This year’s starred cookbooks take you on a trip to the heart of Thailand and into the kitchen of a Top Chef. They go behind the scenes at one of the most famous burger joints in the country, and on a culinary trip across America.
Share: Delicious and Surprising Recipes to Pass Around Your Table
Chris Santos, with Rick Rodgers. Grand Central, $40 (304p) ISBN 978-1-4555-3843-0
Santos, known for his communal approach to dining (evidenced by his N.Y.C. eateries, Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex, and Vandal), extends his philosophy to a broader readership, in this outstanding collection guaranteed to appeal to all palates and skill levels.
Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetable Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn
Chitra Agrawal. Ten Speed, $24.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-60774-734-5
There’s enough variety in this superb debut to please Indian-cuisine newbies and veterans, and Agrawal’s dishes are hearty and flavorful enough to please even the toughest carnivore at the table.
Bangkok: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of Thailand
Leela Punyaratabandhu. Ten Speed, $35 (368p) ISBN 978-0-399-57831-1
Punyaratabandhu, the woman behind the popular She Simmers cooking blog and author of Simple Thai Food, expands on her previous work in this outstanding collection of toothsome Thai fare.
My Master Recipes: 165 Recipes to Inspire Confidence in the Kitchen with Dozens of Variations
Patricia Wells. Morrow, $35 (496p) ISBN 978-0-0624-2482-2
In this superb tutorial, Wells (The Provence Cookbook) shares master recipes from her classes to inspire confidence in home cooks. She includes simple techniques such as blanching, steaming, simmering, and poaching that serve as the foundation of her recipes.
Citrus: Recipes that Celebrate the Sour and the Sweet
Catherine Phipps. Quadrille, $29.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-8494-9900-2
Phipps (The Pressure Cooker Cookbook), a London-based food writer for the Guardian, offers an exciting tribute to all things citrus in this sweet and tangy collection.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
Samin Nosrat, illus. by Wendy MacNaughton. Simon & Schuster, $28 (464p) ISBN 978-1-4767-5383-6
In this excellent, accessible cookbook, Nosrat leads readers through the cooking process...This exceptional debut is sure to inspire greater confidence in readers and enable them to create better meals on their own.
Chiltern Firehouse: The Cookbook
Nuno Mendes and André Balazs. Ten Speed, $50 (320p) ISBN 978-1-6077-4992-9
This splendid collection is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, and cookbook and fine-dining enthusiasts will revel in the opportunity to refine their skills while creating world-class meals in their own kitchens.
So Good: Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours
Richard Blais. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $30 (256p) ISBN 978-0-544-66331-2
The practical follow-up to restaurateur and Top Chef winner Blais’s 2013 Try This at Home, which called for sous vide cookers, smoking guns, and squid, dials back the showmanship (for the most part) and amps up the flavor.
Spanish Made Simple: Foolproof Spanish Recipes for Every Day
Omar Allibhoy. Quadrille, $24.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-8494-9760-2
Allibhoy, chef and owner of a chain of U.K.-based Spanish food and tapas restaurants, collects a vibrant array of low-fuss dishes.
Alison Cayne. Artisan, $35 (272p) ISBN 978-1-57965-673-7
Cayne, the founder of the Haven’s Kitchen cooking school in New York City, targets beginners in the kitchen with this handy cookbook. Simple, clear graphic design makes the book approachable, and Cayne’s straightforward, friendly directions give would-be cooks confidence.
Shake Shack: Recipes & Stories
Randy Garutti and Mark Rosati. Clarkson Potter, $26 (240p) ISBN 978-0-553-45981-4
Garutti and Rosati, respectively the CEO and culinary director of Shake Shack, unveil a must-read chronicle for fans of Danny Meyer’s famous eatery.
Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables
Joshua McFadden. Artisan, $35 (384p) ISBN 978-1-57965-631-7
McFadden (the chef at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Ore., and former chef de cuisine at Brooklyn’s Franny’s) and Holmberg (CEO of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and former editor of Fine Cooking) have created a must-have cookbook that stands out from the crowd of vegetable-centric cookbooks for its variety of recipes, each one tempting in its own way.
Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen: Traditional Ghanaian Recipes Remixed for the Modern Kitchen
Zoe Adjonyoh. Mitchell Beazley, $29.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-78472-163-3
Adjonyoh, a self-taught chef with Ghanaian roots who has pop-up restaurants in London and Berlin, succeeds in maintaining an easygoing and affectionate vibe in this book while also imparting tremendous amounts of information.
Ducksoup: The Wisdom of Simple Cooking
Clare Lattia and Tom Hill. Chronicle, $35 (352p) ISBN 978-1-4521-6179-2
Ducksoup restaurant’s cofounder Lattia and its chef Hill emphasize the importance of well-sourced, high-quality ingredients in this approachable and inspiring collection of 125 dishes served at their popular London restaurant.
Ophelie Neiman. Black Dog, $24.99 (272p) ISBN 978-0-316-43130-9
While wine blogger Ophelie Neiman’s debut isn’t the first book to attempt to introduce novices to the immersive world of wine, it’s easily one of the best.
King Solomon's Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World
Joan Nathan. Knopf, $35 (416p) ISBN 978-0-385-35114-0
In this, one of her best books to date, Nathan, a James Beard Award–winning author and authority on Jewish food, explores the origins and evolution of Jewish cuisine around the world.
BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts
Stella Parks. Norton, $35 (400p) ISBN 978-0-393-23986-7
From elegant homespun desserts to homemade Wonder Bread, Parks’s cookbook offers a Cracker Jack blend (yes, there’s a recipe for that, too) of ingenuity and whimsy.
The Dinner Plan: Simple Weeknight Recipes and Strategies for Every Schedule
Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion. Abrams, $29.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-4197-2658-3
This is a savvy addition to the weeknight dinner genre.
Peppers of the Americas: The Remarkable Capsicums That Forever Changed Flavor
Maricel E. Presilla, photos by Romulo Yanse, illus. by Julio Figueroa. Ten Speed/Jones, $35 (352p) ISBN 978-0-399-57892-2
A James Beard Best Chef, Presilla (Gran Cocina Latina, The New Taste of Chocolate) presents a botanical compendium and culinary history of peppers.
Vegan Cheese: Simple, Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes
Jules Aron. Countryman, $24.95 (192p) ISBN 978-1-58157-403-6
Aron (Zen and Tonic) dazzles with this comprehensive guide to making vegan cheese at home, from classics such as vegan swiss to the more complex flavor profiles of a dark chocolate Brie.
Real Food Heals: Eat to Feel Younger and Stronger Every Day
Seamus Mullen, with Genevieve Ko. Avery, $35 (320p) ISBN 978-0-7352-1385-2
With tips on managing cravings and dietary choices (e.g., eat plenty of vegetables, good fats, and proteins), Mullen’s tone is more conversational than preachy. Readers interested in transitioning to a healthier diet—particularly those new to the kitchen—are sure to appreciate this terrifically accessible approach.
The Okanagan Table: The Art of Everyday Home Cooking
Rod Butters. Figure 1 (PGW, U.S. dist.; Raincoast, Canadian dist.), $32.95 (240p) ISBN 978-1-77327-002-9
Veteran chef and restaurateur Butters debuts with a gorgeous cookbook so full of sumptuous photos that readers may be tempted to keep it on their coffee tables. But he writes, “I want you to get this book dirty.”
Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart, with Guts
Chris Cosentino, with Michael Harlan Turkell. Clarkson Potter, $40 (304p) ISBN 978-0-7704-3512-7
In his first cookbook, Cosentino, a Top Chef Masters winner and owner of San Francisco’s Cockscomb restaurant, makes a convincing case for readers to embrace offal—the unglamorous animal parts, such as the digestive organs, head, heart, and tongue.
Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh. Ten Speed, $35 (368p) ISBN 978-1-60774-914-1
The latest from Ottolenghi (after Nopi), written with pastry chef and longtime collaborator Goh, displays the signature dishes that have earned the London restaurateur legions of fans and a monthly column in the New York Times.
The editors at America’s Test Kitchen. America’s Test Kitchen, $35 (448p) ISBN 978-1-940352-95-4
This latest book from ATK is an irresistible offering of 250 cookie, brownie, and bar recipes.
Toronto Eats: 100 Signature Recipes from the City’s Best Restaurants
Amy Rosen. Figure 1 (PGW, U.S. dist.; Raincoast, Canadian dist.), $34.95 (240p) ISBN 978-1-77327-003-6
Rosen (Toronto Cooks) serves up a glorious cornucopia of recipes from top restaurants and chefs in Canada’s largest and most diverse city.
Hugh Acheson, photos by Andrew Thomas Leem. Clarkson Potter, $29.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-451-49854-0
Georgia restaurateur and James Beard Best Chef–winner Acheson (A New Turn in the South) transforms the venerable slow cooker into a versatile countertop workhorse capable of high-end culinary feats.
Istanbul & Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey
Robyn Eckhardt. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $35 (352p) ISBN 978-0-5444-4431-7
Eckhardt, creator of the blog Eating Asia, takes readers under her wing and introduces them to the wonders of Turkish cooking in this fascinating and tasty, if not especially adventurous, collection.
The Moosewood Restaurant Table
The Moosewood Collective. Griffin, $35 (416p) ISBN 978-1-250-07433-1
The Moosewood Collective’s latest cookbook deserves a place next to the seminal vegetarian Moosewood Cookbook that was published in 1974.
Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
Deb Perelman. Knopf, $35 (352p) ISBN 978-1-101-87481-3
Perelman’s latest is packed with tempting, well-written recipes that promise delicious meals for the whole family.
The Juhu Beach Club Cookbook: Indian Spice, Oakland Soul
Preeti Mistry, with Sarah Henry. Running Press, $30 (288p) ISBN 978-0-7624-6245-2
Mistry, co-owner of the Juhu Beach Club in Oakland, Calif., debuts with this stellar collection of Indian-inspired recipes, along with stories of growing up in an immigrant family.
Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking
Bonnie Frumkin Morales, with Deena Prichep. Flatiron, $35 (400p) ISBN 978-1-250-08760-7
This fantastic cookbook from the chef at Kachka in Portland, Ore., is by turns funny, moving, informative, and appetite-whetting.
Bäco: Vivid Recipes from the Heart of Los Angeles
Josef Centeno and Betty Hallock. Chronicle, $35 (320p) ISBN 978-1-45215-468-8
Downtown Los Angeles restaurateur and chef Centeno shares dishes inspired by his five Historic Core neighborhood restaurants
State Bird Provisions: A Cookbook
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, with J.J. Goode. Ten Speed, $40 (368p) ISBN 978-1-6077-4844-1
Brioza and Krasinski, chef-owners of the award-winning San Francisco restaurant State Bird Provisions, along with food writer Goode, share the recipes behind the restaurant’s groundbreaking dishes in this superb collection.
The Sweet Spot: Dialing Back Sugar and Amping Up Flavor
Bill Yoses and Peter Kaminsky. Avery/Krauss, $35 (272p) ISBN 978-0-8041-8901-9
Yoses, executive pastry chef at the White House from 2007 to 2014, demonstrates that flavor trumps sugar in this collection of worthy desserts.
Ashok Bajaj, Vikram Sunderam, and David Hagedorn. Ecco, $34.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-0624-3555-2
Innovative yet familiar, this collection offers many excellent, appetizing recipes home cooks are sure to embrace.
Gabrielle Langholtz. Phaidon, $49.95 (768p) ISBN 978-0-7148-7396-1
Langholtz (The New Greenmarket Cookbook) sets out to document all the nooks and crannies of American cuisine, and she succeeds spectacularly.
The Fearless Baker: Simple Secrets for Baking Like a Pro
Erin Jeanne McDowell. HMH/Martin, $30 (384p) ISBN 978-0-544-79143-5
In her first cookbook, McDowell, a baking columnist for Food52, endeavors to make baking easier and more understandable for home cooks...Her clearly written recipes and tips, explained in a friendly, encouraging voice, will inspire confidence in experienced and novice bakers alike.
Wylie Dufresne, with Peter Meehan. Ecco/Bourdain, $75 (352p) ISBN 978-0-06-231853-4
Dufresne himself is a rock star of the kitchen, and his recipes here are clever and inspirational.
Hawker Fare: Stories and Recipes from a Refugee Chef’s Isan Thai & Lao Roots
James Syhabout, with John Birdsall. Ecco/Bourdain, $39.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06-265609-4
Syhabout’s outstanding debut is a combination immersive deep dive into authentic Thai and Lao cuisine and personal memoir of Syhabout’s journey to chefdom and owner of the restaurants Commis and Hawker Fare in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Homaro Cantu. Little, Brown, $55 (354p) ISBN 978-0-316-28535-3
This is a spectacular take on molecular gastronomy from a master.
Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan
Chloe Coscarelli. Clarkson Potter, $27.99 (272) ISBN 978-0-451-49962-2
Coscarelli’s fourth vegan cookbook (after Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen) brims with creativity and a wide array of flavor.
Cameron Stauch. Norton, $35 (288p) ISBN 978-0-393-24933-0
In this passionate and thorough exploration of vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine, Stauch, who was once on the cooking staff for the governor general of Canada, offers page after page of enticing fare.
The Immigrant Cookbook: Recipes That Make America Great
Edited by Leyla Moushabeck. Interlink, $35 (224p) ISBN 978-1-56656-038-2
In her introduction, Moushabeck (Soup for Syria) references “these troubling times of anti-immigrant rhetoric” and counters that rhetoric by extolling the culinary gifts 42 million American immigrants have given the country, which are the inspiration for this excellent collection of recipes provided by immigrants and their descendants.
The Healing Slow Cooker: Lower Stress, Improve Gut Health, Decrease Inflammation
Jennifer Iserloh. Chronicle, $24.95 (208p) ISBN 978-1-4521-6063-4
Healthier, faster, and simpler are the driving principles of this cookbook from Iserloh, a health coach and recipe developer.
Coastline: The Food of Mediterranean Italy, France, and Spain
Lucio Galletto and David Dale, photos by Bree Hutchins. Interlink, $35 (288p) ISBN 978-1-56656-026-9
The latest collaboration from Ligurian chef Galletto and food journalist Dale (Soffritto: A Delicious Ligurian Memoir) serves up a sumptuous culinary tour through three Mediterranean cooking cultures in what the authors call the Domain of Oil: Liguria, Provence, and Catalunya (also known as Catalonia)
