© Lindsay Gardner 2019

I’ve been holding on to a BIG SECRET for a quite some time, and I finally get to share it with you today. Hang on to your hats!

** I’M WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING A BOOK!! **

Titled WHY WE COOK, the book will be published by the iconic WORKMAN PUBLISHING (!!!) in March 2021. It explores and redefines what it means to be a woman in the contemporary culinary landscape, celebrating women’s stories, passions, and trailblazing achievements in the world of food through illustrated essays, profiles, and more, with contributions from chefs, food writers, restaurateurs, activists, and home cooks.

Women are the creators and keepers of multitudes of stories, big and small, domestic and professional and everything in between, that have long been disregarded or overlooked. I’m thrilled to get to research, learn, curate and make art about this topic that is so close to my heart, and doubly thrilled to get to share these profound, timely stories with you and the world.

It is a DREAM COME TRUE to get to make my idea into a real book at all, let alone with the incredible, thoughtful humans at Workman.

Speaking of gratitude; I grasp for words to express the infinite depth of mine for Kate Woodrow of Present Perfect Department, my brilliant friend and now book agent, with whom I’ve long dreamed of scheming on a professional creative project. As my agent, she has been an insightful, imaginative, dedicated, savvy and FUN advisor and coach, since I first nervously told her about my idea, through developing my proposal and helping me find an amazing publisher to make it real.

Since I started working on this project in earnest and reaching out to others last year, I’ve been utterly and deeply moved by the the warmth, generosity, vulnerability and reflection in my conversations with women chefs, entrepreneurs, writers, restaurateurs and home cooks. At the end of the day, THEY are what it’s all about. Getting to know these humble, passionate and strong women has restored my hope in humanity amidst what can feel like dark times.

When your work is the thing you absolutely love to do, it doesn’t really feel like work. I’m beyond  grateful that I get to do this joyful stuff every day and make things with my head, heart and hands. I’ve fantasized about writing and illustrating a book since well…forever, really. And though I’m a wee bit nervous because I haven’t done it before, I’m mostly just REALLY EXCITED.

I can’t wait to dig in, and I hope you’ll all follow along with me here as I do.