How important is the Guest of Honour status for New Zealand, and will it have a lasting impact on the country’s publishing industry? It is huge for New Zealand to be recognised with GoH status. I’ve been going to the FBF since 1995 so it’s going to be very exciting this year having such a strong New Zealand contingent and the spotlight on our publishing industry.
Will you be doing any demonstrations at the fair? I’m going to cook some recipes from my new book Annabel Langbein Te Free Range Cook. I’m going to make my homemade Sesame and Oregano Lavosh, Tai-Style Beef Salad and Chocolate and Cranberry Slice. While I’m at the FBF I am also
doing a live show on the first day of LBF and speaking at the Gourmand cocktail evening tonight (11th October). On Friday (12th October) I’m going to be doing signings and interviews on the GoH stand and giving a demo at the Gourmand Gallery at 11.30 a.m. On Saturday (13th October) I’m doing more signings and interviews and the New Zealanders’ cooking discussion panel. So it’s going to be a busy few days; I can’t wait!
Other celeb chefs have their own production companies, but few publish themselves. Why did you decided to set up as a publisher? I’m such a control freak. When I decided to make my first book compiling recipes from my magazine column, I didn’t want someone else telling me how many pages I could have or how many illustrations. So I just got a team together and did it myself. I loved the process of creating a book so I’ve been doing it ever since.
You are an FBF veteran. What is your advice to your fellow NZ
publishers coming to Frankfurt for the first time? Be brave about business; act with intent and integrity; always look forward; be focused; believe in your ideas; make sure you have got enough money; and learn from your mistakes, learning is stimulating.
About cookery markets in general—is it difficult to break into new territories? And what is the key to selling cookery rights? Te thing that has been amazing for me is that I have been writing cookbooks for years, and publishing them internationally with some
success, but it wasn’t until people discovered me through my TV series that they saw how delicious and easy my recipes are and my profile really took off. Tey see what I do on the TV and say: “I can do that”. My progrmme shows people how to experience food in a way that is empowering, achievable and affordable, and that’s been the catalyst for the change.
How do you see cookery books progressing digitally? Will there be more app/enhanced e-book development? Watch this space!
Annabel Langbein is a publisher, food writer and New Zealand’s best known celebrity chef. Her 19 books—all published in New Zealand by her own company Annabel Langbein Media—have sold around two million copies worldwide. Her TV series “Annabel Langbein: Te Free Range Cook” has been shown in 83 territories. Te accompanying book to the series won the Gourmand International Award for best TV cookbook in 2012, and has been sold into seven territories, including the UK (Octopus), Australia (HarperCollins), France (Larousse) and Germany (Graefe und Unzer).
11 OCTOBER 2012 | THE BOOKSELLER DAILY AT FRANKFURT 11
The Kiwi chef and publisher has been coming to Frankfurt since the 1990s. She talks to Tom Tivnan about the Guest of Honour programme and gives advice to FBF newbies