Full-Scale
Publications
Case Study:
Cookbook for
CFK Africa
Context (Inside the Jar)
CFK Africa came to me to develop and produce a 125-page Kenyan cookbook celebrating their 20th anniversary. Through this strategic publication, the organization would generate funds for programming, increase connection with donors stakeholders, and create additional opportunities for media and partnerships.
The unique cookbook would include Kenyan recipes, and compelling interviews and profiles to reveal the people and stories behind the cuisine. It would highlight the organization’s health programs and provide nutritional information, while conveying Kenyan culture and traditions for international audiences to celebrate around their own tables.
Creative Approach
I knew food, impact, and culture was the meat of the CFK Africa cookbook. I developed creative direction to support this unique publication by:
Focusing on elevated visuals and engaging stories to communicate the power of food and its intersection with CFK’s transformational work focused on healthcare, education, and research.
Incorporating CFK Africa’s new type styles: Bebas Neue and Source Sans Pro typeface families, with accented hand-lettered words and phrases overlaid in headlines with Bebas for a clean, contemporary look.
Intentional use of CFK’s primary teal with red patterns and accents alongside gray text to establish refreshed visual brand recognition and express culture, welcome, and vibrance.
Creating patterns and textures of ticked lines and dots, with tasteful placement of illustrations and hand-lettering to enhance design and personality.
Curating documentary-style portraits that are wistful, warm, and genuine to tell the story of featured Kenyan communities.
Centering high-quality, colorful food photography to accompany recipes and Kenyan cooking insight to bring the cookbook to life.
Creative Solutions
Impact
Cookbook gives a taste of impact to those already familiar with the organization and those looking for an opportunity to engage deeper with these communities through CFK Africa.
Highlighted valuable relationships in and with communities, the celebration of Kenyan foods and cultures, nutrition education and programming, and the 20th anniversary of CFK’s inception.
Cookbook sales support severely malnourished children living in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. CFK Africa is able to provide more life-saving nutrition interventions for these children in informal settlements (slums) across Kenya, giving them a second chance to live a full and healthy life.
CFK Africa’s rebrand (concurrent to cookbook development) allowed me to consult and provide expert creative direction recommendations on the global visual identity refresh, as developed and expressed throughout the publication, driving impact and branding as they refined organizational identity.
“Shelby’s skill set is extensive, encompassing creative direction, campaign development, publications, graphic design, creative strategy, and more. I highly recommend her for any role that requires creativity, strategic thinking, visual storytelling and exceptional design skills.”
–Katie Zeller, former Director of Brand & Creative Services at Operation Homefront
This high-impact cookbook is a powerful marketing tool for CFK Africa to raise funds and build awareness with brand advocates, and a unique product readers will want to use again and again in their own kitchens.
