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Final Two in the “So You Want to Write a Cookbook” Contest

corinne — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:05:26 +0000

The Final Two in the “So You Want to Write a Cookbook” Contest are. Please join us on March 25th, 2013 from 1-2pm EST for a Twitter Chat with the two finalists. The winner will be announced on March 27, 2013:

Jeanne Fratello ‏@JollyTomato POD “Tag-Team Cooking” unique b/c recipes divided into distinct roles for two people – maximum taste in minimum time. #SignMeSal @SallyEkus
https://twitter.com/JollyTomato/status/312608256897974274
Ashley Bee ‏@AshleyBeeCooks @SallyEkus #signmesal POD The average cookbook wont tell you which recipe is best for breakups layoffs & $0 bank accounts. This foodoir will
https://twitter.com/AshleyBeeCooks/status/312551065323188224

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: A Media Skills Seminar for Culinary Professionals

corinne — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:18:54 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Lisa Ekus Group
www.Facebook.com/TheLisaEkusGroup
www.Twitter.com/LisaEkus
www.lisaekus.com
March 2013

Contact: Corinne Fay
The Lisa Ekus Group
413.247.9325
Corinne@lisaekus.com

TO MARKET:

A Media Skills Seminar for Culinary Professionals

Hatfield, MA – A brilliant food writer or talented chef may be able to whip up a perfect soufflé or write a recipe header that will move readers to tears – but can he or she do that in front of a camera while answering questions from a host and hitting all the right message points all in less than three minutes? A masterful media appearance takes skill and practice which The Lisa Ekus Group offers through their media training program. A special seminar on May 21, 2013 in Hatfield, MA will bring together a group of 12 culinary professionals to sharpen their skills by learning from veteran media trainer Lisa Ekus, who has worked with hundreds of culinary personalities including Padma Lakshmi, Rebecca Lang, Sara Moulton, and Emeril Lagasse.

Designed specifically for culinary professionals, the seminar will teach you how to bring your cooking, writing, and speaking skills to the media in order to promote yourself or your brand and make a good impression. The day-long seminar will cover message points and blocking out the set, what to wear and how to communicate with the host, body language, refining message points, and how to do both hosted and solo camera appearances. Each participant will have the opportunity to tape a short segment and review it with the group. This hands-on practice will build on-camera confidence and will help to present the best face of the author or brand.

WHO: Whether you have an upcoming appearance on Good Morning America or Good Day Atlanta, you’re looking to put some videos up on YouTube, you want to do live demos and appearances, or you just want to feel more comfortable with media opportunities, this course will give you the edge you need.

WHAT: A day-long media skills seminar limited to 12 participants at the cost of $695 per person. The group setting allows trainees to network and share with industry colleagues while gaining skills and confidence at a significantly discounted rate. Extensive handouts covering the day’s topics will be provided to all attendees.

WHERE: In the studio / kitchen space of The Lisa Ekus Group in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Hatfield is about 45 minutes from Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT and 3 hours from New York City. Transportation and lodging are not included, but we can provide recommendations for both.

WHEN: 9am – 5pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

HOW: To register contact Corinne Fay at 413.247.9325 or Corinne@lisaekus.com. Register before April 1st, 2013 and receive the earlybird discount price of $595. Beverages and lunch will be provided.

—

TO MARKET is a new series of skill seminars that focus on building your brand, marketing your talent, and strengthening your platform.

LISA EKUS is the founder of The Lisa Ekus Group, LLC, a full-service culinary agency specializing in “promoting a world of culinary talent.” Based in Western Massachusetts, she oversees four core divisions of her company: literary agenting, spokesperson/endorsement representation, media training, and public relations strategy. She has trained a wide variety of clients, from chefs to CEOs to authors. For a full list of trainees, visit http://lisaekus.com/media-training/media-training-clients/

THE LISA EKUS GROUP is a full-service culinary agency. We provide media training, public relations, consulting, and literary agency services to the world of culinary talent. It is our belief that a vibrant culinary industry is the result of many voices, and so we strive to support and promote chefs, cookbook authors, food writers, and photographers. For more information, please visit www.lisaekus.com .

Final Four in the ‘So You Want to Write a Cookbook’ Contest

corinne — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:23:42 +0000

The Final Four in the “So You Want to Write a Cookbook” Contest are:

Jeanne Fratello ‏@JollyTomato POD “Tag-Team Cooking” unique b/c recipes divided into distinct roles for two people – maximum taste in minimum time. #SignMeSal @SallyEkus
https://twitter.com/JollyTomato/status/312608256897974274
Ashley Bee ‏@AshleyBeeCooks @SallyEkus #signmesal POD The average cookbook wont tell you which recipe is best for breakups layoffs & $0 bank accounts. This foodoir will
https://twitter.com/AshleyBeeCooks/status/312551065323188224
Marnely Rguez-Murray ‏@nella22 Cookbooks now focus on styling, tools, etc., not weathered hands making them. Spotlight will be on REAL hands, stories & recipes #signmesal
https://twitter.com/nella22/status/312681882238214144
Nikki Gardner ‏@artandlemons POD Unique spin on homemade to go (quick recipes, tips, photos, & travelogues), real food made simple for adventure lovin’ folks #signmesal
https://twitter.com/artandlemons/status/313042459280175104

So You Want to Write a Cookbook Contest Final Eight

corinne — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:42:26 +0000

Top 8 contestants in the So You Want to Write a Cookbook Contest will move on to the next round by tweeting their promotional ideas. The elite eight are:

Jeanne Fratello ‏@JollyTomato POD “Tag-Team Cooking” unique b/c recipes divided into distinct roles for two people – maximum taste in minimum time. #SignMeSal @SallyEkus
https://twitter.com/JollyTomato/status/312608256897974274

Ashley Bee ‏@AshleyBeeCooks @SallyEkus #signmesal POD The average cookbook wont tell you which recipe is best for breakups layoffs & $0 bank accounts. This foodoir will
https://twitter.com/AshleyBeeCooks/status/312551065323188224

Marnely Rguez-Murray ‏@nella22 Cookbooks now focus on styling, tools, etc., not weathered hands making them. Spotlight will be on REAL hands, stories & recipes #signmesal
https://twitter.com/nella22/status/312681882238214144

Kara Martin Snyder ‏@vitalcorps POD Eschews eat this not that dogma & presents DIY skills w/panache. More laughs & pathos than most GI books by a coach/chef. #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/vitalcorps/status/312974949256138752

carlye wisel ‏@carlyewisel A cookbook for the type who owns ten but never touches one, Lazy Girl reassures that cooking doesnt have to be a pain in the ass #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/carlyewisel/status/312681134075027456

Vivian Savares ‏@IslandgirlOK POD @SallyEkus #SignMeSal Where There’s Smoke: This book will teach techniques to smoke, grill, or roast at home no matter what your budget.
https://twitter.com/IslandgirlOK/status/312681190987534337

Susan Pridmore ‏@wimpyvegetarian Meathead loves veghead: can this marriage survive? Meal plans 2 simplify life + flavor 2 satisfy both palates 4 harmony @ dinner. #signmesal
https://twitter.com/wimpyvegetarian/status/312682278742528000

Nikki Gardner ‏@artandlemons
POD Unique spin on homemade to go (quick recipes, tips, photos, & travelogues), real food made simple for adventure lovin’ folks #signmesal
https://twitter.com/artandlemons/status/313042459280175104

So You Want to Write a Cookbook Finalists

corinne — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:21:20 +0000

Here, in no particular order, are the 16 Finalists in the So You Want to Write a Cookbook Contest:

Nikki Gardner ‏@artandlemons @SallyEkus Road Trip Recipes—diy market pickles, parking lot s’mores, camp stove calzones. Comfort foods made fresh for any trip. #signmesal
https://twitter.com/artandlemons/status/311863215736885249

Ted Maclin ‏@d0g3n @SallyEkus Iron in the Belly, Fire in the John: Dangerously Good Recipes for the Modern Man #signmesal
https://twitter.com/d0g3n/status/311678532654878720

Marnely Rguez-Murray ‏@nella22 #signmesal – “Hands”: photography of cook/baker hands making specific recipe by hand. #art #food
https://twitter.com/nella22/status/311656576400375808

Vivian Savares ‏@IslandgirlOK @LisaEkus Where there’s smoke: Recipes and techniques, to smoke, grill, and roast, without leaving your kitchen #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/IslandgirlOK/status/311586517795627008

Lauren Heineck ‏@Jamon_y_Vino @SallyEkus “The Young Farmers Cookbook” recipes, inspiration, beautiful photos from those who sought out or returned to the land #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/Jamon_y_Vino/status/311576615916277763

Meghan J Splawn ‏@megjsplawn @SallyEkus: “Chickens Don’t Have Fingers: Culinary fables for feeding children from farm to table.” #signmesal
https://twitter.com/megjsplawn/status/311572896990515200

Jeanne Fratello ‏@JollyTomato “Tag-Team Cooking” – a cookbook for couples juggling a busy schedule; divides recipes into tasks for two. @SallyEkus #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/JollyTomato/status/311540746450788352

rabbitfoodrocks ‏@rabbitfoodrocks @SallyEkus Carcass-Free Cooking: vegetarian recipes with hilarious anecdotes (from a not-so-serious kitchen) #signmesal
https://twitter.com/rabbitfoodrocks/status/311516703609724928

Cheyanne Bronzell ‏@phatgirlzcookin Crazy,Sexy, Cool and Oh, so Phat Girlz Flavor. Feel Good in your skin and your kitchen. Big Girlz rule the world!!! @SallyEkus #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/phatgirlzcookin/status/311442189236436992

carlye wisel ‏@carlyewisel @SallyEkus A Lazy Girl’s Guide To Cooking: Stupid-Easy Meals To Make When Incredibly Hungry & Trying To Impress Fancy Friends #signmeSal
https://twitter.com/carlyewisel/status/311199935645249536

Susan Pridmore ‏@wimpyvegetarian The new mixed marriage. Great meals 2 satisfy meat eaters & vegetarians @ the table w/o driving yrself crazy in the kitchen. #signmesal
https://twitter.com/wimpyvegetarian/status/311159229618737153

Marcia Sivek ‏@zayarum @SallyEkus #signmesal Combination nutrition and cookbook for vegetarian teens. How to become a healthy vegetarian. Vegeteenism
https://twitter.com/zayarum/status/311149303878021120

Kara Martin Snyder ‏@vitalcorps How to Stop S%*!&ing Your Pants & Other Skills for The Modern Woman: Riotous stories illuminating post-modern nutrition in action #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/vitalcorps/status/311139767330942976

Ashley Bee ‏@AshleyBeeCooks @SallyEkus #signmesal life advice for lost 20-somethings with recipes designed to save your sanity while you’re trying to figure it all out.
https://twitter.com/AshleyBeeCooks/status/311119675171954688

Jason Bahamundi ‏@CookTrainEatRce My Cookbook Concept: Plant-Based Cooking For The Endurance Athlete With Little Time Or Money To Cook. #SignMeSal
https://twitter.com/CookTrainEatRce/status/311054025162362880

Gregory Schaefer ‏@gvocal: #SignMeSal FOOD WHORE 69 sexy food tales and recipes from randy chefs to inflame the passions and get you Kitchen Laid
https://twitter.com/gvocal/status/311943305850150913

So You Want to Write a Cookbook?

corinne — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:59:56 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Lisa Ekus Group
February 2013
Contact: Sally Ekus
The Lisa Ekus Group
413.247.9325
Sally@lisaekus.com / @SallyEkus

So You Want to Write a Cookbook?
Culinary Agency Seeks to Sign New Talent via Twitter

Hatfield, MA – So you want to write a cookbook? Do you have a food blog and dream of being published? Have you ever been standing over a big pot of stew at the stove and had the perfect idea for a cookbook pop into your head? Now is your chance.

The Lisa Ekus Group, a culinary agency that recently celebrated 31 years in business, is seeking new talent through a Twitter contest. Inspired by the March Madness basketball tournament, the contest will ask anyone who wants to write a cookbook to pitch their best culinary non-fiction ideas to @SallyEkus via 140-character (or less) tweets to #SignMeSal from March 11 -13, 2013. On March 14^th, 2013, the finalists will be chosen to participate in the playoffs and entries will be whittled down in subsequent days. Like the March Madness basketball tournament, 16 finalists will enter the playoffs. Remaining participants will then be asked to round out their proposals with further tweets that cover standard proposal elements, such as the book’s point of differentiation, the author’s promotional ideas, and the author’s credentials. The last two finalists will join Literary Agent Sally Ekus in a Twitter chat on March 25, 2013 to discuss their ideas as well as ask questions about agency representation and cookbook publishing in general. Contestants, who were previously eliminated, as well as the greater Twitter community, will be encouraged to join the Twitter chat to ask questions of the final two contenders. A single winner will be chosen and then work with agent Sally Ekus to develop a fleshed out proposal to pitch to editors at publishing houses.

The contest calendar is as follows:

March 11^th-13^th, 2013: Tweet your cookbook concept to #SignMeSal
March 14^th, 2013: @SallyEkus will tweet the 16 cookbook concept playoff contenders
March 15^th, 2013: The winning 16 will tweet once what their Point of Differentiation (How is this concept different from what already exists in the market?) is to #SignMeSal
March 18^th, 2013: 8 winners will be announced by @SallyEkus and will proceed to the next round
March 19^th, 2013: The 8 winners of the last round will tweet 3 promotional ideas for how they intend to promote their book once it is published.
March 20^th, 2013: 4 winners from the promotional idea round will be announced by @SallyEkus
March 21^st, 2013: The 4 winners of the promotional idea round will tweet their answer to the final question, “Why me? Why am I the person to write this book?” in up to three tweets to #SignMeSal
March 22^nd, 2013: Two finalists will be announced by @SallyEkus
March 25^th, 2013: @SallyEkus will host a Twitter chat from 1-2pm EST to ask the finalists questions about their concepts and backgrounds. This will also be a chance for the two finalists to ask questions about agent representation and The Lisa Ekus Group, as well as a time for people following the contest to weigh in with their own questions. The finalists should come to the chat prepared to answer questions such as “What does platform mean to me?” and “I want to write this book because…”
March 27^th, 2013: One winner will be announced by @SallyEkus

Interested parties should pitch any idea related to food, health, wellness, and cooking. You may be previously published, but you may not be currently represented by another literary agency. The Lisa Ekus Group is looking for fresh voices, new ideas, and untapped talent. “I am looking for someone who can get their ideas across succinctly, in 140 characters or less,” said Sally Ekus. “The Tweet is the new elevator pitch.”

Contest rules can be found HERE.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency. We provide media training, strategic public relations planning, consulting, and literary agency services to the world of culinary talent. It is our belief that a vibrant culinary industry is the result of many voices, and so we strive to support and promote chefs, cookbook authors, food writers, and photographers.

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Kevin Gillespie Appearing on Archer

Jaimee Constantine — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:47:24 +0000

Chef Kevin Gillespie will appear as an animated character this Thursday (2/7/2013) on Archer on FX.

http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer

Happy Holidays from The Lisa Ekus Group

corinne — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:54:09 +0000

Cookbooks coming soon!

corinne — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 20:56:47 +0000

Chef instructor, recipe tester, and author of the forthcoming Pretzels at Home, Andrea Slonecker’s PUT AN EGG ON IT, offering tips, techniques, and recipes to transform dishes by adding an egg and turning them into a complete meal; with over 80 recipes, from chicken eggs to duck and quail eggs, to Amy Treadwell at Chronicle, for publication in spring 2013, by Sally Ekus of Lisa Ekus Group.

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Founder of a gluten-free product company, food editor of Living Without magazine, and cookbook author Beth Hillson’s untitled book, answering questions about gluten-free dating, dispeling myths about cross-contamination, and even teaching parents how to educate children’s peers and parents, to Renee Sedliar at Da Capo, for publication in spring 2014, by Sally Ekus and Lisa Ekus.

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Food photographer and creator of the blog The Year in Food Kimberley Hasselbrink’s VIBRANT: A Celebration of Color and Food, bringing together her passion for the season’s best produce and her deep love of color; offering a dynamic approach to cooking driven by color and flavor, to Lisa Westmoreland at Ten Speed Press, for publication in spring 2014, by Sally Ekus of Lisa Ekus Group.

Media Skills Seminar at FoodBlogSouth

corinne — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:05:39 +0000

Lisa Ekus and Virginia Willis will be doing a media skills seminar at FoodBlogSouth 2013! More info about the seminar here and use the code “LisaVA” to get a 10% discount on registration!