Episodes
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Kate, Kristin and Molly speak with agent Lori Galvin about her long career in the food media space. She shares what spurred her decision to move on from editorial work and how agenting required on the job learning and an entrepreneurial approach. She talks about learning to trust in her own taste, why she enjoys working with both fiction and non-fiction titles and the changes she is seeing in the cookbook sphere. After touching on proposals, comp titles and platform building, Lori gives some advice to authors looking for their own agents and what she in particular looks for in an book.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Lori Galvin at Aevitas Agency
Query Manager
Episode 76: Totally Achievable Zero Waste Cooking with Irene and Mei Li
Sh*t no one tells you about writing article on Query Manager (scroll down)
Kristin Donnelly's mini-course about finding an agent
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir by Kwame OnwuachiPie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies by Cathy BarrowPerfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret Li and Irene Li -
Molly and Kate talk with prolific writer Bee Wilson about her new cookbook, The Secret of Cooking. Bee explains how she uses her past experience as an academic in her food writing to showcase its breadth beyond restaurants and recipes and what inspired her to write this cookbook. She shares why she settled on a thematic structure for the book, the recipe writing and testing process along with her varied influences and resources. She talks about bringing the joy back into cooking and why she believes that the golden age of home cooking is still to come.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Bee Wilson
WebsiteInstagramVisit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
The Secret of Cooking by Bee WilsonConsider the Fork by Bee WilsonFirst Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee WilsonThe Way We Eat Now by Bee Wilson50 Ways to Cook a Carrot by Bee Wilson -
Missing episodes?
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Kate and Molly speak with Ruth Reichl, an icon and authority in the food media world, about her breadth of writing experience - restaurant reviews, cookbooks, memoirs, articles and even tweets- and her new book, The Paris Novel. Ruth shares why food is a universal framework, her inspirations for this novel and the process of working with a new editor. She talks about being a "writer who hates writing" and how this process differed from others as well as how she accesses memories to include specificities in her scenes. Finally, she shares her advice to push into the unknown and what she is working on next.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Ruth Reichl
SubstackInstagramFood and Country Film
"Why I Disapprove of What I Do" by Ruth Reichl
Tumbleweed at Shakespeare and Company
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
The Paris Novel by Ruth ReichlSave Me the Plums by Ruth ReichlGarlic and Sapphires by Ruth ReichlMy Kitchen Year by Ruth ReichlDelicious! by Ruth ReichlTender at the Bone by Ruth ReichlComfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl -
Kristin, Molly and Kate tackle cookbook design from a usability perspective. They point out design decisions that authors should consider: packaging and cover design, typeface and font legibility, photographs on matte vs gloss paper and much more. They share their own opinions, experiences and preferences on the elements that enhance or detract from a user's experience of the book and, because there's much more to say on the topic, tease a part two.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Debbie Berne Instagram
83: A Niche Cookbook That Sold 350K+ Copies with Shelly Worcel
47: Self-Publishing Cookbooks with Nick Fauchald
66: Becoming Your Own Publisher with Katie Parla
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
The Design of Books by Debbie Berne -
Kristin and Molly speak with cookbook author Phoebe Lapine about finding pleasure in restrictive diets and her new cookbook, Carbivore. Phoebe shares what led her down a food focused career path, how she learned while blogging and how a health diagnosis pulled her down a different path than originally planned. She talks about writing recipes that keep comfort and pleasure in mind, synthesizing data to communicate science to her reader and why her driving force is "healthy hedonism". She also discusses the concept of a "search term book", the importance of sub-titles and how she balanced blogging, social media and marketing while writing the book.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Phoebe Lapine
WebsitePodcastInstagram
Carbivore pre-order freebies
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Carbivore by Phoebe LapineSibo Made Simple by Phoebe LapineThe Wellness Project by Phoebe LapineIn the Small Kitchen by Phoebe Lapine -
Molly and Kristin speak with Sarah Kwak, a senior editor at Harvest an imprint of Harper Collins, to find out what the editing process is like. Sarah shares how she ended up at her current role, the focus Harvest has for cookbooks and what authors should keep mind regarding their proposal assembly before submission. She discusses her thoughts on comp titles, overcoming past book sales, multifaceted ways to grow a platform and what compels her to spend over two years working on a specific project. Finally, she talks about trends in the food world, the changes in the economy of publishing and her advice along with the books she is excited to release this year.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Sarah KwakHarvest an imprint of Harper CollinsEpisode 09: Cookbook Editing Tips from Jennifer SitEpisode 48: Abi Balingit on Learning as You Go
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Mayumu by Abi BalingitThe Book on Pie by Erin McDowellJacques Pépin Art of the Chicken by Jacques PépinHot Sheet by Olga Massov and Sanaë Lemoine -
Kristin and Kate discuss author Michelle Braxton's turbulent publishing journey for her new book, Supper with Love. She shares the story behind the "organic" growth of her food career, how she balances social media creation, blogging and book writing with a separate full time career and how the book idea came about. She talks about committing firmly to the book's concept, why she chose her publisher and the tumultuous publishing process that include her editor leaving and the imprint closing. Finally, she discuses who her audience is, why she creates the sorts of recipes she does and her tips and advice for aspiring authors.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Michelle Braxton
WebsiteInstagram
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Supper with Love by Michelle Braxton
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Kate and Kristin speak with Kathleen Schmidt, an industry veteran with years of experience in editing, publishing, marketing and public relations and now author of the newsletter Publishing Confidential. Kathleen shares her extensive career path, what her focus is as a freelancer and the origins of her newsletter along with what keeps her writing. She talks about the differences between marketing and PR, her dedication to an author centric approach and walks listeners through a hypothetical scenario of book promotion. Finally, she discusses what authors should focus on, thoughts on Authors Equity, the idea of a digital surrogate and her current course offerings dedicating to help author demystify their publishing experience. - Please excuse the audio quality in this one!
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Kathleen Schmidt
Public Relations ConsultingPublishing Confidential NewsletterPublishing Confidential University"Book Publishing is Broken" post
"Why Authors Equity Will Work" post
Episode 31: Catch an Agent's Attention with Sally Ekus
grossypelosi
The Department of Salad Substack
Authors Equity
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
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Kate and Molly speak with Lelani Lewis, a London born food stylist and culinary activist of Grenadian and Irish heritage now based in Amsterdam. Lelani shares how homesickness spurred her into a culinary career through pop-ups, where the idea for her debut cookbook came from as well as why she chose this title. She speaks about her desire to share the colorful, diverse nature of Caribbean food alongside its dark history and what she hopes readers will get from reading her book. She talks about working with a Dutch publisher, the unique editing and translation process, how she settled on her final recipe list and her ambitious new project.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Lelani Lewis
WebsiteInstagramUsing food as a tool to reconcile history | Lelani Lewis | TEDxAmsterdamSalon
Jessica B Harris
Nijgh Publishing, Amsterdam
Tra Publishing
Episode 25: Inside a Ukrainian Kitchen with Anna Voloshyna
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Code Noir: Afro-Caribbean Stories and Recipes by Lelani LewisYou and I Eat the SameIron Pots & Wooden Spoons by Jessica B Harris -
Molly and Kristin dive into the territory of kid-lit in this talk with Alliah Agostini and Taffy Elrod, authors of The Juneteenth Cookbook. Alliah and Taffy discuss how they both got involved with the project, how they worked together and the goal they had of bringing the celebration of Juneteenth to life with food, history and family activities. They talk about the family representation in the book, the recipe development process and what went into all the extras inside. Alliah and Taffy both speak about tapping into their inner child while writing, what it was like working with their illustrator and the plans they have for the upcoming book tour.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Alliah L. Agostini
Taffy Elrod
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Highlights Foundation
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
The Juneteenth Cookbook by Alliah L. Agostini and Taffy ElrodThe Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. Agostini -
Molly, Kristin, Andrea and Kate tackle the topic of cookbook criticism, spurred on by recent online conversations. They discuss what it could look like, its importance and what the lack of rigorous criticism means for cookbook publishing. They talk about the unique obstacles to reviewing cookbooks, the elements reviews should highlight and why we need to be wary of echo chambers. Our hosts speak on the idea that this genre isn't taken as seriously as others, what that means for cookbook quality and share what they specifically want to see in a good cookbook.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Cookbooks And Criticism by Tim Mazurek
Cooks Without Borders by Leslie Brenner
Where the Heck Is All the Cookbook Criticism? by Paula Forbes
A Wine Guide for a Changing World (for Better and for Worse) in NYT
Episode 19: Do Cookbook Awards Matter? | Charlotte Druckman
Episode 49: Cookbook Media Coverage with Bonnie Benwick
Kitchen Bookshelf on Instagram
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Modern Proper by Holly Erickson and Natalie MortimerPlenty by Yotam Ottolenghi -
Kristin and Molly speak with author and blogger Shelly Worcel about breaking into speciality markets and writing niche, single subject cookbooks. Shelly speaks about growing her skills while blogging, how she was tapped to write her highly successful second book, and how her open mindset allowed a natural escalation of her brand and career. She shares the pitching process, how photography and styling fits into her workflow and how she is able to keep each new project fresh. She talks about marketing her books as "gifts", how she keeps merchandising in mind during the writing and the upcoming project she is concentrating on now.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Shelly Worcel
WebsiteInstagramVisit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Every Season is Soup Season by Shelly WorcelPlatters and Boards by Shelly WorcelTables & Spreads by Shelly WorcelVegetarian Heartland by Shelly Worcel -
Kate talks with Kristin, Molly and Andrea about the challenges faced when beginning a writing career and the resources they use to help improve their writing skills. They discuss which interest came first, the writing or the food, how reading with a critical eye can help one move beyond the basics and why it is vital to always keep the reader at the forefront. They each share the specific books and tools they turn to for guidance, inspiration and exploration as they constantly look to advance their craft.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
The Complete Recipe Writing Guide
Recipes Into Type (Out of Print)
Grammarphobia website
Episode 69: Writing a Menu Cookbook with Amy Thielen
Episode 15: Will Write for Food with Dianne Jacob
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Dyrer’s EnglishSeveral Short Sentences About Writing Smart BrevityRefuse To Be DoneFlavoramaThe Flavor Thesaurus - Volume OneThe Flavor Thesaurus - Volume TwoThe Flavor BibleHow To Write AnythingBird By BirdThe Copy BookWhen in French Love in a Second LanguageI Dream of Dinner so You Don't Have To by Ali SlagelNative American Ethnobotany by Daniel E MoermanOn Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee -
To mark our 2 year anniversary, we're re-releasing our very first episode!
Kate leads today's discussion on the most important question to ask before you sit down to write your cookbook: Should you write a cookbook? Molly, Andrea and Kristin share their individual journeys as authors and provide some insights into what goes on behind the decision to move forward with a project. They chat about the importance of hustle, platform and studying the elements in your favorite cookbooks as well as some of the books they decided against creating. Finally, Molly shares a Tip of the Week and Andrea lets us know which cookbook has captured her attention lately.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions:
Jane Friedman.com
Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks website
Susan Chang's Podcast: The Level Teaspoon
The New York Times Magazine article about why dictionaries are valuable
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Taste & Technique by Naomi PomeroyMister Jiu's in Chinatown: Recipes and Stories from the Birthplace of Chinese American Food by Brandon Jew -
Andrea, Molly, Kristin and Kate sit down to wrap up another incredible season of the show: taking listener questions, highlighting our top takeaways and hinting at the upcoming Season 5. They discuss how they individually approach recipe testing, what they learned about community this season and take time to celebrate the recent World Central Kitchen fundraiser and the evolution of our Insider Series. Thank you for your support and stay tuned for future episodes in the coming weeks!
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Follow EVCB on Instagram
Heidi Swanson
Episode 16: Listener Questions: Recipe Testing, Family Cookbooks, Agents, and Should I Use a Scale?
Episode 72: Nichole Accettola and Malena Watrous on Co-Authoring Scandinavian From Scratch
Episode 36: Celebrating Colombia with Mariana Velásquez
Episode 74: Crafting a Drinks Book with Danny Childs
Episode 79: Collaborating with Family on a Cookbook with the Wang Sisters
Episode 73: Writing For the Culture with Klancy Miller
Episode 77: Politics, Food and Cooking with Clarissa Wei
Episode 76: Totally Achievable Zero Waste Cooking with Irene and Mei Li
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
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Kristin and Kate speak with cookbook author Adeena Sussman about her career, her new book and what its like working with Chrissy Teigen. A self described "late bloomer" Adeena shares her experience collaborating on over a dozen books, how she got her start and what she learned on the job as she hustled her way into food media. She talks about how she sees herself and her audience, what shabbat means to her and how she views social media recipe development. Finally, she discusses the value she sees in book events, how she stays organized and what her next book is about.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Adeena Sussman
WebsiteInstagramThe Little Rituals That Keep Us Going - The New York Times
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Sababa by Adeena SussmanShabbat by Adeena SussmanCravings by Adeena Sussman and Chrissy TeigenCravings: Hungry for More by Adeena Sussman and Chrissy TeigenCravings: All Together by Adeena Sussman and Chrissy Teigen -
Molly and Kristin speak with the Wang sisters, Stéphanie, Patricia Ho-Yi and Caroline, about their new cookbook, Asian Vegetables and its recently released English edition. They discuss how the idea for the book came about and how they decided to tackle it as a team using their various skill sets as a gardener, dietician and musician. They share their collaboration process, how they divided the labor and what themes they were passionate about including in this all-in-one gardening guide, memoir and cookbook. They talk about crafting one voice, the translation process and design choices including a special connection with their photographer as well as how working on this during the height of the pandemic brought them closer as sisters.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
The Wang Sisters
Asian Vegetables (French Version)
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Asian Vegetables (English version) by Stéphanie Wang, Patricia Ho-Yi Wang, Caroline Wang -
Molly and Kate discuss serialized cookbooks with author and professor, Darra Goldstein. Darra explains how the idea for the series came about, how the writing team was assembled and the inspirations behind the project. She shares the obstacles that arose as they released two books at once, as well as the relentless schedule this involved. Finally, she speaks on the necessity of switching up her writing voice from academic to author, the hurdles of the design process and where the next installments are in the pipeline.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Darra Goldstein
WebsiteInstagramZarela Martinez
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Preserved: Condiments by Darra Goldstein, Cortney Burns, Richard MartinPreserved: Fruit by Darra Goldstein, Cortney Burns, Richard MartinKirsten ShockeyFood52Modernist Cuisine -
Andrea and Molly talk with Taipei-based journalist and author, Clarissa Wei about her debut cookbook, Made in Taiwan and the inclusion of politics in food writing. Clarissa speaks about her career's origins and how her frustration with the outdated coverage of Taiwanese food in media compelled her to write this book. She shares how her journalistic background informed the project, how she worked with the various members of her team and her strategy for weaving in the history with the technical side of cooking. She discusses how she used her writing voice in this format and what she hopes to work on in the future.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Clarissa Wei
WebsiteInstagram
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Made in Taiwan by Clarissa Wei
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Kate and Kristin speak with sisters Margaret and Irene Li about their new book, Perfectly Good Food, and the concepts of shopping your kitchen and foraging your fridge. They discuss the idea behind the book, how they approached its unique structure and landed on its fun, friendly tone and created its flexible recipes. They share how they divided the work of writing and what is next for them.
Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen
Editor: Abby Cerquitella
Mentions
Food Waste Feast
Food Waste Feast on Instagram
Mei Mei Dumplings
Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show
Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret Li and Irene LiDouble Awesome Chinese Food by Irene Li, Andrew Li and Margaret LiHome Comforts by Cheryl MendelsonSeeing Science: An Illustrated Guide to the Wonders of the Universe by Iris Gottlieb - Show more