Food Tank is highlighting 26 cookbooks that showcase a variety of cuisines from around the world. Readers can explore Sandra A. Gutierrez’s Latinísimo, which looks at the fundamentals of Latin American home cooking. Made Here by Send Chinatown Love introduces signature dishes from New York City’s Asian communities. In Still We Rise, Erika Council teaches readers about the Black culinary traditions of the American South. And Imad Alarnab’s Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, celebrates the decadent flavors of Syrian cuisine. Whether you are looking to add a new dish to your repertoire or take a zero-waste approach in the kitchen and use up what’s in your fridge, the list has something for every home cook.
1. Comfort and Joy: Irresistible Pleasures From a Vegetarian Kitchen by Ravinder Bhogal
With delicious vegan and vegetarian recipes, award-winning chef Ravinder Bhogal challenges the notions of sacrifice often associated with a reduction in meat and dairy consumption. From crisp okra fries with curry leaf mayonnaise to whipped feta with tomatoes confit, the recipes in Comfort and Joy are helping redefine plant-based cooking.
2. Eating From Our Roots by Maya Feller
Eating From Our Roots was inspired by childhood memories of visiting relatives in Trinidad and Tobago and family trips to the Caribbean and western Africa. Maya Feller, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, focuses on whole and minimally processed foods along with nutrition tips, plant-based substitutions, and practical ways we relate to food.
3. For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspirations, and Recipes by Klancy Miller
For the Culture spotlights Black women and femmes shaping today’s food and hospitality scene, offering insights into their passions and experiences. Through interviews, chef and writer Klancy Miller introduces readers to farmers, entrepreneurs, chefs, activists, and historians to document a moment in time for the culinary movement. She also includes personal recipes, featured alongside illustrations and photographs.
4. Flavor + Us: Cooking for Everyone by Rahanna Bisseret Martinez
Highlighting dishes that emphasize respect for the Earth, workers and eaters, Flavor + Us draws from author Rahanna Bisseret Martinez’s Haitian, Mexican, and Black heritage. Since beginning her culinary career at 13 years old when she competed on “Top Chef Junior,” Martinez has dedicated her career to sharing the meaning of community cooking.
5. Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World’s Oceans by Valentine Thomas
Good Catch chronicles Valentine Thomas’s transformation from a young person with fear of water to a world-class spear fisher, who is making the ocean her life’s work. The book helps cooks make eco-friendly choices in the kitchen, providing simple tips to select and prepare seafood sustainably along with regionally inspired recipes.
6. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: A Love Letter From Damascus To London by Imad Alarnab
In his new cookbook, entrepreneur and refugee Imad Alarnab introduces rich flavors and culinary techniques of Syrian cuisine. Beyond showcasing dishes, Imad’s Syrian Kitchen covers the history of Imad’s homeland, Syria, and recounts Alarnab’s journey as he established roots in London. Readers will gain insights into the profound ability of food to unite people.
7. Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice: A Cocktail Recipe Book: Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin
In her latest book, culinary historian Toni Tipton-Martin highlights the creativity and vibrancy of Black drinking culture. Juke Joints includes recipes inspired by cookbooks published over the last two centuries, including the Absinthe Frappe and Jerk-Spiced Bloody Mary. Tipton-Martin also explains how these drinks have evolved over time, tracing the history of Black mixology.
8. Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the Twenty-One Countries of Latin America by Sandra A. Gutierrez
Latinísimo guides readers through the fundamentals of Latin American cooking, offering a collection of over 300 recipes. Sandra A. Gutierrez, celebrated as one of the top national experts on Latin American foodways, illuminates mouth-watering recipes and showcases the extensive and diverse culinary traditions of the region.
9. Made Here: Recipes and Reflections From NYC’s Asian Communities by Send Chinatown Love
More than 40 restaurants and businesses across 24 New York City neighborhoods shared recipes and the personal stories into the kitchen and people behind them in Made Here. Written by volunteers and driven by community, the book introduces readers to signature dishes from over 18 different cuisines.
10. Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond by Rose Previte and Marah Stets
Maydān highlights the interconnectedness of cooking traditions from North Africa, the Caucuses, and the Middle East. Previte, who is behind a Michelin-starred restaurant that shares a name with the cookbook, offers recipes for dishes including Tunisian Chicken Skewers, Grilled Carrots with Harissa, and Slow-Grilled Cauliflower with Tahina and Zhough.
11. My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora by Yewande Komolafe
My Everyday Lagos provides a snapshot into Nigeria’s most populated city, Lagos, featuring recipes interspersed with essays that provide historical context for key ingredients. Yewande Komolafe weaves her personal narrative throughout the book and emphasizes the adaptability of Nigerian cuisine, celebrating its singularity and accessibility.
12. Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret Li and Irene Li
Perfectly Good Food is a cookbook designed for moments of uncertainty in the kitchen, offering cooks inspiration to use up ingredients and avoid food waste. With practical tips, clever storage suggestions, and versatile recipes, the chef sisters help readers turn overlooked items into delicious meals and make the most of what they have on hand.
13. Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen by Leah Koenig
Portico celebrates Rome’s resilient Jewish community and draws attention to the rich culinary heritage of la cucina Ebraica Romana. With more than 100 recipes that cover vegetables, braised meats and stews, rustic pastas, and more, Leah Koenig gives home cooks a chance to explore dishes deeply rooted in tradition.
14. Salted: A Recipe Book With a Story to Tell by Dave White
In Salted, Chef Dave White, known for his time on “Below Deck Mediterranean,” shares 50 recipes inspired by his travels. White strived to make each dish accessible to cooks of any skill level, no matter what equipment they own. Recipes are accompanied by photographs by White and his friends.
15. Simply Scandinavian: Cook and Eat the Easy Way, with Delicious Scandi Recipes by Trine Hahnemann
An expert in Scandinavian cooking, Trine Hahnemann teaches readers how to simplify their lifestyles while being kinder to the planet. Simply Scandinavian focuses on straightforward dishes while highlighting greener ways to cook, tips to cut down on meat, and suggestions to shop sustainably and seasonally – all without compromising on quality.
16. Sofreh: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Persian Cuisine by Nasim Alikhani and Theresa Gambacorta
The inspiration for Sofreh comes from author Nasim Alikhani’s childhood in Isfahan, Iran, and a desire to reconnect through her home. In her first cookbook, Alikhani brings together traditional Persian dishes, offering readers a soul-satisfying journey through bold herbs, spices, savory stews, and a bounty of pickled vegetables and fruit.
17. South of Somewhere: Recipes and Stories from My Life in South Africa, South Korea, & the American South by Dale Gray
South of Somewhere offers insight into food blogger Dale Gray’s life in the south, from South Africa to South Korea and finally to the American South. The book dives into Gray’s story and captures her rich heritage through recipes that showcase the Eastern, Western, and African influences of her cooking.
18. Simply West African: Easy, Joyful Recipes For Every Kitchen by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama
Chef Pierre Thiam guides readers through the key flavors of the region, offering useful tips and tricks on the basics of the cuisine. Simply West African explores the culinary influences of the region, covering Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and beyond, with easy-to-execute dishes that will become kitchen essentials.
19. Start Here: Instructions to Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly
A New York Times Best Seller, Start Here helps cooks embark on their culinary journey. Sohla El-Waylly, provides instructions to help readers level up their skills and become resourceful and innovative cooks. This book includes more than 200 recipes, practical advice, scientific insights, and an extensive array of recipe variations.
20. Still We Rise: A Love Letter to the Southern Biscuit With Over 70 Sweet and Savory Recipes by Erika Council
Erika Council is the Founder and Head Baker for the Bomb Biscuit Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also the granddaughter of Mildred Council, who contributed to the civil rights movement with her cooking and baking. In Still We Rise, Erika Council celebrates the heritage, resilience, and culinary traditions of the American South and the icons who nurtured her love for baking.
22. Tandoori Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan
Tandoori Home Cooking explores the ancient techniques of cooking in a tandoor and the flavors, spices, recipes, and culinary heritage found across the restaurants of India. Maunika Gowardhan explains how communal kitchens have centered around the tandoor for generations, always providing warmth, good food, and flavor.
23. The Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking for Your Community by Kimbal Musk
Chef and restaurateur Kimbal Musk shares more than 100 recipes to celebrate the dishes served in his restaurant The Kitchen, which he opened 20 years ago. Dishes include Cast Iron Roasted Chicken, Stick Toffee Pudding, and Tahini Mousse Cake. Musk’s recipes encourage cooks to experiment, adapt, and make each one their own.
24. The Pepperpot Diaries: Stories From My Caribbean Table by Andi Oliver
Award-winning TV chef, Andi Oliver, teaches readers the cultural influences and history that has shaped traditional and contemporary Caribbean cuisine. Oliver reflects her own experiences reconnecting with the foods she grew up with, while sharing accessible recipes that anyone can try to bring flavors of the Caribbean into their homes.
25. The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope by José Andrés, World Central Kitchen, with Sam-Chapple-Sokol, and foreword by Stephen Colbert
The World Central Kitchen Cookbook showcases a variety of tales and recipes contributed by renowned chefs, local cooks, and celebrity friends of José Andrés. Each chapter reflects a value of the organization, offering inspired recipes and narratives from people on the front lines of disaster-stricken areas where World Central Kitchen provides aid.
26. Veg-Table by Nik Sharma
In Nik Sharma’s Veg-Table, discover over 50 recipes to help people add more vegetables to their plates. The book categorizes dishes by plant family, accompanied by valuable tips on storage, purchasing, and cooking methods. Recipes include Pasta with Broccoli Miso Sauce, Corn Cakes with Sichuan Chive Butter, and a Beet, Toasted Barley, and Burrata Salad.
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