IN FOR DINNER - MY DEBUT COOKBOOK

absolutely not something I'm going to get bored of saying

To say I am lost for words would be a lie because I have had just over a year to process and adjust to the fact I am soon to be a published author (!!) I am in fact fizzing with words and have been *dying* to talk about this for some time. But before we really get into it, something I need to say first and foremost is thank you, to all of you, for supporting my work and playing a big part in my journey to writing a cookbook. 

I am going to tell the full story, with all the things I learned about publishing along the way, that were completely new and bizarre to me. If you are keen to publish a book or just curious about the process, then read on. And please do ask questions in the comments, I want to share as much of this process with you all as possible– feel free to ask questions about this if you have any! I knew nothing about the publishing world before embarking on this journey, it was all alien, intimidating and isolating to me. So if I can help you understand it better, then I would like to. But before we get into the nitty gritty long story of it all, here is the short story in a nutshell for you. 

Back in August 2023 I was approached by a handful of literary agents. After the most surreal week of my life, bouncing around soho offices, I signed with the wonderful Rachel Mills at Rachel Mills Literary - home to some of my favourite authors, not least Alice Vincent and Elizabeth Day. Rachel encouraged me to put together a proposal quite quickly, namely so we could send it out to publishers before the Frankfurt Book Fair. I managed to get one together in a couple of weeks, working with my housemates Virginia and Benedikte to shoot 12 recipes in one hectic day. By the end of September, my debut book, In for Dinner had sold to Marianne Tatepo at Square Peg (part of VINTAGE at Penguin Random House) in a 48 hour pre-empt - I’ll explain what all this means later. Then began a process of testing, writing, retesting and cooking all 101 recipes, shooting them all (on film!) and designing the book over the following 12 months. To say it has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. 

In for Dinner is a book I have been waiting my entire life to write, it's full of our favourite weeknight recipes from the warehouse, where each of us contributes £25 a week into a shared pot as a food budget, as well as childhood family favourites and staff food concoctions from my years working in professional kitchens. There are 101 low-fuss, high-reward, veg-forward recipes for weeknights when you’re counting down to payday, busy workdays with short lunch breaks, mornings that call for hearty yet cheap breakfasts, and special days with your favourite people. It is truly a collection of my favourite things to cook, eat and feed to my favourite people. It includes recipes I have been holding onto for years, such as my (perfect) granola, the pantry ramen I make when I don’t have it in me to cook, a soup that has all the flavours and feelings of Pierogi but takes a fraction of the time, my mac and cheese, savoury French toast, tiramisu and many recipes from mine and Virginia’s seasonal supper club that have never been shared before. 

A quick note on the title: every day on our warehouse group chat, whoever is scheduled to cook that night will message to ask “Who’s in for dinner?” so they know how many to cook for. It’s a question I hear or ask every single day and one that’s always on my mind. I spend most of my day thinking about what I will cook or eat for dinner and it is the linchpin that holds our house and community together. This book aims to share some of that philosophy, our recipes, stories and memories with all of you.

I could not be more proud of the team who have brought it to life and the message behind the book. In for Dinner tells the story of our warehouse, how I came to live there and the way we live communally. To quote my proposal: ‘Delicious food should always be possible, on any budget. Now more than ever, that might sound aspirational, delusional or out of reach, but it’s my promise to you that in this book, you will find a collection of recipes to feed you and your friends, year round, from morning, to noon and into night, that are affordable, achievable, good for you and the planet too. 

You can pre-order In for Dinner now in all the usual places, here are a few handy links: Waterstones, Amazon, Pages of Hackney, Bookhaus in Bristol and Bookish. 

Full story continued below…

Sending love and thanks, Rosie x