Cookery publisher Muna Reyal to depart Headline

Muna Reyal, cookery and lifestyle publisher at Headline Home, is leaving Headline in August to study for a Masters degree in Food Anthropology at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

On swapping publishing for academia, Reyal said she was "excited by the prospect of taking my interest in food in a new direction".

During her five years at Headline, Reyal acquired and published One Pound Meals by Miguel Barclay, new books by Masterchef judge John Torode, Kew on a Plate with Raymond Blanc and Mary Berry’s Fast Cakes and Family Sunday Lunches, among others. Prior to this she commissioned cookery titles for BBC Books and Kyle Cathie.

Publishing director Lindsey Evans said: "Muna has been a founding member of the team at Headline Home since we launched the imprint, and has helped put in place strong roots for us to grow from. She has been an incredibly dedicated publisher, creating books that we are all extremely proud of, and we wish her continued success in her food studies."

Reyal commented: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Headline, working with the brilliant, talented team there, and I am excited by the prospect of taking my interest in food in a new direction. I’m also happy to say it’s not a goodbye to publishing, and I will be pursuing freelance opportunities alongside my studies."

Reyal can be reached on munareyal@hotmail.com from August.