How to Write a Cookbook

For anyone with an unruly stack of recipe cards in rubber bands, creating a cookbook may seem like a daunting task. But a cookbook is simply a tool to connect with others, and in this introductory class we'll break the process down into bite-sized steps, helping you find your voice and angle so you can share your unique culinary story.

A sample of topics we’ll cover:

• Inspiration, and identifying your theme and format
• Curating a balanced recipe list and logical structure
• Scaling, testing, adapting and writing recipes that really work
• Honing engaging headnotes and informative sidebars
• Writing an effective, easy-to-follow methods that prepare readers replicate your recipes with confidence — and inspire them to add their own twists
• The particular language that makes food sound most delicious, and the technical kind that instructs readers for frustration-free cooking
• Visual representation through illustration and photography (no art background necessary!)

A sample of styles we’ll discuss:

• Single subject or specialty (all about rice; a big book of cookies; your air fryer favorites)
• Community or family recipe compilations
• Cooking fundamentals and techniques
• Cooking for or with kids
• Historical or cultural focused
• Food memoir

Whether you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift, a unique fundraising tool, want to scratch a culinary curiosity, or take a crack at self- or traditional publishing, this class will provide an introductory recipe for crafting your cookbook.

Stef Ferrari is a three-time Emmy Award-winning, James Beard Award-nominated documentary producer on the PBS docuseries The Migrant Kitchen, which explores the influence of immigrant culture on American cuisine. She is a journalist who served as Senior Editor at Life & Thyme, and is the author/co-author and illustrator of several books including Stuzzichini: The Art of the Italian Snack, Ice Cream Adventures, and A Woman’s Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists, and Single Moms Who Changed the World with Food. She was the collaborating writer for Aarón Sánchez’s Where I Come From, and the forthcoming memoir from Kristen Kish, Accidentally on Purpose (2025). Stef is a Certified Cicerone (beer sommelier), food educator, and was the founder/owner of Hay Rosie Craft Ice Cream Company in Brooklyn. Her recipes have been featured in Prevention, Oprah Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, and Southern Living. She has competed on The Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen and Game of Cones, and was featured on The Cooking Channel's Unique Sweets.

Host or Publisher Liz’s Book Bar