Everything Cookbooks

Molly and Kate speak with cookbook author Polina Chesnakova about her newest and most personal work yet, Chesnok. Polina talks about falling in love with her family's food which led her to writing, teaching and, eventually, a cookbook deal. While her first two books were less personal, this one is layered with family history, traditional recipes and tales from the diaspora and Polina unpacks the process behind its creation. She shares behind the scenes tidbits like the title selection, cover design and the sometimes maddening process behind nailing down the details of the recipes. She shares some of the apprehension she had while writing, where she spent time researching and why this was actually the easiest cookbook project she's ever worked on.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Special Holiday Offer for Everything Cookbook listeners from The Local Palate Cookbook Club: Enjoy 15% off any membership, which includes curated newsletters, marketplace discounts, event invitations, and chances to win cookbooks and kitchen swag. Click the link to sign up: https://thelocalpalate.com/cookbookclub/ and use promotional code EVERYTHING. This special offer expires on 12/25.  Polina ChesnakovaWebsiteInstagramNewsletter Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showChesnok by Polina ChesnakovaHot Cheese by Polina ChesnakovaEveryday Cake by Polina ChesnakovaCarpathia by Irina GeorgescuBeyond the North Wind by Darra Goldstein

Molly, Kate, Kristin and Andrea get together to discuss the new trend towards entertaining cookbooks; what they are, what they need and what problem they can solve. The hosts discuss some standouts, how they personally use them and what they hope to see in future iterations. While this genre can tend towards the aspirational, there are a few on the market that highlight the more practical aspects of hosting and attending get-togethers. After asking what the confluence of these books means about us post-pandemic, they talk about sub-genres, the re-release of a classic and if they'd be interested in writing one of their own. Finally they share a few of the dishes they're planning to make for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Join The Local Palate Cookbook ClubJenna Helwig Cookbook wrap upMartha Stewart Transformed the Dinner Party. Was That a Good Thing? by Julia MoskinThe Surprising Endurance of Martha Stewart’s “Entertaining” by Hannah Goldfield69: Writing a Menu Cookbook with Amy Thielen36: Celebrating Colombia with Mariana VelásquezChelsea FaganStaff Meals from Chanterelle Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showMartha Stewart's Entertaining by Martha StewartElvira's Cookbook from Hell by Cassandra PetersonCompany by Amy ThielenBarefoot Contessa Parties by Ina GartenNothing Fancy by Alison RomanWhat Can I Bring by Casey ElsassHaving People Over by Chelsea FaganThe Picnic by by Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson and Andrea SloneckerThe Campout Cookbook by Marnie Hanel and Jen StevensonThe Snowy Cabin by Marnie Hanel and Jen StevensonCooking for Good Times by Paul KahanDrinks and Dinks by Camille WilsonSoju Party by Irene YooParty People by Brie LarsonColombiana by Mariana Velasquez

Kate and Molly speak with chef, food writer, recipe developer and bar owner Irene Yoo about her debut cookbook Soju Party. Irene talks about her varied media career, the bar pop-ups that led to her opening a bar and writing this book. She's explains why she never thought she'd write this type of book, how her photo directing experience helped with the shoot and design and the thinking behind the book's unique organization, recipe curation and voice. She shares how it evolved from proposal to finished project, where she spent time researching and what was the hardest part of working on it. Finally she tells us why it was personally so important to share Korean food and drink culture and what she hopes this book brings to the conversation.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsJoin The Local Palate Cookbook Club Irene YooWebsiteOrion BarIG: @yooeatingTikTok: @yooeating YouTube: @ka.ka.studioIrene Yoo's Guide to Korean Drinking on Food 52 Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showSoju Party: How to Drink (and Eat) Like a Korean, by Irene YouNitethawk Cinema Presents CookbookAnything's Pastable, by Dan PashmanKoji AlchemyFirst Generation, by Frankie GawChili Crisp, by James Park

Molly and Kate speak with mother and son duo, Auyon & Jyoti Mukharji, about their new cookbook Heartland Masala. Jyoti shares how her popular cooking classes inspired a book and Auyon describes how he got involved and how the project eventually took on a life of its own. They talk about working together (for better or for worse), what skills they each brought to the project and how it progressed from idea to fully realized book. They explain why traditional publishing wasn't going to work for this book, how the hybrid model resulted in the book of their dreams and what the recipe creation, writing, testing and photographing process was like. They talk about the book's illustrations, its art direction and cover and how they crafted the friendly, knowledgeable and funny tone that enhances this very special book.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Join The Local Palate Cookbook ClubAuyon MukharjiJyoti Mukharji - jmukharji -at- gmail.comHeartland Masala HQ Substack : At Noon We FightPrint Your Own Map from Heartland Masala HQThe Collective Book StudioFrances Baca book designerOlivier Kugler illustratorWendy MacNaughton illustrator Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showHeartland Masala by Auyon Mukharji & Jyoti MukharjiMy Bombay Kitchen, by Niloufer Ichaporia KingSalt Fat Acid Heat, by Samin Nosrat 

Kate and Kristin speak with Raquel Pelzel and Michael Szczerban about bringing an iconic Italian cookbook to America. The Talisman of Happiness was written in the 1920s by Ada Boni, "one of the most groundbreaking, pioneering women in food history." The book has influenced some of the most beloved pillars of Italian cuisine. Michael shares what drew him to this book and inspired his years-long quest to publish it in America while Raquel talks her process of editing over(!) 1600 recipes post-translation. They discuss editing by hand, recipe testing, translation, focusing on an American audience and the timeline they had to accomplish this massive undertaking. Finally, they share how the book changed their own cooking, why it is so special to the, and the types of books that Voracious publishes.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsVoracious imprintJoin The Local Palate Cookbook Club Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Talisman of Happiness by Ada Boni

Kristin and Kate welcome the food director of Real Simple, Jenna Helwig, to discuss her newsletter, The Cookbookery Collective, and her thoughts on the current cookbook landscape. Jenna shares her career path, why she fell in love with food and how she paired writing cookbooks with working as a private chef. She talks about covering food at Real Simple, the role magazines play in our current food media climate and her thoughts on building a social media presence and how that led to starting her newsletter. After talking about assembling the massive list of Fall 2025 titles she shares some thoughts on marketing copy, subtitles, influencer cookbooks and the upcoming trends she's excited (or not so excited) to see. Finally she extends some advice and reveals her level of interest in writing another book.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsJenna HelwigWebsiteCookbookery Collective SubstackFall 2025 Cookbook list Real Simple MagazineJoin The Local Palate Cookbook Club Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showBare Minimum Dinners by Jenna HelwigBaby-Led Feeding by Jenna HelwigBaking and the Meaning of Life by Helen GohDorie's Anytime Cakes by Dorie GreenspanSix Seasons of Pasta by Josh McFaddenRecipes from the American South by Michael TwittyGood Things by Samin NosratHot Date by Rawaan Alkhatib Chesnok by Polina Chesnakova

Kate and Kristin get into all things food photography with Eva Kolenko, the photographer of over 50 cookbooks. Eva talks about her new studio setup, how she got her start as a photographer after a wandering path as an artist and how she made the jump to actually making a living with her talent. She shares what she wished she knew before starting this line of work, how she approaches each new project and the essential tools of the task that make it run smoothly. Finally she discusses what she'd like authors to know about the photography experience, what she wishes they would do and consider while on set and the advice (and pet peeves!) she has for aspiring photographers.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsEva KolenkoWebsiteSubstack: Inside the Food StudioJoin The Local Palate Cookbook Club106: Caroline Chambers on Building a Substack Platform Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showYogurt by Janet Fletcher, photos by Eva KolenkoShaq's Family Style photos by Eva KolenkoWhat to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers, photos by Eva Kolenko

Kate and Molly speak with both an author and an agent about their collaboration process. We talk to Peter J. Kim about his debut cookbook, The Instant Ramen Kitchen, and to David Black about working as a literary agent and why this project caught his attention. David shares his thoughts about cookbook proposal revisions, speciality stores and what agents and publishers look for in a book while Peter shares why this particular food was so important to him, why he settled on 'recipe templates to show off ramen's potential, how his background in music and museum work influenced the end result and what he is working on next.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby CerquitellaThe Local Palate Cookbook Club membershipMentionsPeter J. KimDavid Black Literary AgencyCounterjam podcast137: Being a Cookbook Editor with Sarah Billingsley of Chronicle Books Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Instant Ramen Kitchen by Peter J. Kim

Molly and Kristin speak with the iconic Jacques Pépin about his latest book which includes recipes along with original artwork. Jacques, the writer of over 30 cookbooks since 1967, shares memories and inspirations behind his work, his take on recipe creation over the years and his thoughts on the similarities and differences between cooking and painting. He talks about the gradual inclusion of his art in his books, what his relationship with painting and cooking looks like today and shares information about his foundation and the current initiative to celebrate his upcoming 90th birthday. Finally he shares his view on food as a means of connection and some wise advice.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsJaques PepinWebsiteJacques Pépin Foundation90 chefs/90 dinnersHow to host your own event Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Art of Jacques Pépin by Jaques PepinFast Food My Way by Jaques PepinEssential Pépin by Jaques Pepin 

Kate, Kristin, Molly and Andrea meet up to launch Season 8 with a grab bag of topics, including free speech in the cookbook space, thoughts around using Chat GPT and AI as tools for writing and recipe creation, and checking in on 'Happy Robot Voice'. They discuss the need for friction in writing and the development of personal voice, taste and expertise before diving into thoughts around the current state of cookbook design. They share some ideas for social media growth, selling book projects, and what to keep in mind for an effective and empowered recipe testing process before teasing a few upcoming episodes for Season 8. Stay tuned!Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsEverything Cookbooks Episode ListEverything Cookbooks: Cookbook Comp Titles: What They AreKristin's newsletterAnthropic's ClaudeJane Black's article in the Wall Street Journal about AI-written recipesThe Deep Life podcast by Cal NewportAI EpisodeHappier podcast with Gretchen RubinWhen Your Comp Isn't a Book post by Neon PublishingKathleen Schmidt, Publishing Confidential Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show 

Originally aired on November 23, 2022Andrea and Kristin talk with Eric Kim about his intensely personal and remarkable book, Korean American. He shares his inspirations and motivations for the essay format, how he wrote his family as characters and the potential and limits of memoir writing. He talks about the idea of authenticity in food, what goes into naming recipes and the unpredictability of a viral recipe.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby CerquitellaMentionsEric KimWebsiteInstagramNew York Times Column"When I Came Out to My Parents, Kimchi Fried Rice Held Us Together" on Food52Food52 Recipes Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showKorean American by Eric KimRisotto with Nettles by Anna Del Conte

Originally aired on February 1, 2023Molly and Kate dive deep into the journey and person that is chef/writer/artist/activist/culinary ambassador (and more), Toya Boudy. She shares how her talents as an artist and wordsmith, along with the interwoven nature of life, resulted in her latest cookbook, "Cooking for the Culture". She discusses her creation process, the unconventional schedule for the book and her family's contribution as she explains her mission to build community and empower the artist inside.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsToya BoudyWebsiteYouTube ChannelPodcastInstagramHer first book "Cook Like a New Orleanian" Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showCooking for the Culture by Toya BoudyBress 'n' Nyams by Matthew Raiford

Originally aired on July 19, 2023Kate and Kristin talk with writer David Lebovitz about his career and life in France. He discusses how he went from pastry chef to food writer, how blogging strengthened his writing voice and why he pivoted to video during the pandemic. He shares his decision to write "the hardest book he ever wrote", the advice he gives to aspiring writers and his choice to move his writing to Substack. Finally, he tells us how decides what stories to tell and reveals a glimpse into a few new potential projects.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsDavid LebovitzWebsiteInstagramSubstackPodcast The Idle Hour Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showDrinking French by David LebovitzL’Appart by David LebovitzMy Paris Kitchen by David LebovitzThe Perfect Scoop by David LebovitzReady for Dessert by David LebovitzThe Sweet Life in Paris by David LebovitzThe Great Book of Chocolate by David LebovitzThe Lost Kitchen by Erin French  

Originally aired on January 18, 2023Molly and Andrea talk with Kenji López-Alt, author and Chief Culinary Advisor for Serious Eats, about creating and maintaining a voice of authority. He shares his career path, where his interest in food got started and the work that has influenced his own. He describes the relationship he has with his followers, how (or if) to curb enthusiasm while doing topic deep dives and a glimpse inside the creation of his best-selling books.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsKenji López-AltWebsiteInstagramYou Tube channel Cookwise & Bakewise by Shirley CorriherComplete Techniques by Jacques PépinMr Wizard's World Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by Kenji López-AltThe Wok: Recipes and Techniques by Kenji López-AltEvery Night is Pizza Night by Kenji López-Alt  

Originally aired on November 16, 2022Kate and Molly chat with cookbook teacher, author and editor Tori Ritchie about her career trajectory and how she developed her personal writing voice after years of working on branded cookbooks. She shares insights and tips about developing a voice and the bad habits to avoid in writing before revealing a few of the writers she assigns to her students. Finally everyone shares the three words that best describe their own singular writing style.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella Tori RitchieInstagramWebsiteHow to Write a Cookbook CourseBooks Vibration Cooking by Vertamae Smart-GrosvenorMichael TwittyCrying in H Mart by Michelle ZaunerOsso Buco by Billy CollinsI Wrote a Good Omelet by Nikki GiovanniHeartburn by Nora Ephron  Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showLife Is What You Bake It by Vallery LomasSix California Kitchens by Sally Schmitt 

Originally aired on September 28, 2022Kristin starts out today's episode asking Molly, Kate and Andrea about the books that inspired them to follow this career path and how they'd define the idea of "voice" in writing. They discuss the difference between tone and voice, the tools they've use to craft their own and how to inject it into recipe writing. They reveal some writing exercises and advice on how to find and improve voice in your own writing.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin DonnellyEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsJohnny Apple / R.W. Apple Jr.The Key to Chinese Cooking by Irene KuoThe Way to Cook by Julia ChildThe American Baker by Jim DodgeTender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showJames Beard's American CookeryOn Food and Cooking by Harold McGeeHome Cooking by Laurie ColwinWriting Tools by Roy Peter ClarkThe Elements of Style by Strunk and WhiteWill Write for Food by Dianne Jacob 

Molly, Kate and Kristin get together to celebrate the end of Season 7 and over 140 episodes of Everything Cookbooks! They chat about the highlights and takeaways from this season, what topics and guest insights stood out to them and even wade back into the waters of comp titles for a beat. They are delighted to see how the show has helped authors create their cookbooks over the past few years and share a few things they are excited to see out in the world very soon. We'll be back for Season 8 this fall!Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Cookbook Comp Titles: What They Are newsletter postKristin's NewsletterEverything Cookbooks Substack Episode 42: How to Write Recipe TitlesEpisode 01: Should You Write a Cookbook?Episode 63: On Rejection and RecoveryEpisode 03: Cookbook Proposal Writing TipsEpisode 113: Food, Romance, and Fiction with Sarah Chamberlain Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Nordic Cookbook by Magnus Nilsson Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin Feast: Food of the Islamic World by Anissa Helou 

Molly and Kate speak with chef and author Cathy Whims and illustrator Kate Lewis about their new cookbook The Italian Summer Kitchen. They share the inspiration behind the book, how it evolved after a few setbacks and why they landed on an illustrated version instead of a photographed one. Her first time working on a cookbook, Kate shares the process of creating the watercolor illustrations and their inspiration while Cathy describes why this particular style worked perfectly for this book. They speak about their workflow and process, how all the moving parts were managed and where some of the recipe ideas came from. Finally they share the intentions they had with this project and the season they'd like to tackle next.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsCathy WhimsKate LewisLeslie Forbes books Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Italian Summer Kitchen by Cathy WhimsThe Secret Garden illustrated by Kate Lewis 

Kate and Molly speak with co-authors Sarah Allaback and Monique F. Parsons about their new book Green Gold. With backgrounds in scholarship, journalism and avocado farming this duo was uniquely qualified to write all about avocados; their history, agricultural background and the characters that helped mainstream this ingredient. They share why decided to write this book, the false starts and character threads that drew them in and the role recipes played in making the information accessible to readers. Sarah and Monique describe how they worked together, the discoveries that surprised them and the goal they had for the book as well as why it was important for this project to be released right now.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella  MentionsHathi TrustNewspapers.comStacey Glick, literary agentBrokaw Ranch Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showGreen Gold, by Sarah Allaback and Monique F. ParsonsAbsolutely Avocados, by Gaby Dalkin

Kristin and Kate speak with Pooja Bavishi, the founder of Malai Ice Cream, about her debut cookbook. They ask Pooja about her company's history from stand to scoop shop, why she wanted to revolutionize ice cream by highlighting South Asian flavors and why now was the right time to write a book—even when many publishing professionals told her to wait a year or two. She takes us through the expectations vs. the realities that came up while writing, how she got connected to her agent and why the photoshoot was wildly different from what she expected. Finally she shares her thoughts behind the formatting and the advice she has for other business owners who are interested in writing their own cookbook.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsPooja BavishiMalai Ice Cream websiteInstagram Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showMalai Ice Cream by Pooja Bavishi