The latest cookbooks I love and foodie stories worth a read …
Jess Elliott Dennison, Weekend Recipes
Jess is a good friend, so maybe I’m biased, but I think she’s one of the best recipe writers. Last year she self-published Midweek Dinners and now her second book is out on August 1. I recommend a lot of cookbooks, but this one is very special. Every penny goes directly to Jess and her hard work.
Jesse Jenkins, Cooking With Vegetables
Chef, photographer and social media sensation Jesse Jenkins (aka @adip_food / Another Day in Paradise) brings his distinctive, relaxed Californian style to bold, flavour-packed home cooking in his debut cookbook, Cooking With Vegetables. Featuring over 100 creative recipes and Jesse’s signature cinematic photography, the book invites home cooks to transform everyday ingredients into delicious, unforgettable dishes.
Slutty Cheff, Tart
Not technically a cookbook, but a food book worth reading and a little on the risqué side, it’s written by an anonymous London chef. From working 60-hour weeks in windowless kitchens and being the only woman in the changing room, to the thrill of a busy service, falling in love with other chefs, and cycling home through a city bubbling with potential – Slutty Cheff’s misadventures in food and sex in London city are about embracing life to the fullest. The pleasure and the chaos included.
Anastasia Miari, Mediterranea: Life-Perfected Recipes from Grandmothers of the Mediterranean
Anastasia is a journalist and author who has spent six years cooking with and interviewing grandmothers across the Mediterranean. Her new book celebrates timeless, home-cooked dishes rooted in tradition and community. Based in Greece, she also hosts food-focused retreats on her home island of Corfu, giving guests a rare insight into the stories, flavours and rhythms that inspire her writing.
Hasan Semay, Smoke & Seasoned Bread
Hasan Semay, known as Big Has, is a North London chef and cookbook author celebrated for his unfussy but delicious cooking. A Jamie Oliver Fifteen graduate, he gained a cult following with his backyard YouTube series Sunday Sessions. His debut cookbook Home was a Sunday Times bestseller. Drawing on his Turkish-Cypriot roots, Big Has champions flavour-packed food, grilled meats, and no-nonsense recipes made to share. His second book is out now and it’s amazing – I love every page.