Behind the Scenes of Writing a Cookbook & What I Made Last Week
How I developed and tested 100 recipes, yogurt parfait with homemade granola, mom’s creamy broccoli pasta
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a great week! I can’t believe my book is coming out in just over a week. If you’ve been meaning to order a copy, now is the time 🤍
With pub day so close, I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole journey and thought it would be fun to share what the past two years have looked like. I’ve written before about getting the book deal, the photoshoot, choosing a cover, and all the marketing and publicity, but I haven’t shared much about the most important part: actually writing the book and developing and testing every single recipe. Below, you’ll find a full behind the scenes and breakdown of each step in the process. It’s truly been such a wild ride!
First, here’s a recipe for a yogurt parfait with granola I made with Doug last week. It’s one of my favorite easy and nutritious snacks. The granola comes together in the oven with oats, almonds, and chia seeds, and is flavored with vanilla and maple syrup. Then you’ll layer it with thick Greek yogurt, sliced strawberries and bananas, and some honey for a touch of sweetness. It’s a fantastic balance of textures.
What I Cooked Last Week↓
Yogurt Parfait with Homemade Granola
You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)
Mom’s Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Creamy and decadent without being too heavy, with plenty of fresh broccoli running through the sauce. This one’s always a crowd-pleaser!
I also made a recipe from the Sunday chapter of my cookbook: jammy eggs with lemon-garlic yogurt and chili oil. It’s simple, realistic, and unfussy, which is exactly what I love to cook on the weekends. Soft-boiled eggs are served over a bed of creamy, garlicky yogurt, then topped with a drizzle of chili oil for a little heat. I like serving it with warm, toasted pita on the side. It’s so delicious, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Behind the Scenes of Writing a Cookbook
It all started with a dream. A month or so after getting laid off from my corporate job at the end of 2022 and deciding to focus on Maxi’s Kitchen full time, I made a vision board filled with my hopes for this new chapter. At the center of it, I wrote “inspire you to cook” because that’s the most important part of the work I do. I also added “write a cookbook,” since it had always been one of my biggest dreams. I really believe you have to see something clearly in your mind before it can happen in real life.
About a year later, publishers began reaching out to ask if I’d considered writing a cookbook. I signed with a literary agent, who helped me put together a proposal. It included my story and why a publisher should take a chance on a first-time author. I also outlined the concept: easy, go-to recipes you can make again and again. From the beginning, I knew I wanted chapters that each represent a day of the week. My agent sent the proposal to editors, and we ended up having 11 meetings. Half were in person in New York City, all in one day. It felt really big and exciting, and I even bought myself a new jacket for it! Long story short, I sold my cookbook to my dream publisher, Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
The first real step was creating the table of contents, essentially a list of all the recipes organized by chapter. I refined the intention behind each chapter, then mapped out where the dishes would live. The book includes 20 of my most cherished family recipes and signature dishes, and the other 75 recipes are brand new and have never been shared before. Once I had a draft, my editor helped me shape it so we had a great balance of proteins, ingredients, and cuisines.
Then came recipe development and testing, by far the most time-consuming part. I had about nine months to develop and test 100 recipes (!). Each week, I set aside a few days just for the cookbook. I always looked forward to them because I didn’t have to think about filming and setting up my camera or doing my hair and makeup. I could simply cook. I usually tested one to two recipes a day and chose whatever from the table of contents inspired me most in that moment.
When I develop a recipe, I start by outlining the ingredients with estimated amounts, then adjust as I cook. For most dishes, I can tweak along the way, though some, like bread or other baked goods, are less forgiving. A few recipes took at least three or four rounds to get exactly right. I had a high bar, so if something wasn’t a slam dunk, it didn’t make it into the book. Once I felt confident, I’d send the recipe to my collaborator, Sanaë, who cross-tested it. She double-checked timing, seasoning, and clarity of instructions. Having her meticulous eye made me so much more confident that the recipes would work perfectly in your kitchen.
After the recipes were finalized, it was time to write the introduction, headnotes, chapter openers, pantry section, and so on. I worked closely with Sanaë on the storytelling because I wanted to focus most of my energy on the recipes, and she’s such a talented writer and novelist. (She even wrote a wonderful novel called The Margot Affair that you should check out!) We recorded conversations and talked through the inspiration behind each dish. For the introduction, we spent hours going over my family story and the path that brought me here. We went through several drafts until everything felt complete.
Almost exactly a year ago, in February 2025, I turned in the full manuscript. It felt like such a huge milestone because it was the first time my editor was seeing the entire book, recipes and all.
Next, we planned the photoshoot. After lots of research, I chose Amy Neunsinger as my photographer and was thrilled she agreed to do the book. She doesn’t shoot many cookbooks anymore, so I felt very lucky. We photographed 100 recipes in nine days, with two extra days for lifestyle shots at my home. It was intense, crazy, and fun. Seeing each dish styled and captured made everything feel so real. Of course I cared deeply about the way every recipe looked, but Amy made sure we had the final beauty shot before moving on to the next dish. She’s such a pro.
I also knew I wanted illustrated how-to guides so the book would feel even more helpful and personal. I interviewed several illustrators before choosing the incredibly talented Liz Hart. I wanted the drawings to feel like notebook doodles rather than polished renderings, and she understood my vision right away. Her illustrations bring the book to life in such a beautiful way.
From there, we focused on interior design and the cover. My editor shared a few layout directions, and once we finalized the interior style, we turned to the cover. Choosing the cover felt like such a big decision! (You can read more about how we almost went with a different image.)
Once the book was in layout, we reviewed three printed versions, which the publisher calls dummies. I combed through every page three times, checking for typos and small errors. In September 2025, the book went to the printer. I still had to film video tutorials for the QR codes, which you’ll find alongside some of the more complex recipes. When those were finally done, I truly felt finished.
Lately, my focus has shifted to marketing and publicity. I’ve been doing social collabs, preparing for the book tour, and speaking with reporters. It’s exciting and a little surreal, and I can’t wait to share the press with you soon!
So that’s the journey of making a cookbook from start to finish over two years. It’s been such a meaningful project, and I genuinely loved the days I got to work on it. It’s no exaggeration that I poured my whole heart into every page. I hope it feels special to you. Publishing the book feels like a finish line in some ways, but for those of you who’ll cook from it, it’s really just the beginning.
If you’re planning to buy a copy of my book, I’d be incredibly grateful if you ordered it in advance. Preorders count toward the first week of sales, which helps with bestseller lists like the New York Times. Tickets for my book tour are linked here 🤍 My mom and I would absolutely love to meet you in person!
Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing weekend!
Love,
Maxine
Thanks for sharing your story! I’ve been photographing food for years so this was such an insight- always wondered how it would be to write a cookbook! Congrats, massive well done 🫶🏻
So exciting! Looking forward to meeting you and your mom in OC on your book tour!💕