Saeng discusses why he wanted to create a book that acts as a Lao food primer and a way to share personal stories along with the recipes and leaves us with some sage advice and a look at how this book accomplishes some of his earliest goals.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Saeng Douangdara
Website Food Tour Newsletter YouTube Instagram TikTokFig & Light
Lao Foodie Tour 2026
Food Friends Podcast Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
The Lao Kitchen: Lao Flavors & Stories Told Through Family Recipes, by Saeng Douangdara -
Kristin and Molly speak with Kathy Gunst, a prolific cookbook author, teacher and now leader of food writing retreats, about her varied career and new project. Kathy shares how she got started in the food world by attending London's Le Cordon Bleu, what it is like being the resident chef for NPR's Here & Now and how she deals with creative burnout. She explains the ins and outs of running a writers retreat; the logistics, planning, travel and teaching that goes on behind the scenes and how much she's taken to this new venture. She gives us insights about how the retreat is set up, the way students respond, learn and grow their confidence and the types of writing she likes to foster. She leaves us with advice and a call for writers to invest in themselves, their talent and their future.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Kathy Gunst
Website Instagram Tours NPR's Here & Now Hewnoaks Artist ResidencyFood Friends Podcast Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Rage Baking by Katherine Alford and Kathy Gunst -
Kate and Molly speak with Domenica Marchetti about her newest book and finding a niche in the crowded Italian cookbook category. Domenica shares how she got her start as a food writer, bringing her journalistic background and other interests and experiences together in a unique way, and then talks about the personal importance of some of her early work. She gets into how a cookie captured her imagination, inspiring this new cookbook all about the history, stories and bakeries that create singular Italian cookies. We discuss her research, recipe development and writing process as well as the adventure of baking all of the cookies for the photoshoot (!). And we conclude with a discussion about how her newsletter figures into her professional life.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Domenica Marchetti
Website Buona Domenica Substack InstagramGlorious Soups and Stews of Italy, by Domenica Marchetti
Food Friends Podcast Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Italian Cookies, by Domenica Marchetti Preserving Italy, by Domenica Marchetti Ciao Biscotti, by Domenica Marchetti The Glorious Pasta of Italy, by Domenica Marchetti Everyday Italian Cookbook, by Domenica Marchetti The Italian Baker, by Carol Field -
Kate and Kristin speak with Ifrah F. Ahmed about how the culmination of her expertise in a culture and a cuisine led to her debut cookbook, Soomaaliya. Ifrah shares how a trip to Somalia inspired her to leave law school, create a magazine dedicated to Somali women and start a wildly successful pop-up before turning her attention towards a book. She takes us through her deeply intentional cookbook process from coming up with the idea, getting an agent, writing the proposal, the drama of a publisher auction to the writing, recipe development, photography and design process. She talks about her goal, her primary audience and their reactions as well as how she decided to weave together history, interviews, personal essays with the recipes. Finally she touches on her decision of how much of herself to include in the book and the very special interactions she's had while writing it.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Food Friends Podcast Newsletter
Ifrah F. Ahmed
Website Instagram Milk & Myrrh pop upThis Is TASTE 728: A Delicious Deep Dive Into Somali Food with Ifrah F. Ahmed
Somali Cuisine by Barlin Ali
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Soomaaliya by Ifrah F. Ahmed -
Kate and Andrea speak with cookbook author Natasha Pickowicz about her second book, how it differed from her first and what she learned during the process. Natasha takes us on her journey from the kitchen to the keyboard as she talks about how her first book came to be, the false starts it went through and the role the pandemic played in its evolution. She then shares some behind the scenes on her second book; how publishers reacted to her topic shift, its structure, the historical inclusions and its single subject concentration. We learn about working with her parents on the book, how it deepened their connection and what they each brought to the project. Natasha gets into the challenges of the photoshoot, how she created recipes for a 'recipe-less' meal and what she's learned this time around before leaving us with some advice for other writers embarking on their sophomore books.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Episode 150: Entertaining Cookbooks
Natasha Pickowicz
Website Instagram Substack Bake Sales
Food Friends Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
More than Cake by Natasha Pickowicz Everyone Hot Pot by Natasha Pickowicz -
Andrea and Molly speak with Alison Roman and Britt Cobb, the designer of her new book, Something from Nothing about their collaboration. Alison speaks about her unique approach to her work, how she leans into personhood instead of branding and why this new book is different than her previous works. Alison and Britt describe how they connected and then get into the nitty gritty of working together; from the idea phase to the process of choosing everything from font styles, cover color, pairing illustrations with photography to trim size, prop selection and paper texture. They each share their views on the longevity and tactile nature of book creation and some insights on their design choices, tastes and ideas.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
How Not To Write a Cookbook, by Brooks Headley in Bon Appétit
Alison Roman
Website YouTube Newsletter
Britt Cobb, Cobbco DesignChris Bernabeo, photographer
Rosie McGuinness, illustrator
The Skinny Font Taking Over Tech Companies and the White House - The Wall Street Journal
Food Friends Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Something From Nothing, by Alison Roman Sweet Enough, by Alison Roman Nothing Fancy, by Alison Roman Dining In, by Alison Roman -
Molly and Kate speak with Rachel Brown, acquisitions editor at Appetite, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, about her career journey and insights into the Canadian cookbook landscape. Rachel talks about her education and early editing experience before taking us behind the scenes about Appetite titles specifically. She shares what types of books they publish, how the team works, what they are looking for in a proposal and how Canadian readers love to support local authors. She talks about working with other countries' markets, the upcoming books she is excited about and the themes she'd like to see more of before leaving us with a few words of advice for those who aspire to work in the editing sphere.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Appetite by Random House
Mary Berg
136: Cooking the Food of Nigeria with Ozoz Sokoh
Jason Hudson
Food Friends Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
My Cypriot Table, by Irene Matys -
To kick off Season 9 Molly, Andrea, Kate and Kristin discuss e-cookbooks vs physical editions before diving into front matter; all of the sections of a cookbook that come before the recipes. They talk about the purpose, process and planning that goes into the preface, prologue, forward, introduction and pantry section and ask whether these are even necessary. Each of them talk about their own experiences and approach to front matter as well as the unique ways other books have utilized these sections. They speak about the differences between the sections, their frustrations and rejections, how front matter has evolved and the importance of being creative and (sometimes) going rogue to keep readers interested and not intimidated to dive into the rest of the book.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Why the Cookbook Endures by Shaan Merchant in Taste
Episode 28: All About Recipe Headnotes
Food Friends Newsletter
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Classic Indian Cooking, by Julie Sahni Rice is Life, by Caryl Levine, Ken Lee, Kristin Donnelly Down South + East by Ron Hsu Something from Nothing by Alison Roman Chop Chop by Ozoz All About Roasting by Molly Stevens All About Braising by Molly Stevens Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin Ghana to the World by Eric Adjepong, Korsha Wilson -
Originally aired on June 19, 2024
Kate, Kristin and Molly venture back into the user experience arena as they discuss recipe presentation in cookbooks. They highlight the need for this section to delight not distract and prioritize form over function as well as the need to write with a specific audience in mind. They discuss their thoughts as a consumer and developer on elements like: ingredients, equipment, serving size, prep time, method, sub-recipes, headnotes and bursts. Finally, they share their advice for recipe developers on things to think through and ways to research to bring clarity and individuality to their own work.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Episode 91: The UX of Cookbook Design Episode 28: All About Headnotes Episode 42: How to Write Recipe Titles Episode 24: Genius Recipes with Kristin Miglore Episode 59: Lerato Umah-Shaylor on Africana Episode 33: Becoming the Writer You Want to Be with Andy Baraghani Episode 93: The Secret of Cooking with Bee Wilson Episode 88: On Being a First-Time Cookbook Author with Michelle BraxtonVisit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Genius Recipes by Kristin Miglore Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts by Brooks Headley -
Originally aired on November 9, 2022
Today, Andrea tackles the topic of the ever elusive headnote with Molly, Kate and Kristin. They discuss what a headnote is, how they go about writing them and the pitfalls to avoid while composing. They bring examples of some favorites and also their pet peeves as they chat about the format, design and variety that goes into these important cookbook ingredients.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
MentionsKristin's newsletter - Mission Dinner
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
All About Braising by Molly Stevens All About Dinner by Molly Stevens Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan Ever-Green Vietnamese by Andrea Nguyen Greenfeast by Nigel Slater Rice Is Life by Kristin Donnelly Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen by Paula Wolfert Small Victories by Julie Turshen The Chef’s Garden by Farmer Lee Jones and Kristin Donnelly The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis Wine Style by Kate Leahy -
Originally aired on February 22, 2023
Kate talks with Molly, Andrea and Kristin all about recipe titles. They share what makes one stand out, what is an immediate veto and how these have evolved over the years. They discuss the importance of indexing, the challenge of translation and how grammar, structure and formatting are used in titling along with some of their own that they'd like to revisit.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Gourmet Cookbook Boston Cooking School / Fanny Farmer Series Cook it in a Casserole Cooking Bold and Fearless Recipes from Sunset Chefs of the West The Book of Yogurt Secret Ingredients Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Change of Appetite by Diana Henry Nigel Slater Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen Ever-Green Vietnamese by Andrea Nguyen Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez The Woks of Life by Sarah Leung, Bill Leung Rice is Life by Caryl Levine, Ken Lee, Kristin Donnelly -
Originally aired on April 20, 2022
Kristin gets into the fundamentals of recipe writing as she chats with Tina Ujlaki, her mentor and the former executive editor at Food & Wine magazine. Tina explains her recipe writing philosophy, how testing can be the antithesis to cooking and the what bothers her about the format's evolution. She shares her thoughts on voice, headnotes, titles and the top 3 things to do before sharing recipes with the world.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Tina Ujlaki Nigella Lawson Nigel Slater David Lebovitz Dorie Greenspan
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
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Originally aired on April 13, 2022
Kate leads today's discussion about the recipe development, curation and testing that go into creating a cookbook. Andrea, Molly and Kristin each share their individual recipe writing processes and the tools used behind the scenes to keep everything organized. They discuss sticking to theme, finding your audience and what can take away from the magic of cooking as well as the juggling act of attribution and importance of recipe testers. Finally, Molly tells us about a recent cookbook that has her inspired.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions:
Kristin spreadsheet template Bryan FordVisit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes & Rituals from the Soul of Colombia, by Marian Velásquez - Show more
