What can vintage cookbooks teach us about writing a cookbook readers will treasure? Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast. Today I sit down with Bobby Hicks, creator of Retro Recipes Kitchen and author of Retro Recipes: Vintage Dishes with a Modern Twist. Bobby shares how he combined his background as a videographer with his love of vintage recipes to build Retro Recipes Kitchen. This social media brand eventually led to a traditional cookbook deal. Our conversation explores why the most memorable cookbooks offer more than recipes. They preserve culture, spark nostalgia, and invite readers to gather around the table.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Bobby transformed his videography skills into Retro Recipes Kitchen and, ultimately, a traditionally published cookbook.

• Why the stories behind recipes are often what readers remember most.

• What food history can teach cookbook authors about creating a lasting legacy.

• How nostalgia and hospitality can make your cookbook more meaningful to readers.

Whether you're dreaming of writing your first cookbook or looking for ways to make your recipes more meaningful, this conversation will inspire you to think beyond the ingredients. Every recipe has a story, and those stories are often what readers remember long after the meal is over.

Ready to turn your cookbook idea into a concept publishers will notice? Download this Cookbook Concept Map and discover how to shape your expertise, recipes, and stories into a compelling cookbook concept that publishers will love.

What does it really cost to go from dreaming about writing a cookbook to signing a book deal?

Many aspiring cookbook authors assume they need a large budget, professional photography equipment, or significant upfront investments before they can pursue publication. In this episode, I break down the actual costs of writing and publishing a cookbook with a traditional publisher and explain why the most important investments are often not financial at all.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why many of the key steps in the traditional publishing process, from writing and pitching a proposal to signing a book deal, can cost little to nothing out of pocket.

• Which expenses are optional, and how publishers often cover many of these costs.

• The real investment behind every successful cookbook project.

If you've been wondering whether writing a cookbook is financially out of reach, this episode offers a different perspective. While every publishing journey requires effort and dedication, the path from cookbook dream to book deal may be more accessible than you think.

Ready to turn your cookbook idea into a concept publishers will notice? Download my free Cookbook Concept Map and discover how to shape your expertise, recipes, and stories into a compelling cookbook concept.

https://www.cookbookwritersacademy.com/conceptmap

The James Beard Awards are often called the "Oscars of the Food World," recognizing excellence in culinary arts, food writing, and cookbook publishing. In this episode, we celebrate three remarkable Cookbook Love Podcast guests whose books were honored by the James Beard Foundation this year and explore why cookbook awards matter so much in the culinary world.

In This Episode:

• Discover what makes cookbook awards such as the James Beard Awards influential in the publishing and culinary industries.

• Celebrate Sapna Punjabi, author of Dal Chawal, a James Beard Award nominee whose work highlights the nourishing power of vegetarian home-style Indian cooking and Ayurvedic wellness.

• Learn how Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn transformed family recipes and Korean-American culinary traditions into Umma, the James Beard Award winner for U.S. Foodways.

• Hear why Helen Goh's Baking and the Meaning of Life captured the James Beard Award for Baking and Desserts through its unique blend of baking, psychology, and human connection.

Cookbooks do more than teach recipes. They preserve culture, share wisdom, build community, and tell stories that shape how we understand food and one another.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 347 with Sapna Punjabi, author of Dal Chawal Episode 348 with Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn, authors of Umma Episode 391 with Helen Goh, author of Baking and the Meaning of Life Episode 215 All About Cookbook Public Relations with Carrie Bachman

If you're ready to build the visibility and audience publishers are looking for, download the free Cookbook Author Platform Checklist and learn how to create an engaged community that supports your book before it's published.

In Episode 393, I discussed how an author platform is not just about visibility or follower count but something far more foundational. Since then, I keep thinking about this idea that a platform is not only something you build for publishing, but it is something that is actively forming you as an author while you build it.

Today, I want to explore something that is still deeply misunderstood by many aspiring cookbook authors: what a platform actually does beyond getting you noticed.

Because while publishers do care about platform, the real question is not whether your platform is big enough, it's what your platform is shaping you into over time.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why a platform is less about visibility and more about forming real relationships with readers that shape your cookbook concept and voice

• How consistent engagement with readers sharpens your message through real-world feedback, not guesswork

• The unexpected way a platform builds confidence by replacing self-doubt with real evidence that your work matters

• Why your platform begins creating opportunities for you - speaking, teaching, collaborations - before you ever "pitch" anything

If this episode helped you rethink your platform, I created a simple, practical tool to help you see what you already have, what's working, and what's missing. Download the Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Most aspiring cookbook authors believe they need more time before they can start writing. But what if the real challenge isn't time at all?

Today, in this episode, I share a powerful mindset shift that has helped hundreds of cookbook writers move from "someday" to steady progress. You learn why waiting for a quieter season rarely works and how creating simple, repeatable containers for your writing can help you gain momentum even in the middle of a busy life.

In This Episode You Discover:

• How to stop waiting for more time and start using the time you already have

• Why cookbook projects stall when they live in the margins of your schedule

• The three essential elements of a productive writing container

• How small, repeatable writing sessions can help you build momentum and finish your cookbook project

Whether you're balancing work, family, caregiving, retirement, or a growing business, this episode will help you see new possibilities for moving your cookbook forward.

Ready to Get Clear on Your Cookbook?

If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and create a realistic plan for writing your cookbook, schedule a complimentary Cookbook Clarity Conversation.

Book Your Cookbook Clarity Conversation

We'll discuss your cookbook idea, where you are in the process, what's been holding you back, and the next best step to help you move forward.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend who has been saying, "I want to write a cookbook someday."

Things We Mention in This Episode: Book Your Cookbook Clarity Conversation

Welcome to another episode of Cookbook Love Podcast,

Register for the How to Master Cookbook Design and Photography Workshop

If you want to understand what publishers are really looking for before they say yes to a cookbook this is the show for you. In this episode, I share why recipes and beautiful photography are not always the deciding factor in getting a book deal and introduce a special live workshop on cookbook design and photography taught by a senior art director from a major cookbook publisher. If you've ever wondered who handles the visuals, what publishers expect from authors, and how to communicate your creative vision professionally, this episode is for you.

During the show, I breaks down the real reasons some cookbook authors land publishing deals while others struggle to get traction. She shares the five things publishers care most about when evaluating cookbook proposals and explains the difference between what publishers want and what readers want in a cookbook.

• The five things publishers look for before investing in a cookbook
• Why recipes alone rarely sell a cookbook proposal
• The truth about photography, design, and publisher expectations
• How to position yourself as a cookbook author that publishers want to work with

Register for the How to Master Cookbook Design and Photography Workshop Baking for Two Episode 345 with Steph Pixley

Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast. Today on the show I present an interview with Sheldon Simeon about his new cookbook, Ohana Style.

Born and raised in Maui, Sheldon is a chef, restaurateur, husband, father, and former Top Chef competitor. Alongside his wife Tiffany, he owns Tiffany's and Tin Roof Maui. In this conversation, Sheldon shares the deeper meaning of "ohana" and how the spirit of hospitality, family, and community shaped both his life and his cooking.

Listeners will hear:

• The difference between indigenous Hawaiian cuisine and plantation-era immigrant influences

• Why Sheldon wanted the cookbook to feel approachable and welcoming

• Stories about his father, Papa Ray, and the community cookbook influence behind many recipes

• Creative techniques for building smoky flavor and layered texture at home

• Plant-based alternatives inspired by traditional Hawaiian dishes

• The inspiration behind recipes like Papa Ray's Tuna Patties, Furikake Animal Crackers, Pork Belly Tocino, and Mandarin Microwave Mochi

Sheldon also talks about growing up in a house where people constantly gathered around food and how those experiences shaped his understanding of generosity and connection. This episode is a reminder that cookbooks are about more than recipes. They preserve stories, culture, memory, and belonging.

Things We Mention in This Episode: Chef Sheldon Simeon

Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast.

Before we get started, the doors are now open for Cookbook Writing Foundations for a very limited time, my new program for aspiring cookbook authors who want to move from cookbook idea to clear direction.

Inside the program, I'll help you stop sitting on your cookbook idea and finally begin building it with confidence. Whether you want to preserve family recipes, share your expertise, grow your business, or create something meaningful to pass on, this program will help you make the decisions and take the steps that move cookbook projects forward. Visit Cookbook Writers Academy to learn more and enroll before the doors close.

Today on the show, I have an interview with Domenica Marchetti, author of nine cookbooks, including her newest release, Italian Cookies.

In this conversation, Domenica shares the story behind researching and writing a cookbook dedicated to the cookie traditions of all 20 regions of Italy. We talk about the bakery visits, travel experiences, regional specialties, and cultural traditions that shaped the book, as well as the creative process of developing and testing recipes inspired by generations of Italian bakers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Domenica researched cookie traditions across all regions of Italy

• What bakery visits and travel taught her about recipe development and storytelling

• Her journey from newspaper journalism to becoming a nine-time cookbook author

• Why consistency, observation, and decision-making matter in cookbook writing

• The connection between food traditions, culture, and community

Things We Mention in This Episode: Domenica Cooks Italian Cookies Learn more about Cookbook Writing Foundations Program

Welcome to Episode 400 of the Cookbook Love Podcast!

If you've been thinking about writing a cookbook, collecting recipes, organizing ideas, or waiting for the right time to begin, I invite you to join my free masterclass happening now:

Stop Dreaming About Writing a Cookbook, Start with a Clear Plan.

Inside the class, I'll walk you through the decisions that actually move cookbook projects forward so you can stop circling the idea and start building your book with clarity and direction. If writing a cookbook has been on your heart for a while, this is a chance to take a real next step.

Learn more and register at: Cookbook Writers Academy

In this special episode, I'm reflecting on one of the biggest lessons I've learned after 400 episodes talking with cookbook writers, authors, and aspiring creators. I'm sharing what I've seen over and over again about what actually gets a cookbook written and published and why the difference is often not talent, timing, or opportunity, but willingness.

If you've been thinking about writing a cookbook but keep waiting for more time, more clarity, or the "right" moment, this episode is for you. I talk about the difference between feeling ready and deciding to begin, the quiet ways we stay in preparation mode, and how repetition and consistency are what truly move projects forward.

In this episode, I share:

• Why willingness matters more than readiness
• What 400 episodes taught me about consistency and follow-through
• The subtle ways we delay the projects we care about most
• The story of finally submitting my first cookbook proposal
• Why creating space and structure matters if you want your cookbook to happen

If you've been thinking about writing a cookbook, collecting recipes, organizing ideas, or waiting for the right time to begin, I invite you to join my free masterclass happening now:

Stop Dreaming About Writing a Cookbook, Start with a Clear Plan.

Inside the class, I'll walk you through the decisions that actually move cookbook projects forward so you can stop circling the idea and start building your book with clarity and direction. If writing a cookbook has been on your heart for a while, this is a chance to take a real next step.

Learn more and register at: Cookbook Writers Academy

Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast.

Today I'm talking with Katherine Anderson, owner of The London Plane, a restaurant, flower shop, and bakery that became a meaningful community gathering space.

When The London Plane closed in 2023, Katherine chose not to let the story end there. In this conversation, we talk about the vision behind her book, The London Plane Flower and Cook Book, created to capture the spirit of the space and preserve what it meant to so many people.

Inside this episode:

• How the restaurant, flower shop, and bakery came together to create a one-of-a-kind collaborative experience

• The decision to document and carry forward the space after its closure in 2023

• What it looked like to include seasonal recipes, including dishes inspired by flowers, alongside the restaurant's chef's contributed recipes

• Katherine's self-publishing journey and her perspective for aspiring cookbook authors

This episode is a reminder that a cookbook can become a lasting expression of a place while holding its spirit, its creativity, and the community it gathered.