Sarah Faubion is a Strategic Partner Manager at Meta on the Books Team. With a unique blend of expertise in digital media and a passion for culinary arts, Sarah collaborates with celebrities, renowned public figures, and global thought leaders to maximize their impact on Facebook and Instagram. Her focus is on elevating the profiles of public figure chefs and cookbook authors, helping them connect with their audiences in meaningful and innovative ways. Sarah's work not only amplifies their voices but also helps transform how culinary content is shared and experienced across social media platforms.

Sarah Fennel is the baker, photographer and recipe developer behind the incredibly popular Broma Bakery, the social and digital platform founded in 2010 with nearly 2.3 million followers across Instagram and TikTok and over 2.5 million page views per month on her site. Sarah is also the founder of Foodtography School, a collection of courses and digital products sold to over 12,000 food bloggers, photographers, influencers, and small business owners. Sarah’s highly-anticipated debut cookbook Sweet Tooth: 100 Desserts to Save Room For comes out on October 8, 2024.

Steve Hoffman is a Minnesota tax preparer and food writer. His writing has won multiple national awards, including the 2019 James Beard M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. He has been published in Food & Wine, The Washington Post, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune, among others. His first book, A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France, was published in July 2024 and was edited by Francis Lam. It is the story of his family's gradual (then precipitous) acceptance into a tiny Languedoc winemaking village, of his bottom-up education in Mediterranean food and wine, and of a hard-won self acceptance in mid-life.

Claudine Pépin is the only daughter of Jacques Pépin and co-founder and president of the Jacques Pépin Foundation. For many years, Claudine has worked with her father, preparing delicious meals and sharing cooking techniques. With PBS at the KQED studios, the father daughter duo filmed, “Jacques Pepin’s Kitchen: Cooking with Claudine,” “Jacques Pepin’s Kitchen: Encore With Claudine,” and “Jacques Pépin Celebrates.” All three series received James Beard Awards.  In 2015, Claudine starred with her father on “Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in The Kitchen.”

Author of more than 30 books, Jacques Pépin is a world renowned chef and former columnist for The New York Times. His articles have appeared in countless food magazines, especially Food & Wine magazine. He is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from five American universities, was awarded France’s highest civilian honor, La Légion d’Honneur, in 2004, as well as the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in 1997 and the Mérite Agricole in 1992. He has received 16 James Beard Foundation Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. In 2015, Pépin received the American Public Television’s Lifetime Achievement Award in November and the inaugural Julia Child Award, which was presented to him at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Dr. Rollie Wesen is the Executive Director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation (JPF) and an assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in Providence, Rhode Island. The JPF advances Jacques Pépin’s love of culinary arts and teaching through video recipe production and curriculum development, expanding education and training for all. The foundation supports culinary education for many communities through many channels, with a particular focus on workforce development in community based culinary training networks.

Table Topic: Cookbook Agents

Jenni Ferrari-Adler is an agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency. She has twenty years of experience in book publishing and has been an agent since 2006. Cookbooks and Food writing are among her specialties.

Table Topic: Cookbook Collaborators

Paula Forbes is a journalist, cookbook author and critic; her work has appeared in Texas Monthly, GQ, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and more. She shares cookbook criticism, and news in her IACP award-winning newsletter, Stained Page News.

Table Topic: Social Media

KC Hysmith (@kchysmith), PhD, is a North Carolina-based food scholar, writer, and content creator working at the intersections of food, gender, and digital technologies.

Table Topic: Cooking Schools

Lisa Kyung Gross is the founder/CEO of League of Kitchens, a unique culturally immersive cooking school in New York City and online where immigrant women, who are exceptional home cooks, teach their family recipes. Her first cookbook, The League of Kitchens Cookbook, comes out in November 2024.

Table Topic: Pitching to Editors

Carolyn Malcoun is the associate editorial director at EatingWell. She has more than 20 years of experience as a professional recipe developer and writer, in both the print and digital spaces.

Table Topic: Recipe Development

Raeanne Sarazen, a registered dietitian and chef, combines over 20 years of experience producing recipe content as a test kitchen professional, food writer, and editor. She is the author of the new book, The Complete Recipe Writing Guide.

Table Topic: Cookbook Authors

Paula Shoyer, known as “the kosher baker,” is the author of The Healthy Jewish Kitchen, The Holiday Kosher Baker, The Kosher Baker, The New Passover Menu and The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook. Paula has a degree in French pastry from the Ritz Escoffier in Paris, and teaches cooking classes, and does freelance food writing and editing.

Table Topic: Food Photography

Clay Williams is a James Beard Award-winning photographer documenting the food community in newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks for 15 years. Clay is co-founder of Black Food Folks, a fellowship for Black professionals working throughout food and drink.

Jenni Ferrari-Adler is an agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency. She has twenty years of experience in book publishing and has been an agent since 2006. Cookbooks and Food writing are among her specialties.

Dianne Jacob coaches food writers and bloggers on how to get a cookbook published, improve freelance assignments, start newsletters, and improve the quality and effectiveness of their writing. Dianne is the author of a multiple award-winning book on food writing, Will Write for Food: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing Recipes, Cookbooks, Blogs and More.

Paula Forbes is a journalist, cookbook author and critic; her work has appeared in Texas Monthly, GQ, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and more. She shares cookbook criticism, and news in her IACP award-winning newsletter Stained Page News.