Ballantine Books Acquires Debut Cookbook From David Venable, Host of QVC's In The Kitchen With David®

NEW YORK, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ballantine Books has acquired world rights to IN THE KITCHEN WITH DAVID: A Classic Comfort Food Cookbook by David Venable, host of QVC®'s most popular show, In the Kitchen with David. The cookbook, which will include approximately 150 recipes and nearly 75 color photographs, will be published in Fall 2012. The highly anticipated cookbook will feature a mouthwatering collection of recipes from starters to desserts, with a focus on how to create comfort foods for every occasion. Ballantine Executive Editor Pamela Cannon will edit the cookbook.

Inspired by Venable's childhood memories of cooking with his mother, the majority of the recipes featured in the book will be all-new with a few "fan favorites" that were selected, and voted on, by QVC viewers rounding out the collection. For years, shoppers have been asking for a cookbook from QVC's "Resident Foodie" and now they are about to get their wish with the release of In the Kitchen with David: A Classic Comfort Food Cookbook.

"QVC has done a wonderful job selling our books so we are thrilled to enter into a publishing venture with them to bring to book form one of their strongest brands and personalities. And, as a longtime fan of David and his wonderful show, I'm so excited to welcome him and his debut cookbook to Ballantine," said Publisher Libby McGuire.   

"We are thrilled to work with Ballantine Books to help bring the first In the Kitchen with David cookbook to life," said Claire Watts, CEO of QVC U.S. "As our most popular cooking show, with the highest levels of viewership and website traffic, it's exciting to offer another level of engagement to our shoppers. In the Kitchen with David fans, as well as any true 'foodie,' will surely appreciate the unique, yet approachable, recipes this cookbook offers."

QVC, which has become one of the leading retail destinations for the cookbook industry, sold more than a million cookbooks in 2010 and has sold over 12 million cookbooks to date.

Venable joined QVC as a program host in 1993 and has since helped establish and build the multimedia retailer's culinary business. His hit show, In the Kitchen with David® as well as his In the Kitchen with David mobile app and Facebook page, offers fans a unique, interactive experience that brings the latest in gourmet foods, cookware, kitchen gadgets and cookbooks to life.

While not a professional chef, Venable loves to cook and has a passion for discovering new recipes and tips and tricks to create the perfect dish. His love of the culinary arts has taken him to many places over the years, including the prestigious FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, Colorado, where he was invited to participate in many of the event's premier activities and even broadcasted a special In the Kitchen with David show.

Prior to joining QVC, Venable honed his broadcast skills as an anchor/reporter for WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, W. Va. and CBS-affiliate WTAJ-TV in Altoona, Pa. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and motion pictures from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Random House Publishing Group is a division of Random House, the world's largest trade-book publisher, whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG.

QVC, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq: LINTA), is the world's leading video and ecommerce retailer. QVC is committed to providing its customers with thousands of the most innovative and contemporary beauty, fashion, jewelry and home products. Its programming is distributed to approximately 195 million homes worldwide. The company's website, QVC.com, is ranked among the top general merchant Internet sites. With operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Italy, West Chester, Pa.-based QVC has shipped more than a billion packages in its 25-year history. QVC, Q, and the Q Ribbon Logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

Susan Corcoran
VP, Director of Publicity
Ballantine Bantam Dell
The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
212-782-9425
[email protected] 

SOURCE Random House