How have you pivoted from a brick-and-mortar shop to online sales and curbside pickup during COVID-19 restrictions? We’ve essentially transformed the shop into a warehouse and shipping hub. Logistically, it’s been a ton of work getting a fraction of our 2,000-title inventory online and figuring out the shipping aspect of this new business model. You’re known for hosting in-store conversations with food-focused authors. How have these events evolved? Since March, we’ve presented virtual author talks as a way to keep some “normality” for authors, our guests and ourselves during what would be a busy cookbook season. But with so much uncertainty about the coronavirus and what the rest of the year will look like, we might not be able to do much more than that. We have to put safety before anything, and we’ll just keep adapting. How do you maintain the spirit of community and advocacy you’ve built during the past three years? Social media has been important for staying in contact and in sync with our community, especially during these unprecedented times. It’s critical for sharing what we offer online as well as maintaining the dialogue that our guests are accustomed to. What are some of your hottest cookbook categories, and why do you think people are drawn to them? Our popular genres include bread and baking, plant-based cooking, fermentation and preservation, and international cuisines— especially Mexican, Japanese, Korean and Middle Eastern. People are not only drawn to the aesthetics of cookbooks, but also to the way they trigger memories, connect cultures and inspire. Since people have been staying at home, do you think cooking and access to local ingredients have become more appreciated? Food availability, resources and equality have all come into sharper focus. The silver lining could be that a whole generation may come out of this pandemic knowing how to cook for themselves and, more importantly, acutely understanding how much money and resources go into your favorite restaurant, bakery or farmers market.
Former chef Ken Concepcion and his wife, Michelle Mungcal, transformed their popular LA cookbook shop into an online operation during the pandemic. Daughter Frankie, above, watches as they prepare books for shipping.
MORE ONLINE Read more about Now Serving’s offerings at californiabountiful.com.
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