David Devonport

David Devonport – Editor

This friendly foodie and well-seasoned journalist has been serving cooking publications with hotly edited copy for many years.

Overview

Like you, I love food. I have shelves packed with cookbooks, but do you know what? Many of them are flawed and just shy of greatness. Their methods are often confusing and can be hard to follow. Some of them have ingredients missing from their shopping lists, or tell you to buy ones that aren't used in the method. It's infuriating!

I've been copy editing for the British press for the past 10 years - the last five or so have been almost exclusively spent editing their food sections. I bring a journalist's well-honed eye for detail and obsession for clear and simple verse to all of my work. I want to use those skills to help you perfect your next cook book.

I'll be gentle with you, but utterly ruthless with your copy. Naturally I would maintain the special recipe of your prose, but every word has to earn its keep -- think of it as reducing your sauce for a more exquisite, intense flavour.

I hope this little amuse bouche whets your appetite for the three-course meal with all the trimmings I could provide. I'd love to help you avoid the mistakes I've seen time and again. I truly want your book to be the greatest it can be.
Services
Non-Fiction
Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits
Languages
English (UK) English (US)
Certifications
  • HND Journalism

Work experience

Self-employed

Mar, 2008 — Present

I've spent the past 10 years copy editing for various international media including the Guardian, Independent and Press Association, particularly focusing on food and lifestyle. I've been a regular on the Guardian's weekly Cook supplement for the past five years and have recently copy-edited cook books for Phaidon. In that time, I've edited recipes by the Great British Bake Off's Ruby Tandoh, Jeremy Lee of Quo Vadis, Tom Kerridge, the award-winning author Rachel Roddy, Anna Jones (author of The Modern Cook), The Violet Bakery's Claire Ptak (who will be baking the cake for the Royal wedding), Ukrainian chef Olia Hercules and many others ...

Portfolio

The German Cookbook

Alfons Schuhbeck

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