Molly and Kate speak with the owners of Los Angeles based cookbook store Now Serving, Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal, about the crucial role that niche independent bookstores play in the marketplace. Ken shares how his chef background informed his love of cookbooks and led to opening the store and Michelle talks about curating their space to create a specific atmosphere for their community. They speak about what titles they choose to carry, their thoughts on event formats and release schedules along with the obstacles that arise in the retail space and the ones that come with running a small business. Finally, they discuss their thoughts on self published projects and promote their new cookbook club.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

Now Serving Bookstore

Now Serving Bookclub

Plantasia: A Vegetarian Cookbook Through Asia by Pamelia Chia

Tacos CDMX by Guia Domingo

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• Bäco: Vivid Recipes from the Heart of Los Angeles by Betty Hallock and Josef Centeno
• Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making by James Peterson
• Flavorama by Arielle Johnson

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 Braxton

Visit 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

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 Onwuachi
• Pie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies by Cathy Barrow
• Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret Li and Irene Li