Cookbook Love Podcast

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