From Kitchen to Bookshelf: The Changing Recipe for Cookbook Success

In this episode, host and Smith Publicity Vice President Corinne Moulder chats with Sally Ekus, a senior literary agent at JVNLA, about the evolution and specialization of the culinary publishing market.

Sally shares her journey growing up in the world of cookbook publishing, her expertise in representing culinary authors, and the shifts in the industry toward niche, hyper-targeted cookbooks.

They also discuss the importance of leveraging backlists for ongoing success, the impact of platforms like Substack on the publishing industry, and the future trends in culinary and nonfiction publishing. The episode provides valuable insights for authors, publicists, and anyone interested in the culinary literary space.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:14 Sally Ekus' Background and Career Journey
01:57 The Evolution of Culinary Publishing
04:37 The Shift Towards Niche and Specialized Cookbooks
07:18 Successful Examples of Hyper-Targeted Cookbooks
13:14 The Importance of Backlist Promotion
23:16 Sally Ekus' Role and Future Plans
28:18 The Impact of Substack and Newsletter Platforms
33:06 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts

Sally Ekus is a Senior Literary Agent at JVNLA where she spearheads The Ekus Group, a boutique culinary division representing a wide range of culinary, health, wellness, and lifestyle talent. On the non-culinary side, Sally represents books about caregiving and parenting, and is expanding into select other non-fiction genres. From concept to contract, she has brokered over 300 book deals with top publishers including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and numerous indie publishers. Sally hosts an online community called How to be a Cookbook Author and writes the bestselling Substack Newsletter, Not So Secret Agent.

For more information about book publicity, visit Smith Publicity.