food lovers unite! This year-end roundup of the best cookbooks 2021 had to offer was written just for you and your ever-growing collection. We asked 22 of our favorite chefs, food influencers, celebrity foodies, restaurant owners, and snack creators for their picks for the year’s best cookbooks.
From a dedicated pizza cookbook to the cookbook recipes that made life easier for new parents to the best cookbooks for baking, these picks are truly the best of the best (and they make great gifts). last minute Christmas).
You are reading: Best cook books 2021
And don’t worry, there are plenty of cookbooks for beginners, as well as the best vegan cookbooks, the best healthy cookbooks, and a couple of amazon bestsellers that will make your stomach thank you for your purchase. Warning: these are not the books to read when you’re really hungry. however, they will help you minimize time on the cutting board.
so read on for the best cookbooks 2021 gave us. you’ll walk away with a host of new recipes inspired by the master craftsmen themselves.
“on each page of mooncakes & pan de leche, kristina cho has taught me something new about chinese pastry as she seamlessly weaves together her personal stories. After baking goong goong’s delicately scented almond cookies, I feel like part of the family. her detailed step-by-step illustrations and photos give me confidence to form her marbled milk bread and ruffled wheat flour buns. Kristina even demystifies the most intricate mooncake: a cake that, according to her pau pau, “can only be made by a true master.” I know I will be inspired for years to come.” —sohla el-waylly, culinary creator
“one of my favorite books published in 2021 was mother grains: recipes for the grain revolution by roxana jullapat. When I started my obsession with bread and pastries, I connected with many young local bakers, one of whom was Roxanna. she has been a staple of the baking community in Los Angeles. ever since i can remember. her commitment to whole grain education and regenerative agriculture is clear and very inspiring.” —neidy venegas, barndiva pastry chef, recently awarded a michelin star in the guide’s latest california pick
“This one is easy for me: Since giving birth in January, we’ve been up at ridiculous hours and have relied heavily on this cookbook to help with quick and nutritious recipes. We’ve been cooking at least once a week from Gregory Gourdet’s new cookbook, Everybody’s Table. the recipes somehow balance beautifully between being elaborately thoughtful while also being incredibly accessible and fun; easily my favorite cookbook of 2021!” —Tyler Malek, Head Ice Cream Man at Salt & straw
“I am in love with this cookbook because it is a pure take on classic recipes in a very accessible way. the book is so enthusiastic and friendly that i feel like pati’s energy flows right into the food. the love and energy translate beautifully from the cook to the audience. Pat knows what’s up. —ellen marie bennett, founder and CEO of hedley & bennett
“if I had to choose a favorite, I would say that life is what you bake it from vallery lomas. is a beautiful and inspiring cookbook. Vallery’s personal story throughout the book is so fascinating that I couldn’t put it down until I read it all the way through. each recipe feels personal to vallery and perfected. I look forward to trying all the delicious recipes in this cookbook for years to come.” —maegan brown, cookbook author and food blogger who runs @thebakermama on instagram
“I could eat these pizzas for every meal. I enjoyed how insightful it was to teach the intricate components that go into making a truly great pizza. From start to finish, each recipe was so much fun to make and the perfect activity for a date night!” —kelsey lynch, author of cooking through trader joe’s and mastermind behind @traderjoesfoodreviews
“my favorite cookbook published in 2021 is my shanghai by betty liu. i was working on the opening team of a large asian-inspired multi-level restaurant in hudson yards, where most of my research and development went into making small, nostalgia-inducing bites, and liu does a very good job of modernizing this kind of flavors. my goal was to be able to recreate things you’d find at your favorite dim sum restaurant or things you grew up eating at home, and I felt like she was a very knowledgeable guide for me. liu inspired recipes that I would love to share with all my patrons, family and friends.” —ross philip pineda, sous chef at thai diner, soho, new york
“there are so many to choose from but i would have to say bryant terry black food. Bryant is very thoughtful about his approach to this cookbook, which features so many different voices and stories as well as amazing recipes. it is always a pleasure to open it and let the pages flow through my hands, because his book is truly an immersive experience”. —joanne molinaro, youtube creator, writer and author of vegan korean cookbook
“If you’ve ever tried to replicate those delicious meatballs from your favorite dim sum spot, you know it’s not as easy as it sounds. This book takes something labor-intensive and technique-driven and turns it into a beautifully illustrated step-by-step guide that’s fun, engaging, and enjoyable from start to finish. let’s make meatballs! It is a perfect book to spend an afternoon with friends or family and learn how to make empanadillas.” —steve valentine, associate creative director at cricket’s pickles
“My favorite cookbook released in 2021 is Korean Vegan Cookbook: Omma’s Kitchen Insights & Recipes. you get the complete package…stunning visuals, rich narration, and easy-to-read recipes. The author, Joanne Molinaro, takes us into her life as she introduces each vegan dish. I love how each recipe has a story tied in some way to her experiences. Also as a beginning cook, I appreciate the additional tips that accompanied some of the ingredient introductions. What I like most about the book is that it is not intimidating. I felt empowered to try to cook all the recipes because of how simple Joanne presented everything.” —lisa nguyen, youtuber and content creator
See Also: Lisa Regan – Book Series In Order
“the modern tiffin by priyanka naik, a first-generation self-taught vegan Indian cook, showcases her take on original vegan dishes with an Indian influence, infused with naik’s global travel memories from visiting nearly 40 countries. The recipes are designed to be carried in a tiffin, a segmented lunch box popular throughout India. standout dishes include pumpkin bucatini with pink peppercorns & pistachio quesadillas and green chutney”. —marisel salazar, food writer, recipe developer and presenter
“I’m a fan of joshua and his energy, and I think he brings that to the book. It’s fun, funny, and has lots of recipes (some basic) that work well with my kids, coincidentally!” —Mohan Kumar, co-owner of Oddfellow’s Ice Cream Company.
“my favorite cookbook of 2021 is the one that sounds so good to the music of carla lalli. it’s the kind of book you can open in any mood and find a perfect recipe for that occasion. From healthy weeknight meals to long, lazy lunches, the photography, prop styling, and recipes are engaging, always delicious, and always fun.” —emily schultz, social media manager at bentobox
“As a tea blender, I focus on the flavors and cuisines of the indigenous and regional peoples in the places where tea is grown. For example, in our Sri Lankan tea gardens, our growers live off a staple of coconut and spices, which inspired one of my blends called Coconut Chai. like blending tea, cooking with what grows in your neighborhood or region instills a sense of local generosity, as well as calling for a little more creativity – this cookbook amplifies the Native American reverence for living in symbiosis with the land and celebrating the bounty of nature through the lens of tribes. and family recipes, stories and legends. What I love most about this book is that it is both a spiritual guide to Native American wisdom and a book of delicious, regional, heritage-based recipes.” —zhena muzyka, founder and master blender, magic hour teas
“This book makes the kitchen wonderful and cozy and is full of science experiments you can actually eat! All the recipes have been tested by real children and the book is written in an easy way with lots of photos (intended for 8-12 year olds). makes learning dynamic (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fun and tasty for the whole family.” —Julia Collins Davison, host of Julia at Home on Pluto TV
“mister jiu’s is my favorite restaurant in san francisco. we also had the privilege of working with brandon on a collaborative appetizer in 2020 for the restaurant project. I have learned a lot from this book, and the sauce recipes alone are worth it.” —Helena Price Hungercht, CEO and Co-Founder of Haus
“My favorite cookbook this year has to be Getaway: Food & Drink to Go by Renee Erickson, offering a beautifully curated collection of super simple yet sophisticated recipes. As Director of Winemaking at Simi Winery, balance is key to everything we do, and this cookbook approaches food with that same mantra in mind, serving up not-too-complex snacks and simple entrees that are approachable and ambitious. Plus, it brings Erickson’s vision of an easy, everyday getaway to life! Food is another storytelling vehicle for us, and Erickson is able to take us from page to plate with his laid-back, inspired performance.
See Also: The 16 Best Books on Buddhism & Meditation | The Buddho Foundation