EPISODE 110: Inside Today’s Cookbook Market with Agent Sally Ekus

Way-Word Writers cohosts (Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer) welcome senior literary agent Sally Ekus of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency’s Ekus Group to discuss the current cookbook market and how cookbooks remain viable alongside online recipes. Ekus explains how food culture has expanded opportunities for niche, concept- and technique-driven cookbooks, and why success still depends on exceptional, tested, clearly written recipes plus voice, concept, and platform. She addresses myths such as “everyone loves my family recipes” and “it will be easy,” emphasizes choosing the right medium, and suggests beginners study bookstore shelves, acknowledgments, and agents’ query preferences. Ekus outlines a portfolio approach to platform building and shares resources from her free Substack, including proposal guidelines and where-to-begin posts, plus advice on “coffee table cookbook” positioning.00:00 Welcome to Way-Word00:32 Why Cookbooks Now01:08 Meet Agent Sally Ekus03:07 Cookbook Market Snapshot05:07 Online Recipes vs Books06:22 Why We Buy Cookbooks07:15 Only Three Recipes09:28 What Makes Success11:11 Cookbook Myths Busted12:56 Should You Write One14:16 Getting Started Research15:29 Self Publishing Options16:27 Platform and Pitch Strategy19:11 Publishing Is A Long Game19:28 Fiction Platforms And Publisher Risk20:17 AI Disruption And Human Trust21:32 Why She Built The Newsletter23:02 Hyper Mentorship And Skill Sessions26:12 Cookbook Structure As Story Craft27:49 Proposal Guidelines And Where To Begin29:38 Coffee Table Cookbook Myth31:39 Books That Changed Her Cooking34:12 Lightning Round And FarewellFind Sally at JVNLA HERE and on Substack at Not So Secret Agent! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com