When talking about the culinary scene in San Francisco, Omnivore Books on Food is as integral to the landscape as the restaurants, bakeries and taquerías. Since 2008, Omnivore has held court as the Bay Area’s only culinary bookshop and is a cherished local gem that blends a passion for food with the pleasures of reading. Chefs, recipe developers and authors the world over prioritize a visit to Omnivore on their cookbook tours, and it's a destination for anyone who loves the epicurean arts.
While Omnivore only occupies 500-square-feet on a quiet stretch of Noe Valley, it’s easy to get lost in the shelves of new and vintage books lining the walls. An hour passes by in a blink, particularly when talking with Celia Sack, the founder, owner and visionary behind this treasured space. After nearly 20 years at Omnivore, Celia has developed a sixth sense for book matchmaking. Regardless of her customers’ proficiency in the kitchen or knowledge of food and beverage, she has a knack for connecting them to the right book – one that will bring them delight or a new perspective and skill that they’ll carry with them forever.
Celia’s insatiable curiosity is quickly absorbed by anyone in her presence, a window into the years she spent as a rare book specialist after college, but also a window into why she’s such a beloved figure in the culinary world. We’re fortunate to see Celia frequently during cookbook talks at Omnivore or events at our restaurants and every interaction leaves us feeling inspired by the love she has for her craft. After so many years of watching Celia ask the questions, it was about time for us to ask her ours.
Your interest in culinary books was unearthed during your time as a rare book specialist. Was there a specific book from that era that was particularly impactful?
I was particularly drawn to books about how to start your own retail business, like Victorian-era books on opening a bakery or butcher shop, or a fish smokehouse. My favorite is one from 1929 called Roadside Marketing; it details how to set up your roadside produce stand now that cars have been invented, and people could now drive directly to a farm to buy their produce rather than have to go to a store in the city. So, if you're at a dip in the road, pile your melons this way, or if you have an unhappy customer, say this or that to them. Retail psychology is so fascinating, and so much of it holds true today. But I now own so many quirky ones, like a 19th century English one titled The Straw Hat Industry - why?!
In addition to carrying antiquarian cookbooks, you also sell vintage pre-1980’s matchbooks from restaurants and bars. What inspired you to begin the collection?
I was cleaning house one day, and found a huge grocery bag filled with matchbooks I'd collected from restaurants and bars as a kid - even then I was a collector! Parting with them was not hard though, and actually it was like a trip down memory lane each time someone bought one. I suddenly remembered S.F. restaurants from the 1980's, or a trip to Provence I'd taken with my parents when I was a teenager.
Omnivore’s event page is a who’s who of the most compelling culinary voices and your book store is a must-stop on every cookbook author’s tour. Looking back over all the years you’ve been hosting events, is there a conversation or anecdote that comes to mind as particularly memorable?
I have a few favorites, but my number one has to be when Coinneach MacLeod (The Scottish Baker) and his husband came from Scotland, in kilts, and sang a duet in Gaelic. I actually have the video on my phone still; the room was in awe! It was really beautiful. There have been funny moments, like overhearing Alinea's Grant Achatz on the phone in the shop bathroom comforting his son about his broken arm ("You know, casts are really cool, buddy"), or Aziza's Mourad Lahlou plating beautiful amuse bouches on top of the cases of cat food stored in back (my wife and I also own the pet shop next door, which is connected through the back rooms). And I really loved a conversation Sean Brock and Jeremy Fox had about soulful cooking and addiction.
Walk us through your “Shift Notes.” What’s a day-in-the-life like for you?
My favorite day is when I'm on the road book-scouting. I head to some of my favorite bookshops in the region - check out Treehorn Books in Santa Rosa - and finding vintage cookbooks that I can sell at my shop. Often times, there will be a book that's now out of print and highly sought out, but a non-specialized bookstore won't know that, so I can find a bargain and also make a collector very happy! I feel the most confident when I'm scouring shelves for great finds. The weekend I look forward to most all year is in February, when the San Francisco Antiquarian Book Fair takes place. I spend hours scouring the booths for treasures, and always end up lugging heavy bags back to my car on sore feet and wilted shoulders, a smile on my face.
We always ask our “Pasta People” to share their go-to pasta dish. What’s heavy in your rotation right now?
We're so lucky to have such fresh ingredients here; This weekend, I just made a fantastically simple spaghetti with prawns from Anna's Seafood in Petaluma, with corn, garlic and chili flakes. My go-to is a buccatini Bolognese with crushed Pomi tomatoes, guanciale, uncased pork sausage (one spicy, one mild), fennel seeds, and garlic. My trick is one or two anchovies or a little fish sauce melted into the tomatoes, for that je ne sais quoi.
Bonus Question: What album is playing in the background at Omnivore?
I always insist that the music in the store not have voice, because it's too distracting when you're browsing, so we're always looking for instrumental music we each enjoy. My favorite is an Ethiopian jazz musician named Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam - her music is so beautiful, and if you make a Pandora station centered around her, you'll love all the African instrumental music that comes up.