The process of going from “idea” to “published” is both fairly straightforward--proposal, agent, contract, book--and always shifting. In this discussion we’ll look at how food book publishing works in 2019: the industry, the market, and what makes a proposal (and writer) appealing to agents and editors.

MODERATORJJ Goode helps great chefs write cookbooks. He's written 20 cookbooks with people like Andy Ricker of Pok Pok, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, and Sam Kass, Barack Obama's White House chef and senior policy advisor on nutrition.PANELISTSJenn de la Vega is editor-at-large of Put A Egg On It and author of Showdown: Comfort Food, Chili & BBQ. She is currently a caterer in Brooklyn and recently wrapped recipe testing on The Last O.G. cookbook. Jenn has appeared on Guy's Grocery Games and ChefShock with Justin Warner. She is a former resident at TASTE Cooking and Kickstarter.

Rica Allannic, a literary agent with the David Black Agency, represents authors from diverse backgrounds writing cookbooks and narrative nonfiction. A graduate of New York City public schools and Yale University, Rica worked in professional kitchens for five years before joining the editorial team at Scribner (Simon & Schuster). As VP and Executive Editor at Clarkson Potter (Penguin Random House) she acquired and edited books by David Chang, Peter Meehan, Christina Tosi, Mimi Thorisson (now a client), Luke Barr, and Michael Symon.Jennifer Sit is a cookbook editor and James Beard Award–nominated coauthor. As a Senior Editor at Clarkson Potter, she specializes in food and beverage books, editing titles by authors such as Martha Stewart, Mark Bittman, Bobby Flay, Gina Homolka, Aldo Sohm, Maison Premiere, Mimi Thorisson, Eden Grinshpan, and Rachel Mansfield. Her co-writing credits include Senegal with Pierre Thiam and Bread and Salt Between Us with Mayada Anjari.