Eggplant Hours | Editorial Design

One Vegetable, One Narrative

01

Create a visually distinctive cookbook that elevates a single ingredient into a culinary narrative. The project demanded a complete editorial system: endpapers, title pages, introduction, chapter opener, and recipes all working together as one cohesive object. The visual language had to feel intentional across every spread.

Repositioning it as a sophisticated Centerpiece

02

The eggplant is a versatile and unique vegetable, and I wanted to explore what makes it so special. Eggplant Hours became a study of one ingredient, repositioning it as a legitimate centerpiece for modern cooking. The book is for home cooks who care about ingredients and process. The name refers to taking time with something, rather than rushing through it.

From Cover to Spine, Made by Hand

03

A coptic stitch binding made by hand using Japanese paper. The textured cover includes curves like the vegetable itself, a shape that echoes across recipe pages throughout the book. Vertical type and strong contrast keep it elegant and bold. Every signature folded, cut, and sewn.

The colour palette stays restrained. Warm cream paper, warm accents, and black ink. The eggplant curves appears throughout as a quiet motif. The binding is exposed, showing every signature as a reminder of the craft behind the book. A book that asks to be held, not just read.