Today I welcome David Murray and Leslie Jonath. David and Leslie are here to honor the life and work of Debbie Berne, a cookbook and book designer who passed away in December, and to share news of her recently published book, Cookbooking: A Fan’s Guide, which all listeners of this show are going to love. Cookbooking is a visually stunning pop-history that traces cookbooks from their earliest days to their most iconic and downright wackiest moments, told through photographs, listicles, graphics, and Debbie’s writing. At its heart, Cookbooking is a celebration of the genre and an exploration of what makes this genre of book so engaging, and makes the case for cookbooks as cultural documents and design artifacts, not just recipe collections.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Debbie went from wanting to be a writer to becoming one of the most sought-after cookbook designers in the industry
- The moment everything changed: selling the book proposal for Cookbooking the same week she was diagnosed
- Why Debbie chose to write, design, and photograph the book all at once and while going through chemotherapy and radiation instead of waiting
This conversation stayed with me long after we stopped recording. Debbie’s story is a reminder that the work you do with passion and love for your topic is important. Let’s not wait for the perfect moment to share our passion and love with the world.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Episode 299: Cookbook Layout and Design with Book Designer Debbie Berne
Madhur Jaffrey Indian Vegetarian Cooking
Listen to Episode 420 below:
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