Cookbook Events Are Magic
How a bookstore events director decides who to book, her favorite recent titles, and how recipes are like poetry
Before we dive in, I’m delighted to report that I was a guest on the Everything Cookbooks podcast! You can listen here. For anyone interested in how cookbooks get made, each episode of is a must-listen. The hosts , , , and interview authors, editors, photographers, agents, and more—and the conversations are fascinating and fun. In this episode, Kate, Kristin, and I talked about this newsletter, cookbook trends, and making lists of upcoming books. Thanks for having me Everything Cookbooks team!
And now, let’s talk cookbook events1. Friday night, I went to hear
talk about Chesnok at Archestratus, a gem of a culinary bookstore in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. The week before, I attended an event with Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Chocolat, also at Archestratus. Last night, I went to see chat with Melissa Clark about her new book Dorie’s Anytime Cakes at an event organized by Books Are Magic2, a beloved independent bookstore with two Brooklyn locations.
Having the chance to listen to an author talk about their book, to ask them a question, and maybe to meet them in person as they’re signing books is one of my favorite parts of being a cookbook fan. It’s a deepening of the cookbook experience. And, it just feels great to be in a room with other people who love cookbooks as much as I do.
Obviously living in New York City I have a lot of events at my disposal. But, I pay attention to authors’ tour schedules, and they are chatting at libraries and bookstores large and small in most corners of the country. Some authors, like Meredith Hayden and Alison Roman, are speaking in front of hundreds of people. Most gatherings are more intimate.
For authors, cookbook events are the chance to sell a few books, build buzz, and capture content for social media. But, I would wager that for most authors the chance to bring people together around the book that they’ve worked on for years (often in solitude) is priceless.
For today’s newsletter, we’re hearing from Amali Gordon-Buxbaum, the Events Director at Books Are Magic. Amali is a huge cookbook fan, and she programs many events with cookbook authors. In the past few months at Books Are Magic I’ve also seen Meera Sodha in conversation with
and chatting with . November events include talks with the authors of The King Cookbook and Heartland Masala.Before we dive in, I want to hear from you about all things events-related. Anyone else hitting up as many cookbook chats as me? Any memorable events to share? Authors, what are your favorite (and least favorite) parts of doing events?
Thanks so much for chatting, Amali, and for bringing us together (in person!) to chat cookbooks!
The Cookbookery Q&A with Amali Gordon-Buxbaum
Tell me more about your role at Books Are Magic, especially as it pertains to setting up events with cookbook authors.
AGB: I’m responsible for booking all events, both at the store and at offsite locations, and shaping the general programming. This, of course, includes cookbook launches, which I always love. These are typically conversations with other chefs or cookbook writers, though occasionally, we have an opportunity to work with a venue like the Ace Hotel or the Museum of Food and Drink for a more interactive, hands-on event.
There are so many new cookbooks every year, especially in the fall. How do you decide who you’d like to welcome to Books Are Magic for an event?
AGB: There are always a few factors when it comes to deciding who to host. I always ask: who is the writer’s audience, and how does that overlap with our community? Are they local, or somehow connected to the NYC food scene? And what is unique or interesting about their cookbook? The last question is especially important, and difficult, for me, as we’ve entered an era where everyone is writing a cookbook—from celebrities to TikTok content creators.
When booking events, are you usually the one reaching out to authors, or do they reach out to you?
AGB: It’s roughly a 50/50 split. To get technical about it, every publisher releases a catalogue of books for the upcoming season with touring authors. I go through them and submit requests for the ones that are priorities for our calendar, or big reaches-slash-dream events. As I wait to hear back about those requests, I’m also getting emails from other publicists and authors, and then it’s a bit of a puzzle to figure out which additional launches I can fit in.
Are there any especially memorable cookbook events that you’ve hosted at the store?
AGB: So many! In the fall of 2024, we hosted the launch for The League of Kitchens Cookbook (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) with editor Lisa Kyung Gross and all 14 LoK instructors featured in the book. What was so special was that the event wasn’t just a conversation, but a potluck, too! All of the instructors brought their own dish to share with all the attendees—it was such a treat to be able to partake in so many different dishes from around the world while learning about them and their creator’s cultures, all in a single night.
When it comes to cookbooks, what sorts of books do Books Are Magic’s customers gravitate towards, quick and easy dinners, baking, etc.?
AGB: This may be a bit unconventional, but I think our customers gravitate towards cookbooks that are as interesting and fulfilling to read as they are to cook from!3 For example,
’s cookbook Tenderheart (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM), has some exceptional vegetarian recipes, but also contains essays about her dad and her family that have actually moved me to tears. Another example is ’s new cookbook Good Things (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM). Of course, everyone is buying it because obviously it’s Samin, but I think what she writes about fostering community and creating meals to share with loved ones is just as compelling to our customers as her fabulous recipes.Can you share some recent bestselling cookbooks at the store?
AGB: Well, Good Things, of course. Hailee Catalano’s By Heart (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) and Meredith Hayden’s The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) have also continued to make an appearance on our bestseller lists throughout the summer and fall. And though it hasn’t come out yet, we’ve already sold over 400 pre-orders of Alison Roman’s upcoming Something from Nothing (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM).
What would you say to someone who questions why cookbooks still matter in our “digital age”?
AGB: While there is an overwhelming wealth of recipes and information you can find with a quick Google search, the act of making and sharing food is rooted in creating something that is long-lasting and that can be passed down. I’d love for my cookbook collection to go to my children or my sister’s children or whatever generation follows me, and I curate them specifically with this longevity in mind. Cookbooks are collections that have been intentionally pieced together from the author’s giant catalogue of recipes, crafted to fit a specific theme or tell a certain story.
What is the first cookbook you remember cooking out of?
AGB: I think most likely Joy of Cooking (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM)—the perfect starting point for any new cook! My dad has an ancient copy that I believe belonged to his father previously.
What kind of cookbook reader/user are you?
AGB: I am a dog-earer of all my books, whether it’s a novel or a cookbook, so I always love to dog-ear my favorite recipes and go back to them when I’m feeling uninspired. I’m also a cookbook user who likes to stray from the recipe after I’ve made it a few times.
What’s one cookbook you read, but don’t cook from?
AGB: Korean American (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) by Eric Kim. I’ve cooked a few recipes from it (the Budae Jjigae and Gochujang Shrimp & Grits are fantastic), but because it often requires a trip to the store for some very specific ingredients, I don’t pick it up as often as I should. However, Kim’s writing is phenomenal (he’s got a collection of essays coming out next year!), and I love reading about him and his mom making kimchi together.
What do you find boring in a cookbook?
AGB: When there are no pictures! I’m a big fan of having a visual aid—and not just of the finished product. Give us some step-by-step photos—lattice-work, dough kneading, garlic dicing, etc!
What’s a cookbook that changed the way you cook?
AGB: A classic, but Dessert Person (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) by Claire Saffitz. She is a true baking wizard and with her recipes I’ve accomplished bakes that I never thought would be possible! Also
’s Start Here (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM). That is beyond a cookbook—that’s a textbook.
What’s a cookbook that totally transports you?
AGB: The Via Carota (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) cookbook! I’ve had the wonderful pleasure of eating at Via Carota once, and the whole experience was sublime. Having Rita and Jodi’s cookbook is the perfect way to transport me to Italy via the West Village—the cacio e pepe is as good as everyone says it is.
What’s a cookbook cover you’re obsessed with?
AGB: Definitely the cover of By Heart. The cookbook came out this past spring, but the cover design makes it feel truly timeless! No faces, no static poses, no hands holding dishes, cutting tomatoes, etc—just a stunning, colorful, and textured illustration of a bountiful dinner table!
What’s a cookbook that you think didn’t get enough attention?
AGB: Nasim Alikhani’s Sofreh (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM)! Such a gorgeous cookbook from a phenomenal restaurant4. I live for her eggplant dip.
You’re only allowed to cook from three books for the rest of your life. What are they?
AGB: Only three?! Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) has to be number one. That’s the true cooking bible. Samin herself said, when her new book came out, that she felt quite silly publishing a book of recipes after essentially teaching everyone how to cook without one. Then, I’m following my gut and I’m picking two recent classics that I keep going back to: Carla Lalli Music’s That Sounds So Good (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM) and Sally McKenney’s Sally’s Baking 101 (Bookshop/Amazon/BAM). While I said earlier that Joy of Cooking guided me through my first foray into cooking and baking, truthfully, it was Sally’s Baking Addiction. Thank god that blog exists, and thank god there’s now a physical version that I can dog-ear and mark up and get grease stains on as much as I like!
Why should people attend cookbook events?
AGB: It’s fascinating to learn about where recipes came from—the global or personal inspiration, the flavor combinations, and all the various iterations it took to get to the finished product. Writing a recipe is quite similar to writing poetry, in the sense that you have to be incredibly sparse and intentional with your word choice, even with the layout on the page. Hearing an author talk about that process makes cooking from the book all the more interesting and rewarding!
Interview has been lightly edited. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I may receive a small commission.
Last Bites
Get out of the house - Not cookbook-related, but event-related for sure
Speaking of events, who’s going to the IACP Summit next week? 🙋🏻♀️
- ’s next book will be out April.
A thoughtful and thorough look at what goes into planning and executing a cookbook photo shoot, from
, author of Potluck DessertsNYT Bestsellers: Measure with Your Heart by Hannah Taylor (#3); On the Children’s List: The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen Kids (#5)
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please tap the ❤️ button, restack, or share with another cookbook fan.
In fact, this conversation covers only a slice of cookbook events—those held at bookstores, primarily. We’ll talk about other types of events and book tours in general in future newsletters.
Best bookstore name ever
This sounds perfectly normal to me :)
Also in Brooklyn
I love cookbooks and hearing cookbook authors speak about their books! I just wish that more cookbook authors would expand their travel schedule for appearances and come to smaller cities. I’m in Maine (Portland area) which is a food mecca, yet rarely do cookbook authors visit Maine. We’re so close to Boston! Easy access from NYC! I hope that cookbook authors will take add us to their agendas. 🤞🏻
It was such a highlight of the evening to meet you, Jenna! And just as neat as it is for attendees- it’s even more special for the authors. It’s our chance to connect with readers IRL and not just through our screens! And also in this day and age where it’s so hard to get people to commit and come out to things, it means all the more to authors to see that kind of support of their work. And of course not to mention the wonderful bookstores that allow these interactions to happen! Great interview ♥️♥️