Cookbooks > Chefs
Chefs
It’s always fun to flip through cookbooks by chefs to get inspiration from their inventive dishes. The chef books we love best are filled with recipes that actually work. Be sure to check the reviews and other coverage we’ve linked to for guidance.
Our collection of recommended titles is a work in progress. We’re in process of adding many more, so please check back often! And drop us a line if there’s something you’d like us to consider including. We have also included links to links to purchase through our affiliates. Buying through Bookshop is a great way to support independent bookstores, as well as our work at Cooks Without Borders.
If you’d like to see all our cookbook reviews in one place, find them here.
Bryant Terry's 2014 book of Vegan dishes featuring flavors of Africa, the Caribbean and the American South is deliciously inspiring. Terry is the chef-in-residence of the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, a Smithsonian affiliate. Read more.
$25 at Bookshop - buy now
$17 at Amazon - buy now
L.A. superstar chef Josef Centeno takes us to his hometown, San Antonio, liberating Tex-Mex on the way. Read our review.
$28 at Bookshop - buy now
$22 at Amazon - buy now
Besides India's famous street snacks, Maneet Chauhan's book also has an amazing recipe for saag with homemade paneer, a splendid-looking chicken biryani, and lots more. Read more.
$30 at Bookshop - buy now
$28 at Amazon - buy now
Paul Bertolli's 1994 book feels as relevant as the day it was published; it makes you want to drop everything, roll up your sleeves and get cooking. Take it to the farmer's market with you and let your imagination fly. Co-written with Alice Waters. Read more.
$26 at Bookshop - buy now
$22 at Amazon - buy now
. . . and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins, and Pies That Will Change Yours. It’s not every day that Nancy Silverton publishes a cookbook. This one’s a keeper. Review coming soon — taste a sample.
$37 at Bookshop - buy now
$33 at Amazon - buy now
Exuberantly delicious recipes that work brilliantly fill the pages of Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley's book, while illuminating the culture of Palestine. It’s one of our all-time favorite cookbooks. Read our review. Watch our Q & A with Tara Wigley.
$32 at Bookshop - buy now
$21 at Amazon - buy now
Travis Lett's relaxed yet exuberant Venice style is its own subset of California cuisine. It may seem effortless in the restaurants, but the inspiring 2015 book shows how much thought and care goes into it. The great ideas that fill its pages (like this one) will be especially inspiring to chefs and more serious and experienced home cooks.
$32 at Bookshop - buy now
$25 at Amazon - buy now
This authoritative work from chef and historian Maricel E. Presilla is a must-have for anyone wanting to dive into the cuisines of Latin America.
$50 at Amazon - buy now
This essential book from renowned L.A. baker Roxana Jullapat (co-owner of Friends & Family) eloquently explicates the grain revolution. Organized around 8 “mother grains” (barley, buckwheat, corn, oats, rice, rye, sorghum and wheat), it’s filled with fabulous recipes that will change the way you think about baking. Read our review.
$37 at Bookshop - buy now
$30 at Amazon - buy now
Kwame Onwuachi is one of the most dynamic and interesting chefs in the country. This cookbook, his first, deliciously celebrates the food of the African diaspora. Try a sample recipe.
$33 at Bookshop - buy now
$19 at Amazon - buy now
Michelin-starred chef Hooni Kim's inviting is the authoritative Korean book we've long been waiting for. Read our review.
$37 at Bookshop - buy now
$28 at Amazon - buy now
Like just about everyone else, we are huge Ottolenghi fans, and this is one of our favorite of his titles. Read our review.
$32 at Bookshop - buy now
$22 at Amazon - buy now
The sequel to OTK Shelf Love, this second book from the famous test kitchen. Filled with the “secret culinary weapons” that take your cooking to the next level, and make life easier - condiments, sauces, dressings and such - it also includes recipes featuring them. Review coming soon.
$30 at Bookshop - buy now
$27 at Amazon - buy now
From James Beard Award-winning chef Missy Robbins (written with Talia Biocchi), this beautiful (and serious!) book is like an encyclopedia of the art of the Italian noodle. It’s the gift every dedicated, pasta-loving cook wants this year. Story and/or review coming soon.
$37 at Bookshop - buy now
$25 at Amazon - buy now
The Paris-based former Chez Panisse pastry chef is the undisputed king of ice cream. His recipes are great for following to a T, but they're also imminently riffable. Read our review.
$23 at Bookshop - buy now
$22 at Amazon - buy now
Chef Marcus Samuelsson is always awesome, and this book — honoring Black chefs and their contributions to American cooking — is fabulous. Another Black Food Matters must-have. Read our review.
$35 at Bookshop - buy now
$32 at Amazon - buy now
This inspiring book from Atlanta chef Steven Satterfield (Miller Union) is filled with simple yet brilliant ideas. It’s a delicious treat for produce-worshipping cooks. Try a sample recipe.
$45 at Bookshop - buy now
So many delicious ideas in Nate Appleman and Shelley Lindgren's book featuring the flavors of the south of Italy as expressed in their San Francisco restaurant. The recipes are approachable and delicious. Sample a recipe.
$35 at Bookshop - buy now
$13 at Amazon - buy now