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Frances Baca Design + Consulting

@francesbacadesign

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20+ years in the publishing industry. Book designer, creative director, and business consultant. Author of Headnotes: Thoughts on Cookbook Design.

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@kateleahybooks here —with a confession: I used to be embarrassed I didn’t know the difference between a serif and sans-serif font, and this made me feel way less confident talking about cookbook design early in my career.

It’s too bad I didn’t have the newsletter from @francesbacadesign as a resource. In Episode 182 of Everything Cookbooks, @kristincdonnelly and I chat with Frances, a longtime book designer and publishing professional, about the visual aspects of cookbooks. We get into:

*Cover + Spine
*Typeface
*Table of Contents

She also shares what catches her eye, the distinct differences between design roles, and where she finds her inspiration. Listen to the end when she reveals her thoughts about em dashes :)

🎧 Listen now! (Link in bio) by @francesbacadesign

I spend a lot of time talking about cover design on Headnotes—and with good reason, as covers are almost always the sexiest part of any cookbook. But there’s another part of the book that also works hard to grab our attention: the spine. Spines are often the only part of a book that a customer can see on a crowded shelf, so a spine design that stands out in this noisy environment can really make a difference in a book’s success. In the latest Headnotes, we’ll learn about the tricks designers have up their sleeves to make a spine shine, and admire several examples that jumped out at me from the shelves of my favorite local bookstores. (Link in bio)

All About Cookies
@christinatosi
@iadingman
@clarksonpotter

The Sqirl Jam Book
@prosciuttosnacks
@abramsbooks

Crave
@rocketandsquash
@clairehrochford
@quadrillebooks

Rice
@pingcoombes
@clairehrochford
@murdochbooks

Brutto
Russell Norman
@designbypraline
@eburybooks

Pasta Grannies
Pasta Grannies: Eat Everything
@vickybennison
@evi_o.studio
@lookbird
@hardiegrantbooks
@rizzolibooks

The Perfect Loaf
@maurizio
@earth_terminal
@clarksonpotter

CDMX
@rosa_cienfuegos_sydney
@evi_o.studio
@smithstreetbooks

Pasta
@missyarobbins
@taliabaiocchi
lizzzie.alllen
@tenspeedpress

Pasta Every Day
@merylfeinstein
@laurapalesedesign
@voraciousbooks

Try This at Home
@richardblais
@laurapalesedesign
@clarksonpotter

Where Cooking Begins
@carla_barla_garla
@decadenewyork
@clarksonpotter

@booklarder
@omnivorebooks

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

Headnotes has just turned one! I launched this Substack in August 2025 with a clear goal in mind: sharing my love for beautifully designed cookbooks. And as I learned over this past year, many of you are equally as smitten. In the latest Headnotes, I recap the most popular posts from the past year and share a list—with some gorgeous visuals—of the books that have recently caught my eye.

There’s plenty more eye candy in store for year two, and I want to thank all of you for your subscriptions, comments, and messages. They’ve inspired me to keep sharing this very specific obsession of mine. (Link in bio)

And I have a giveaway! 📚🎁 To mark Headnotes’ one-year anniversary, I’ve partnered with my friends at Chronicle Books to offer one lucky reader three gorgeous cookbooks: The Butter Book by @acstockwell (design by @lizziehunter and photography by @katesjordan ), Cheesy by @farideh (design by Wynne Au-Yeung and photography by @behindthedawn ), and Cake Picnic by @wanderdoll (design by @lizziehunter and photography by @aweilo ). To enter, follow me and @chroniclebooks , and leave a comment on this post about your favorite cookbook designs. We’ll choose the winner at random on Friday, September 11th.

(Featured photo: Champagne Confetti and Cranberry Curd Cake from Cake Picnic, photo by Andria Lo.)

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #chroniclebooks #giveaway by @francesbacadesign

@debbiebernedesign was an incredibly special human being: she was a talented book designer, an engaging writer, and one of the best friends you could hope to have. In today’s “Behind the Design” on Headnotes, I pay tribute to Debbie while sharing one of the last interviews that she gave before she passed away from glioblastoma—an aggressive form of brain cancer—in December of 2025. In the interview, Debbie talks about how she became a book designer, how she got inspired to write The Design of Books during COVID, and how she discovered that her obsession with cookbooks was one shared by many. Her new book, Cookbooking, was just released on August 18th, and though it feels bittersweet to hold a copy in my hands, I am so grateful to her for this gift she left to our cookbook-loving community. (Link in bio)

And, I have a giveaway! 📚🎁 My friends at Hardie Grant are generously offering a copy of Cookbooking to three lucky Headnotes subscribers. Here’s how it works: follow @hardiegrantusa and me, and leave a comment on this post—bonus points if you tag a cookbook author you admire, or mention your favorite cookbook. The giveaway is open to anyone residing in the US, and the winner will be selected at random shortly after the giveaway closes on Friday, August 28th, 2026.

Cookbooking is published by @hardiegrantusa and The Design of Books is published by @uchicagopress. I thank them both for allowing me to share Debbie’s work in today’s post. Photos of Debbie by @jesslynngoss and @vbarad

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #cookbooking #giveaway by @francesbacadesign

I came across the cookbook Konbini when it was first released in 2024 and was immediately smitten. I was still savoring a recent trip to Tokyo, so seeing several of my favorite Japanese convenience store dishes arranged so pleasingly across the cover gave me a little burst of nostalgic joy. The tidy group of photographs, broken only by a few lines of type, got me thinking about how grids—typically the foundation of interior book design—can also be used to bring a cover to life. The latest Headnotes post walks us through a few of my favorite examples of covers featuring neatly organized, grid-based inventories of things—moving from the most rigidly laid-out designs to some of the most fluid. (Link in bio)

Konbini
@brendanliew
@evi_o.studio
@dhzphoto
@vickivalsamis_foodstylist
@beardyolive
@smithstreetbooks

Taste Korea
@mokja_letseat
@studiostudio.be
@sustainworks
@lannoopublishers

Third Culture Cooking
@zaynab_issa
@sebitmin
@graydonherriott
@mpearljones
@flavacado_
@therealhollydolce
@abramsbooks

Easy Wins
@we_are_food
@caneva_nishimoto
@matt_russell
@4thestatebooks

The Kitchen Diaries
@nigelslater
@blokdesign_
@jonathan.lovekin
@vikingbooks

Simple & Classic
@janehornby
@frederictacer
@stevenjoycephoto
@ellierosemarysmith
@phaidonpress

Mob 6
@mob
@studionari
@davidloftus
@eburybooks

The Kitchen Garden
@lucymora.artful.kitchen.garden
@thamesandhudson

Fish Butchery
@mrniland
@danielknew
@photopalmer
@everynightoftheweek
@simonnpdavis
@hardiegrantbooks

The Condiment Book
@condimentclaire
@evi_o.studio
@bloomsburypublishing

Tools for Food
@corinne_mynatt
@apracticeforeverydaylife
@hardiegrantbooks

Japanese Cuisine
@laurekies
@harunadailybook
@firefly.books

Japanska Bakverk
@aibonventura
@sebastianwadsted
@charliedrevstam
@hfrancke
@naturochkultur

Gâteau
@aleksandracrapanzano
@cassandre_m
@scribnerbooks

An Alphabet for Gourmets
@hollydrawsinink
@dauntbooks

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

@iadingman is a name that comes up again and again in my favorite cookbook designs, and I’m consistently impressed by his versatility—he is an accomplished illustrator as well as an art director—and his ability to combine type and image in smart and unexpected ways. The latest “Behind the Design” on Headnotes features several of his books for authors like @katieparla, @priyakrishna, and @hughacheson. In the interview, we dig into Ian’s creative process, his empathy for the harried home cook, and his genuine excitement to be working in publishing (AI be damned!). (Link in bio).

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

A restaurant cookbook photo set is a busy working space that can be cramped, messy, unpredictably lit, and filled with cooks, servers, and diners who may or may not be sympathetic to a photographer’s cause. In these cases, knowing how to read the room is an invaluable skill for a photographer. Making beautiful images of composed dishes is key, but reflecting the spirit of the people and the place is what sets an excellent restaurant cookbook apart from an average one. In the latest “Notable Creatives” on Headnotes, we look at the work of Patricia Niven for Ester, Ed Anderson for State Bird Provisions, Julia Gillard for Diner, and Gentl + Hyers for La Copine. These four photographers are the total package—they make the food look enticing while capturing the other, more subtle qualities that make each of the following restaurants so special. (Link in bio)

Ester
@ester_au
@mrmatlindsay
@patnourse
@patricianiven
@hellenealgie
@_jessicajohnson_
@danielknew
@murdochbooks

State Bird Provisions
@statebirdprovisions
@atomicstew
@handsthatknowyou
@edandcamera
@bartdish
@tenspeedpress

Diner: Day for Night
@dinernyc
@andrewtarlow
@juliagillard777
@beckprojekt
@tenspeedpess

La Copine
@lacopinekitchen
@clairewadsworth
@benbmims
@andreagentl
@chaufacetime
@dianoshawrus
@artisanbooks

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

Ever wonder what it takes to design a successful cookbook cover? In one the latest Headnotes posts, I do a deep dive on this topic, sharing the three key questions I ask when thinking through a design and guiding critiques, and why they are important. Several of my colleagues in the industry, including author and publisher @katieparla, executive art director @stephaniehuntwork, bookseller @nowservingla, literary agent and former marketing executive @micheledeis, creative director @ninepointedstar, and publisher @foreverbeard, also offer their thoughts on what they look for in covers and why. We also share several of our favorite cover designs. If you’re a book designer—or if you work with one—this one is a must-read! (Link in bio)

The Butter Book
@acstockwell
@lizziehunter
@katesjordan
@chroniclebooks

The Gourmand’s Lemon
@thegourmand
@lane_and_associates
@blobbybloherty
@jamiekimm
@taschen

Rome
@katieparla
@iadingman
@edandcamera

The Bean Book
@rancho_gordo
@emmacampioncreative
@edandcamera
@mrsmochi
@glennjenkins
@tenspeedpress

More Than Sweet
@mariehfrank
@evi_o.studio
@linethitklein
@hardiegrantusa

The Talisman of Happiness
@nickmisani
@kdiemont
@voraciousbooks

Cake Picnic
@wanderdoll
@lizziehunter
@aweilo
@chroniclebooks
@kendall.andronico

Turtle Island
@the_sioux_chef
@stephaniehuntwork
@jimmydeanhorn
@clarksonpotter

KoreaWorld
@deukihong
@mattrodbard
@robertdiaz
ihatealexlau
@clarksonpotter

Pasta Every Day
@merylfeinstein
@voraciousbooks
@laurapalesedesign

#headnotes #cookbooks #coverdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

The @beardfoundation Book Award nominees were announced at the end of March, and the cookbook world is buzzing with anticipation for the June 15th ceremony in Chicago. My attention is particularly drawn to the “Visuals” category, which recognizes “books on food or beverage with exceptional graphic design, art, or photography.” In the latest Headnotes post, I break down each of the three books nominated—Mali Bakes, Heirloom Cities: Mumbai, and The Japanese Art of Pickling and Fermenting—highlighting their most notable features while sharing thoughts on judging design competitions. I’m wishing @heirloomcities @unfolddesigns @bhavyapansari @mali_bakes @andywarrendesign @dhzphoto @cookingwithkoji @michellemackintosh @rochelleeagle and @smithstreetbooks the best of luck. These books are a testament to their care and skill, and are all well deserving of the praise and recognition they have received. (Link in bio)

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

Though I post mostly about cookbooks and my new-ish Substack, Headnotes, I also run a book design studio and creative consultancy in the SF Bay Area. I work with a variety of publishing clients across many genres—food and drink, art, hobbies and crafts, gardening, journals, self-help, and beyond. I also do quite a bit of work for university presses, including one my most long-standing clients, @uminnpress. We’ve been collaborating for more than 20 years, and their assignments are among my favorites.

The Empathic Lens is our most recent project. In this book, author Brianne Cohen explores lens-based art in Southeast Asia, and how it offers ecologically sensitive worldviews on empathy and kinship. The art Cohen surveys centers on the natural environment, and familial and indigenous relationships to the land.

The photo I chose for the cover shows a family standing among a grove of trees, at the center of a circular path. The path was formed from years of walking meditations, and I thought it was a beautiful symbol for the relationship between humans and the natural world, while also mirroring the idea of a “lens.” The symmetrically aligned circles—the path and the typography above—imply a relationship between the two, with the tall, dark letterforms echoing both the human figures and the trees. The tone is harmonious and thoughtful, and quietly reflects the idea of art as a viewfinder for environmental phenomena. Thanks @uminnpress for the excellent assignment.

#bookcoverdesign #coverdesign #bookdesign #bookstagram #graphicdesign by @francesbacadesign

Restaurant titles occupy a special niche in the cookbook world. Though recipes are an important part of their appeal, these books are sometimes less about the food than about evoking a sense of place—and maybe even encouraging a bit of escapism. A prime example is the gorgeous new cookbook Beyond Peaks, by chefs @andreas_caminada_schauenstein and @marcel_skibba_schauenstein. This cookbook transports the reader to their three Michelin-starred restaurant, @schloss_schauenstein, through the work of designer @julia.hasting and photographer @joanminder. Hasting’s design immerses readers in unique and unexpected ways, offering an exceptional example of what a restaurant cookbook can be. Published by @phaidonpress and featured this month on Headnotes. (Link in bio)

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #foodanddrink #publishing by @francesbacadesign

In the latest “Behind the Design” on Headnotes, we meet @jwapner, the Publishing Director at @hardiegrantusa. Hardie Grant’s cookbooks are known for their adventurous designs (like the one featured here, Lido), and in this interview, I dig into their creative process and learn about Jenny’s vision for this bold new imprint. I really admire Jenny’s willingness to take risks, and though her team is small—just 6 people in their Berkeley, California office—their unconventional approach to publishing is having a notable impact on the US cookbook scene (link in bio).

And, I have a giveaway! 📚🎁 Hardie Grant is generously offering a copy of @bufalina_ct’s new cookbook, Lido, to two lucky Headnotes readers. Here’s how it works: follow @hardiegrantusa and me, and leave a comment on this post—bonus points if you tag a friend you’d like to go to Italy with. The giveaway is open to anyone residing in the US, and the winner will be selected at random shortly after the giveaway closes on Friday, April 24, 2026.

#headnotes #cookbooks #bookdesign #publishing #giveaway by @francesbacadesign