The Cathedral Preschool’s The Family Table

This past school year, my son’s preschool embarked on creating their very first cookbook.  I had the honor of photographing the recipes, and what began as a black & white, spiral-bound, recipe-packed book morphed over the year into THIS.  A gorgeous, expertly curated, beautifully designed, fabulously photographed cookbook – featuring the very best recipes of our Cathedral parents.

To say our school is proud of the way it turned out is an understatement. Months and months of recipe submissions, tastings, narrowing them down.  Then choosing recipes to be photographed, half a dozen photo shoots, laying out each page/each recipe in our 150 page cookbook.  And all with such love and detail.

Our committee chairs, Lelia Pratt and Clay Underwood, spearheaded this project and the hours they devoted to this cookbook is beyond any preschool volunteer project imaginable.  It was truly a labor of love to all who were involved.

I wanted to share a few behind-the-scenes captures of our “dream team” in action.  I have been part of many creative teams in my work, but I will have to say that these ladies – all talented, enthusiastic, bright, hard-working, devoted moms – will probably always go down as one of my favorites to work with.  Who knew that within one class of preschool moms, we had a professional stylist, photographer, designer, publicist and chef?

Our favorite moments of the project were bringing in some of preschool kids to help model.  Their tiny hands and excitement made this such a special book for us!

The cookbooks are finished, printed and available to purchase at The Cathedral Preschool!  Priced at only $35, 100% of your purchase is tax deductible and 100% of the proceeds benefit our precious preschool.

Aside from gifting all of my family members and close friends, I purchase 2 copies for my 2 babies from me and their precious preschool.  I wrote a sweet little note to each of them and one day when they get married and start their own families, I’ll give them this special cookbook for them to begin making their own memories from.  I may cry.

And for anyone who’s wondering, all of the details from producing The Family Table:

Recipes submitted by:  The Cathedral Preschool Families

Dedicated with love to:  Anne Parker of The Cathedral Preschool

Photography:  Alice Park

Cover design and interior illustrations:  Kristen Smith

Publisher:  Arbor Press

Layout Designer:

Styled by:  Chaffee Heilman & Julie Yates

Compiled by:  Chaffee Heilman, Leilia Pratt, Clay Underwood

Gifting/Contributions/Fundraising:  Carrie Sexton and Cameron Glass