Whether you’re an experienced chef or a newcomer to the world of culinary arts, you’ll find plenty of creative recipes, inspiring stories, and helpful hints in our list of favorite cookbooks. After reading up on our tips for choosing the right cookbook, start a collection of your own by picking up a couple of these great titles – and get ready to impress the guests at your next dinner party.
Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four Star Simplicity
Elegant French cuisine is presented in a charming, unassuming way in this collection of recipes perfected by the expert chefs at one of New York City’s (if not the world’s) top seafood restaurants. You’ll find useful tips, simple yet incredibly nuanced recipes, and dishes that will challenge more adventurous home cooks.
Massimo Bottura: Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef
This stunning book will provide endless inspiration for any aspiring chef – but the imaginative recipes concocted by the “Jimi Hendrix of Italian chefs” are not intended for beginners. However, if you’re looking to take your cooking to the next level, this book will help you get there.
Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking
Self-made chef Naomi Pomeroy’s creative and instructive recipes are designed to help home cooks learn professional techniques – while producing impressive and flavorful dishes. Complete with beautiful photography, this book is a great resource for ambitious beginners and experienced chefs alike.
Eat in My Kitchen: To Cook, to Bake, to Eat, and to Treat
German and Mediterranean influences abound in this collection of 100 recipes crafted by food blogger Meike Peters. With bold flavor, textures, and colors, the dishes are simple, elegant, and accessible – easily prepared with ingredients that can be found at almost any grocery store.
Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft
The Culinary Institute of America’s newly updated “indispensable guide” to baking offers 300 recipes to help the bravest home chefs create spectacular breads and desserts. This comprehensive resource is all you need to learn to bake like a professional.
Momofuku
Chef David Chang has elevated the humble noodle to an art form – and in this cookbook, he pays tribute to this versatile ingredient. While the recipes are geared to more experienced cooks, the storied narrative and stunning photos make this book a treat for any food lover to explore.
Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen
Take a flavorful tour of chef José Andrés’ beloved homeland of Spain through the pages of this beautiful book. With simple recipes reflecting local traditions, Andrés’ collection showcases the distinctive heart and soul of Spanish cooking.
Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes
A personal collection of one of the world’s greatest chefs most well-loved casual recipes, this book is full of practical, easily executable dishes. You won’t need any fancy equipment, exotic ingredients, or sophisticated culinary skills to cook your way through these recipes.
It’s All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook
Gwyneth Paltrow has been on a mission to help everyone learn to prepare tasty, healthy meals in the comfort of their own kitchens. Her latest cookbook offers a ton of quick, easy recipes to accommodate even the most fast-paced lifestyle – including an entire chapter featuring to “on-the-go” meal ideas.
Book of Tarts: Form, Function, and Flavor at the City Bakery
Blending the tradition of French pastry-making with America’s passion for innovation, City Bakery’s collection of 40 seasonal dessert creations will entice even those without a sweet tooth. These uncomplicated recipes are also easy enough for beginners to follow.
Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur
After Silverton explains the finer details of bread alchemy, she takes you on a culinary journey through her famous recipes – thoughtfully adapted for home bakers. With a bit of time, a few quality ingredients, and Silverton’s expert advice, you’ll be able to bake your own pretzels, bagels, and more.
The Bar Chef: A Modern Approach to Cocktails
This “cookbook” is an ideal kitchen companion for anyone looking to concoct delicious and challenging (but achievable) mixed drinks – including recipes for bitters, syrups, and infusions, as well as the cocktails themselves. Tailored to adventurous mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts, the book includes both simple and hyper-complex recipes that all produce incredible results.
The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails
Consider this your mixology bible. In addition to pages and pages of drink recipes ranging from classic to creative, this book offers valuable advice on topics like barware and tools – and even a vital section devoted entirely to hangover remedies.
Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails
Round out your cocktail education with this detailed guide from the innovators of cocktail culture. You’ll read about the theory and philosophy of bartending, discover how to properly buy and use spirits, follow step-by-step instructions to learn essential mixology techniques – and master the preparation of some of the modern era’s most iconic drinks.