About

My name is Ed Smith. I write cookbooks and about food, produce recipe content over on Instagram, and recipe, menu and concept consult for restaurants and brands. 

My debut book, On The Side, is a sourcebook of 140 inspiring side dishes. It was published in 2017, but remains mighty useful — you should get a copy. Maybe also add my latest cookbook to your cookshelf as well – Crave; recipes arranged by flavour, to suit your mood and appetiteIt was named ‘Cookbook of the Year’ at 2022’s Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards.

There’s more!Welcome to our Table, a non-fiction book for children co-authored with my wife Laura Mucha, will be published in June 2023.

And I am also the author of The Borough Market Cookbook; recipes and stories from a year at the market, which was published in October 2018.

Beyond books, I contribute words and recipes to The Sunday Times Magazine, Waitrose Weekend, Waitrose & Partners Food, Borough Maket’s Market Life, The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday (RIP), The Telegraph, BBC Good Food and OcadoLife magazines, among others. I’ve written eating out guides for Eater London and Bloomsbury’s Eat Like A Local series. Plus I somehow keep getting shortlisted for and very occasionally win awards, including ‘Best Cookbook’ (for Crave) and ‘Best Cookery Writer’ at the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards, plus ‘Best Recipe Writer’ and ‘Best Food Writer’ at The Guild of Food Writers Awards. Which is nice. More about those things under ‘Trumpet Blowing‘. 

And you’ve found my blog, Rocket & Squash, which people seem to read and has also had a good handful of awards and shortlistings. This is v.3.2 of R&S. In all honesty it’s rarely updated these days and needs a clean-up. But you’re here, so have a browse. 

Follow @RocketandSquash on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to the email newsletter to keep up to date.

For literary opportunities contact Zoe Ross at United Agents (zross@unitedagents.co.uk).

I do occasionally work on ‘influencer things’ with great companies and products, and I’ve experience at trend and menu consulting for businesses both large and small. If you’ve a commercial enquiry, please email me at editor@rocketandsquash.com.