Everything Cookbooks

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 

Molly and Kate speak with Sarah Billingsley, the publishing director of food and lifestyle at Chronicle Books, about moving up the ranks as an editor and her experience on the other side as an author of her own cookbooks. She talks about how her role has shifted over the years, the first book she acquired and what makes something a "Chronicle Book". We get a glimpse at what goes on during a typical publishing house meeting and learn her thoughts on the state of cookbooks today before she divulges what she's looking for in a book and no, its not just platform! Finally she shares her thoughts on what moves the needle sales wise and what she wants authors to know about the editorial process.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsChronicle BooksChronicle Books Submissions Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showTartine Bread, by Chad RobertsonHumphry Slocum Ice Cream BookWhoopie Pies, by Sarah Billingsley and Amy TreadwellHandheld Pies, by Sarah Billingsley and Rachel WhartonTartine Bread by Chad RobertsonCoastal by Betsy AndrewsLavash by Ara Zada and Kate LeahyBaking Yesteryear by B. Dylan HollisSix California Kitchens, by Sally SchmittInstant Ramen, by Peter KimDobre Dobre, Baking from Poland and Beyond, by Laurie Kratochvila  

Kristin and Molly discuss how Ozoz Sokoh, an Ontario-based professor of food tourism and culinary anthropologist, went about creating her new book that explores the vastness that is Nigerian food. Ozoz shares her thoughts on Nigerian cuisine, why she loves it and where the inspiration for making this book a 'bridge' came from along with the trepidation she had for writing the proposal and the challenges of writing a project of this scope. We ask her about her audience, publishing in multiple markets and how she landed on the format and the language for the recipe titles and she speaks on how she changed over the course of the book's creation, the photography process and what she hopes to work on next.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsOzoz SokohWebsiteBlog: Kitchen ButterflyInstagramFeast AfriqueJourney By Plate Tedx Talk James Ransom photographyAnne McBrideEnid Blyton, British children's author Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showChop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria, by Ozoz SokohMallory Towers, by Enid Blyton

Molly, Kate and Kristin speak with Martin Sorge, the winner of The Great American Baking Show, about his debut cookbook while he is still in the thick of creating it. Martin talks about getting started on his baking journey, the role the show played in his career and what he's taken away from the experience before diving into the process of developing, pitching, testing and writing his cookbook. He shares specific pain points of the process, his approach and then turns the tables onto the hosts as he asks them for advice and insights as he begins this new venture.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella  MentionsMartin SorgeWebsiteInstagramTikTokSubstack: Great BakesSally EkusDianne Jacob, writing coach, author and teacher Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Secrets of Cooking by Bee WilsonGreen City Market CookbookPreservation Kitchen, by Paul Virant and Kate Leahy

Kate and Kristin speak with cookbook author Maria Zizka about writing her solo projects as well as the more than forty collaborations she's worked on so far in her career. They chat about the challenges inherent in collaborations, how Maria got her start in the food world and the role letter writing played in getting her incredible internship—recipe testing alongside Suzanne Goin. Maria shares how she balances collaborations and solo projects, the lessons, systems and habits she's established because of her range of experiences, and the projects she will and won't take on. She talks about the process of switching agents, why she celebrates even the little milestones and the advice she has for aspiring authors.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsMaria ZizkaWebsiteInstagram University of Gastronomic SciencesEpisode 32: Co-Authoring Cookbooks with JJ Goode Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showThe Newlywed Table by Maria ZizkaBoards, Platters, Plates by Maria ZizkaOne-Bowl Meals by Maria ZizkaCook Color by Maria ZizkaThe Hostess Handbook by Maria ZizkaSunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne GoinI Love You: Recipes from the Heart by Pamela Anderson

This episode Molly, Kate, Kristin and Andrea chat all things comp titles, but first they talk about a recent plagiarism controversy that is rocking the cookbook world. They share their thoughts on copyrighting recipes, including attribution and having respect for 'the canon' of cookbooks. Then they move on to the subject of comp titles: what they are, what they are used for, how to identify them, some dos and don'ts and why publishers may come up with a list of their own. The hosts share some examples from their own projects, list a few potential resources to help authors find them and share how the role of comp titles is more important than ever in publishing.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsNagi's statement: When you see your recipes in a $4 million bookEdelweissCircana Book Scan Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

Kate and Molly welcome our first repeat guest, blogger and new novelist Adam Roberts, to discuss his foray into fiction. Adam shares what made him turn to fiction, why his first attempt didn't work and his own experience working as a ghostwriter as he shares the process of getting this book out into the world. He explains where the original idea came from, what parts of himself he infused into his characters and why creating the cookbook within the book was vital to the plot. Finally he shares some advice for aspiring novelists and a few sneak peaks into what he is working on next. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsAdam RobertsWebsiteInstagramSubstack Newsletter: The Amateur Gourmet Episode 26: Blogs, Books and Broadway with Adam Roberts, the Amateur GourmetCasey ElsassArchestratus Books Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showFood Person, by Adam RobertsGive My Swiss Chards to Broadway, by Adam RobertsA Swim in the Pond in the Rain, by George SaundersAlone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant, by Jenni Ferrari-AdlerAfter Taste, by Daria LavelleWhat Can I Bring, by Casey Elsass

Molly and Kate speak with the self described 'OG Food Creative' Victoria Granof about her vast and varied career in food media. With decades of experience cooking, catering, food styling, writing and directing she is filled with insights, stories and, like her newsletter, delicious tangents as she talks about what she loves about her work, lessons she's learned and a few wild celebrity encounters. She shares what her work looks like today, the origin stories behind both her Sicily books and the writing, research and art direction behind the new book's creation.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsVictoria GranofWebsiteInstagramSubstack Newsletter: Delicious TangentsCreative Coaching Smashbox Studios, LASweet Sicily, by Victoria Granof Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showSicily, My Sweet, by Victoria GranofThe Ultimate College Cookbook, by Victoria Granof

Kate and Molly speak with Camilla Wynne, a Toronto-based pastry chef, writer and teacher, about her new cookbook Nature's Candy. Camilla shares her unique career trajectory, the book's origin story and why she wanted to write about the niche technique of candying fruit. She explains the challenges and approach to its writing, design, photoshoot, research and recipe testing, along with how she pitched such a specific title to publishers. She talks about why creating an elegant yet approachable, stylish yet whimsical book was important to her and her hopes for this rigorous work to stay evergreen for candy enthusiasts. She leaves us with some wise advice and a sneak peek into her next project.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsCamilla WynneWebsiteInstagramSubstack NewsletterBand: Sunset Rubdown Nicola Lamb’s Kitchen ProjectsVerlet Chocolate Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showJam Bake by Camilla WynneNature's Candy by Camilla WynnePreservation Society Home Preserves

Kristin and Andrea speak with Rick Martínez about his new book, Salsa Daddy, and his thoughts on the state of Mexican cooking and cookbooks in America today. Rick shares why he wanted to write this specific book, how it changed him as a cook and what he hopes to convey with his work. He reveals a few key editorial differences between working on this and his first book, why he is inspired by other cuisines and what the process was like working with his passionate and skilled collaborators and leaves us with a tease for book 3.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsRick MartínezWebsiteInstagramTaste podcast episode Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showMi Cocina by Rick MartínezSalsa Daddy by Rick MartínezSix Seasons by Josh McFadden

Kate and Molly speak with podcast host Sutanya Dacres about her debut memoir, Dinner for One, which was inspired by her podcast of the same name. Sutanya shares how her 'anti-fairytale' led to a show and a book, how she developed her writer's voice and her thoughts on what makes a memoir and why her book is unique to the 'American in Paris' lexicon. She describes how finding the arc of the story lies in choosing the right focal points before sharing the challenges inherent in writing about real events and people and how living in Paris has shifted her approach to life. Finally, she shares some advice for aspiring memoirists and discusses her supper club, restaurant pop-ups and tells us what she has planned for the future.Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella Sign up for our LIVE! Pitch Slam Session with Sally Ekus on May 21st! MentionsSutanya DacresPodcastInstagramIn Writing with Hattie Crisell podcast Leigh Eisenman  Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showDinner for One by Sutanya DacresEat Pray Love with Elizabeth Gilbert