Phaidon/Clarkson Potter/Ecco
A new year, a new batch of cookbooks to welcome into your kitchen. While this year’s offerings aren’t as abundant as in years past, there are still several incredible manuals that deserve a space on your shelf. Inclusive of dishes from some of the best restaurants in the world to deep dives into specific cuisines or techniques, 2024’s cookbooks are all-encompassing, with something for every type of chef. Whether you’re looking to add to your own collection or searching for the perfect gift, these books will certainly do the trick.
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Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor
Image Credit: Harvest Arielle Johnson is literally a doctor of flavor: The flavor scientist has a whole Ph.D. in the subject. But her debut cookbook is anything but a boring, dense read. Rather, the co-founder of Noma’s fermentation lab and the science director for Noma Projects has written a fun and accessible guide to the interaction between science and cooking. While delving into chemistry and molecules, Johnson also provides mouthwatering recipes for dishes such as chilled soba noodles with grapefruit and pineapple caramel. And by learning some of the academics behind cooking, you’ll become more confident in the kitchen, whether that’s improvising with ingredients you have on hand or swapping in certain items when you find yourself lacking what a recipe calls for.
Buy Now: $27.57
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Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes
Image Credit: Clarkson Potter Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson are beloved for their Los Angeles restaurants Kismet and Kismet Rotisserie. And now the pair have collaborated on their first cookbook, bringing fan-favorite Mediterranean dishes and California cool to homes around the country. There are, predictably, several recipes for poultry, including roast chicken with schmaltzy potatoes and chicken schnitzel. But the more than 100 dishes also encompass marinated feta with a host of toppings, dips like labneh and tahini, and seafood such as saffron-scented squid. It’s the next best thing to picking up some Kismet takeout, whether you’re based in L.A. or not.
Buy Now: $31.50
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Koreaworld: A Cookbook
Image Credit: Clarkson Potter In their 2016 book, Koreatown, the chef Deuki Hong and the journalist Matt Rodbard delved into the food created by Korean Americans in the States. Now, almost a decade later, the duo has trained their lens on how Korean cuisine has evolved since then, both in the U.S. and in Korea itself. Koreaworld begins in Seoul, with recipes for dishes like cheesy corn dog on a stick and smoked giant short ribs, before traveling to other Korean locales like Jeolla-do and Jeju-do. Then the two come to stateside Koreatowns, where chefs are whipping up Korean chicken teriyaki, honey butter corn ribs, and Taco Bell bibimbap. For anyone interested in a deep dive on modern Korean cuisine, there’s likely no better tome.
Buy Now: $26.74
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Mirazur: Under the Sign of the Moon
Image Credit: EDLM Mauro Colagreco’s Michelin three-starred Mirazur has consistently been called one of the best restaurants in the world. And while we may not all be so lucky to dine at the Menton, France, establishment, we can indulge in Colagreco’s cooking via his latest cookbook. Mirazur: Under the Sign of the Moon encapsulates the chef’s focus on circular gastronomy, which is meant to be both better for us and for the planet. At Mirazur, Colagreco has created a landscape of gardens that follow the biodynamic lunar calendar, with more than 5,000 varieties of fruits and vegetables grown since 2006. The book walks us through the roots, leaves, flowers, and plants of Mirazur, before culminating in a lunar menu with dishes such as carrot, kumquat, and pork belly terrine and lamb millefeuille. The presentation of the plates makes this a stunning coffee-table book as well.
Buy Now: $73.08
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Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon
Image Credit: Ecco José Andrés is one of the most celebrated chefs on the planet. But before he became a household name, more than two decades ago he was best known for his Washington, D.C., restaurants Jaleo and Zaytinya. The latter, which showcases the flavors of the eastern Mediterranean, is now honored in this book, allowing fans of Andrés to cook his quintessential dishes in their own kitchens. From classic dips like hommus and tzatziki to Zaytinya favorites like the havuç köftesi (carrot fritters) and braised lamb with creamy eggplant, the book has it all. With more than 150 recipes in total, you’ll be cooking through Zaytinya for years to come.
Buy Now: $30.15
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The Connaught Bar: Cocktail Recipes and Iconic Creations
Image Credit: Phaidon This is a bit of a departure from classic cookbooks, but it’s giving you at-home instructions for whipping up something special, so we’ve decided to allow it. The Connaught Bar has been included on the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars a whopping 13 times, thanks to the leadership of Agostino Perrone. Here, the master mixologist and his team walk you through 100 of the bar’s cocktails, from signatures like the Connaught Martini to more involved quaffs like the Mystery of Simplicity, which includes fermented green apple and almond sherbet. If you’re really looking to upgrade your at-home drinking, this is the book to turn to. And even if you don’t imbibe, Perrone has included 12 non-alcoholic cocktails and 120 extra recipes for syrups, garnishes, and other add-ons.
Buy Now: $32.76
