Kate and Kristin speak all about crowdfunding with Nandita Godbole, who has fully funded seven books (and counting) through Kickstarter. Nandita shares how it all began, from her wildly successful supper club to funding her first book in just a few days and takes us through the details, ups and downs and pros and cons of going this route. She speaks about finding her audience, why she decided to self-publish, how she learned the technical specs and what the driving mission behind her projects is. This approach takes an immense amount of work for quality control, design choices and even hands-on mailing, and Nandita's persistence and perseverance has gotten her through stolen laptops, co-opted ideas and immense challenges. She leaves us with lovely and sage advice for others curious about crowdfunding and gives us a little peek into what's next.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

Nandita Godbole

• Website
• Books
• Instagram

Food Friends Podcast Newsletter

Kitchen Arts & Letters (Matt Sartwell)

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

Molly and Kristin speak with Saeng Douangdara, a personal chef and academic counselor turned online content creator and now, cookbook author and food photographer. Saeng shares what motivated him ten years ago to get into the online food space, why he wanted to show off Lao cuisine and how he's built up an audience and community during that time. His refreshing approach means he doesn't dilute or censor his interests and instead continues to challenge himself to learn and grow. This mindset came into play when he 'manifested' his cookbook, took on the daunting prospect of learning professional food photography on the job and collaborated with the writing and typography elements of the book. Saeng discusses why he wanted to create a book that acts as a Lao food primer and a way to share personal stories along with the recipes and leaves us with some sage advice and a look at how this book accomplishes some of his earliest goals.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

Saeng Douangdara

• Website
• Food Tour
• Newsletter
• YouTube
• Instagram
• TikTok

Fig & Light

Lao Foodie Tour 2026

Food Friends Podcast Newsletter

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• The Lao Kitchen: Lao Flavors & Stories Told Through Family Recipes, by Saeng Douangdara

Kristin and Molly speak with Kathy Gunst, a prolific cookbook author, teacher and now leader of food writing retreats, about her varied career and new project. Kathy shares how she got started in the food world by attending London's Le Cordon Bleu, what it is like being the resident chef for NPR's Here & Now and how she deals with creative burnout. She explains the ins and outs of running a writers retreat; the logistics, planning, travel and teaching that goes on behind the scenes and how much she's taken to this new venture. She gives us insights about how the retreat is set up, the way students respond, learn and grow their confidence and the types of writing she likes to foster. She leaves us with advice and a call for writers to invest in themselves, their talent and their future.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

Kathy Gunst

• Website
• Instagram
• Tours
• NPR's Here & Now
• Hewnoaks Artist Residency

Food Friends Podcast Newsletter

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• Rage Baking by Katherine Alford and Kathy Gunst