Cookbook Publishers Accepting Submissions
Every cookbook publishing house below was checked on its own website in October 2026: who is open, who needs an agent, what to send and how long replies take.
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
Cookbook publishing companies reading proposals
Houses that read cookbook proposals from authors directly.
- 1
Chronicle Books
Cookbooks among its adult nonfiction, by email; replies within six months if interested.
Reply: About 24 weeks
- 2
Harvard Common Press
Barbecue, baking, regional and single-subject cookbooks through Quarto's cooking address.
Reply: About 12 weeks
- 3
Ryland Peters & Small
Illustrated food and drink books from an independent London house.
Reply: 4 to 6 weeks
- 4
Hardie Grant
Food and drink proposals through Submittable or its UK office.
Reply: Not stated
- 5
Agate Publishing
Food, cooking and nutrition through its Surrey imprint, by email inquiry.
Reply: Not stated
- 6
Square One
Cooking among its adult nonfiction categories, by post.
Reply: 4 to 6 weeks
- 7
MNHS Press
Regional cookbooks about Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.
Reply: 6 to 8 weeks
All Cookbook publishers
Filter by what you write and how you want to submit. Open publishers come first; every card shows when we last checked it.
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Independent publishing companyAgate PublishingNonfiction, Business, CookbookEvanston, Illinois, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Agate Publishing, in Evanston, Illinois, takes email inquiries for three imprints only: Surrey for food, cooking and nutrition, B2 for business and Midway for Midwestern topics or authors. Send an email inquiry first; no phone calls, and no hard copy unless invited.Send: Email inquiry firstEmailReply time not statedView profile →
Small pressArsenal Pulp PressChildren's, Art and Photography, ComicsVancouver, CanadaOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Arsenal Pulp Press reads unsolicited submissions by post only. Send a synopsis, a chapter outline for nonfiction, your credentials, a 50-page excerpt and a marketing analysis; it requests the full manuscript if interested. Replies take up to six months, and simultaneous submissions are fine. It does not take poetry or genre fiction.No agent neededSend: Synopsis, credentials, 50 pages and marketing notes by postPost+1 more24 wks replyView profile →
Mid-sizeChronicle BooksChildren's, Art and Photography, CookbookSan Francisco, California, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Chronicle Books is open to adult nonfiction proposals, including cookbooks, by email; its children's submissions are closed. Send one file under 5MB with a one-page cover letter, sample content, a readership analysis with comparable titles and a bio. Allow six months; it replies only if interested.No agent neededSend: One file: cover letter, samples, readership and bioEmail+1 more24 wks replyView profile →
Mid-sizeHardie GrantChildren's, Cookbook, Diverse and BIPOC voicesLondon, UKOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Hardie Grant reads adult proposals, including cookbooks and travel, through Submittable. Its UK office reviews unsolicited proposals by email. Send an outline, chapter outline, sample chapter and visuals with a cover letter. Its Australian children's list is open only to Australian creators from marginalized backgrounds.No agent neededSend: Outline, chapter outline, sample chapter and visualsSubmittable, Email, PostReply time not statedView profile →
Major publishing houseHarvard Common PressCookbook, Health, NonfictionBeverly, Massachusetts, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The Harvard Common Press, a Quarto imprint, takes cookbook proposals through Quarto's cooking submissions address. Send a proposal with an author introduction, concept overview, visuals and market information, plus a signed Quarto Submission Agreement. Quarto replies only if interested; no reply in three months means no.Send: Proposal + visuals + signed Submission AgreementEmail12 wks replyest. 1976View profile →
Small pressHerald PressChristian, Cookbook, HistoryHarrisonburg, Virginia, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Herald Press is open to proposals from authors without an agent. Send a proposal form, a one-paragraph summary, an annotated table of contents, the first chapter plus one more, the Bible version you quote and a short resume, electronically to the managing editor. It aims to reply within six months.No agent neededSend: Proposal form + summary + TOC + 2 chapters + resume24 wks replyest. 1908View profile →Independent publishing companyMenucha PublishersChildren's, Cookbook, FictionBrooklyn, New York, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Menucha Publishers takes complete manuscripts from authors directly, by email or mail. The Brooklyn publisher serves Orthodox Jewish readers with Torah, novels, biographies, cookbooks and children's books, and tells every author its decision.No agent neededSend: The complete manuscript as one file with a cover letterEmail, PostReply time not statedest. 2011View profile →
Small pressMNHS PressChildren's, Cookbook, HistorySt. Paul, Minnesota, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The Minnesota Historical Society Press is open to nonfiction proposals about Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, by email or post. Send a proposal with a 250-word description, audience, length, schedule, vitae and chapter outline, plus 15 to 25 sample pages. Replies take six to eight weeks, and simultaneous submissions are fine if you say so.No agent neededSend: Proposal + 15 to 25 sample pagesEmail, Post+1 more6 to 8 wks replyView profile →
Independent publishing companyNew Holland PublishersNonfiction, Cookbook, HealthAustraliaOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026New Holland Publishers is open to submissions by email. Send its submissions questionnaire, a cover letter, a synopsis of about 300 words and, ideally, the full manuscript to info@newholland.com.au. It replies within three months if interested; no reply after three months means no.No agent neededSend: Questionnaire + cover letter + synopsis + manuscriptEmail12 wks replyView profile →
Independent publishing companyRyland Peters & SmallChildren's, Art and Photography, CookbookLondon, UKOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Ryland Peters & Small, an independent London publisher of illustrated nonfiction, reads proposals for books including cookbooks. Send a covering letter and synopsis, contents list, short bio and an optional sample, not a complete manuscript, to enquiries@rps.co.uk. No reply within four to six weeks means no.Send: Letter, synopsis, contents and bio; no full manuscriptsEmail4 to 6 wks replyest. 1995View profile →Independent publishing companySquare OneNonfiction, Business, CookbookGarden City Park, New York, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Square One Publishers is open to adult nonfiction proposals by post only. Send a cover letter, a detailed table of contents, a brief overview, author bios and a stamped return envelope. It replies in four to six weeks. Its categories include health, cooking, self-help and personal finance.No agent neededSend: Cover letter, contents, overview, bios and SASE by postPost4 to 6 wks replyest. 2000View profile →
University pressUniversity of Minnesota PressChildren's, Academic, Art and PhotographyMinneapolis, Minnesota, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The University of Minnesota Press reads book proposals from authors without an agent. Send a prospectus with an overview, chapter summaries, at least two sample chapters and a current CV. Replies take four to six weeks, and simultaneous submissions are considered in some cases.No agent neededSend: Prospectus, chapter summaries, two chapters and CVPost+1 more4 to 6 wks replyest. 1925View profile →
Independent publishing companyCanongateFiction, Cookbook, IndependentEdinburgh, Scotland, UKAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026Canongate does not accept unsolicited submissions. This independent Edinburgh publisher reads fiction and nonfiction sent by literary agents and suggests writers find an agent first.Send: Through a literary agent onlyThrough an agentReply time not statedest. 1973View profile →
Big 5 publishing houseMacmillanChildren's, Cookbook, FictionNew York, USAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026Macmillan Publishers does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, proposals or queries in the US. Its houses, including St. Martin's, Minotaur, Henry Holt and Celadon, read work sent by literary agents.Send: Through a literary agent onlyThrough an agentReply time not statedView profile → What do Open, Closed and Agent needed mean?
- Open now: the publisher's own site says it is reading submissions today, in at least one genre listed.
- Closed: not reading new submissions right now. We show the reopening date when the publisher gives one.
- Agent needed: it only reads manuscripts sent by a literary agent.
Submit with confidence
Four checks before you send anything to a publisher, whichever list you use.
Check it on their own site
Guidelines change. Read the publisher's own submissions page on the day you send.
Never pay to be published
A traditional publisher pays you. If a company asks for money, it is a paid service.
Send exactly what they ask
Query, proposal or sample chapters: follow the format and word count to the letter.
Track every submission
Note the date, the reply time and whether no reply means no before you follow up.
Cookbook publishers buy books on a strong concept, great recipes and an author with an audience, and many of them read proposals without an agent. We list 14 cook book publishers, and 12 of them are open to submissions today. Every listing was checked on the publisher's own site and shows what to send, whether you need an agent and how long a reply takes. Use the filters to find houses that are reading cookbook proposals now. Each profile also shows the date we last checked the publisher's own page, so you can see how current the rules are.
What cookbook publishers look for
Cookbook publishing companies want a clear concept, recipes that work and an author readers will trust. Most ask for a proposal with sample recipes and visuals rather than a finished book. The Harvard Common Press asks for an author introduction, concept overview, visuals and market information, and Chronicle Books wants sample content such as recipes and photos in one file.
Cook book publishers that read unagented proposals
Several houses on this page read cookbook proposals directly. Chronicle Books reads adult nonfiction, including cookbooks, by email. Ryland Peters & Small and Hardie Grant read illustrated food books, and Agate takes food and nutrition inquiries through its Surrey imprint. Square One reads cooking proposals by post.
Regional and specialty cookbooks
Regional cookbooks often find a home with regional presses. The Minnesota Historical Society Press publishes food books tied to Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, and the University of Minnesota Press has published a cookbook in its trade list. Faith publishers such as Herald Press publish cookbooks written from a faith perspective, and Menucha serves Orthodox Jewish readers with cookbooks among its titles.
Building a strong cookbook proposal
Show your platform: a blog, social following, restaurant, classes or media work. Include a table of contents, several tested sample recipes and a few strong photos or a styling plan. Name comparable cookbooks and explain how yours is different, then send exactly what each profile asks for.
How we check these listings
Every publisher on this page was checked on its own website, and we review each listing every month. We list only traditional publishers, which pay authors and do not charge them to publish. If a house adds fees, packages or a paid route, we say so on its profile or leave it out of the directory.
Cookbooks from faith and regional presses
Smaller presses can be a good home for a focused cookbook. A regional collection may suit a historical society press, and a book of family or community recipes may suit a faith publisher with a cookbook line. These houses often read proposals directly and know their readers well.
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Questions authors ask
Answers use the live data on this page.
Do cookbook publishers accept unagented proposals?
Many do. On this page, Chronicle Books, The Harvard Common Press, Ryland Peters & Small, Hardie Grant, Agate and Square One all read cookbook proposals sent directly by authors. Each profile shows the format, such as email, post or an online form, and how long a reply takes.
What should a cookbook proposal include?
Most cookbook publishers want a concept overview, an author introduction showing your platform, a table of contents, several tested sample recipes and photos or visual ideas, plus market information and comparable titles. Quarto imprints such as The Harvard Common Press also ask for a signed Submission Agreement.
Do I need professional photos for a cookbook proposal?
Not always, but visuals help. Chronicle Books asks for sample content that can include photos or illustrations, and Quarto asks for visual materials. Good phone photos or a clear styling plan can show the look you have in mind. Check each profile for what it wants.
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How we verify listings. We list traditional publishers only: no hybrid, vanity or paid self-publishing companies. Every listing is checked on the publisher's own website and rechecked every month. This page was last updated 25 Oct 2026; next review November 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us.
