Quadrille devours rights to début author Scott’s Korean cookbook in three-way auction

Quadrille has snaffled up rights to Rice Table, “an exploration of Korean food culture and identity, through 80 delicious recipes” by début author Su Scott, in a three-way auction.  

Harriet Webster, commissioning editor, bought world rights from Emily Sweet Associates. The book will publish in March 2023. 

The synopsis says: “A Korean living in the UK, Su Scott was thrown into a crisis of identity when motherhood dawned, one which she only found her way out of by cooking the dishes of her Korean childhood, seeking out the memories of flavours and textures that she hopes to pass on to her daughter. 

“Within this intimate cookbook, Su guides you through her modern Korean larder, explores the ferments, pickles and sauces that lift Korean dishes to delicious heights and shares a comforting array of recipes, from Korean Fried Chicken and Kimchi Fried Rice, to Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup. Littered between enticing plates are tender stories of what it means to be a woman, mother and immigrant all at once and how food connects all the pieces of our lives to make us whole.” 

Scott said: “I think everyone can relate and find their own stories within Rice Table. Full of the rich flavours and textures of Korean food, Rice Table also shares my love and longing for connection to my inherent roots, and explores what it means to practise family traditions and continue cooking dishes from my home as a mother. I feel incredibly lucky to have found a home at Quadrille, knowing that Harriet understood this book from the moment we met.” 

Webster said: “I feel privileged that Quadrille has been able to bring this special book to life with Su during a massive rise in the popularity of Korean food. This is a book about identity and immigration. It’s about how the food you feed your children builds a story about their heritage. But it’s mainly a book about wonderful food – the kind of food we all want to eat right now.” 

Sweet added: “Su is such a special author, whose calm and thoughtful exterior belies an incredible depth of knowledge and passion about the food of her childhood. It’s so exciting that Su will be sharing her understanding of Korean food with home cooks at a time when this cuisine is seeing an exponential growth in popularity in the UK.”