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The amazing cookbook gift

Twelve books, the old masters and this year's best, for someone who cooks and is ready to cook everything. Each one earns its place on the counter.

1. Mastering the Art of French CookingJulia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck

   Mastering the Art of French Cooking

   Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck · 1961

   The book that taught America to cook. Start with boeuf bourguignon on a cold Sunday.

   Cook from it: Boeuf bourguignon, Coq au vin (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

   Cook in its spirit: Classic French Omelette, Beef Braised in Red Wine with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 1 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$45 list
2. Essentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella Hazan

   Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

   Marcella Hazan · 1992

   Every Italian dish worth making at home, explained by the woman who brought them here.

   Cook from it: Tomato sauce with onion and butter, Lasagne alla bolognese (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

   Cook in its spirit: Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion, Bolognese-Style Meat Sauce (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 3 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$35 list
3. Salt, Fat, Acid, HeatSamin Nosrat

   Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

   Samin Nosrat · 2017

   Four ideas that make every other book in this box make sense.

   Cook from it: Persian rice with tahdig, Focaccia (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

   Cook in its spirit: Simplest Good Vinaigrette (and the Only Formula You Need), Crisp-Skinned Roast Chicken with Pan Jus (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 4 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$40 list
4. The Food LabJ. Kenji López-Alt

   The Food Lab

   J. Kenji López-Alt · 2015

   Why things work: the best burger, the crispiest potatoes, steak done right, tested to the end.

   Cook from it: Smashed Burgers (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

   Cook in its spirit: The Perfect Reverse-Seared Steak, Shatter-Crust Fried Chicken with Buttermilk Brine (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 5 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$49.95 list
5. Ottolenghi SimpleYotam Ottolenghi

   Ottolenghi Simple

   Yotam Ottolenghi · 2018

   Ottolenghi's big flavors on a weeknight, most of it in 30 minutes or less.

   Cook in its spirit: Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt with Hot Green Chile Oil, Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Dates, Almonds, and Soft Herbs (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 55 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$45 list
6. The Zuni Cafe CookbookJudy Rodgers

   The Zuni Cafe Cookbook

   Judy Rodgers · 2002

   For the roast chicken with bread salad alone, the most famous chicken in America.

   Cook in its spirit: Early-Salted Roast Chicken with Warm Bread Salad, Weeknight Pan-Seared Pork Chop with Mustard Pan Sauce (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 10 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$40 list
7. Every Grain of RiceFuchsia Dunlop

   Every Grain of Rice

   Fuchsia Dunlop · 2012

   Chinese home cooking that is easy to start: the stir-fries and greens you will make every week.

   Cook in its spirit: Smacked Cucumber Salad with Garlic and Chile Oil, Dry-Fried Green Beans with Ground Pork and Preserved Vegetable (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 43 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$39.99 list
8. ZahavMichael Solomonov and Steven Cook

   Zahav

   Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook · 2015

   Israeli cooking from Philadelphia. The hummus here ruins every store-bought tub.

   Cook from it: Hummus with tehina (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

   Cook in its spirit: Silky Whipped Hummus with Warm Pita, Slow-Braised Short Ribs with Pomegranate, Honey, and Warm Spices (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 32 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$40 list
9. Six SeasonsJoshua McFadden

   Six Seasons

   Joshua McFadden · 2017

   Vegetables by the season, so the farmers market finally makes sense.

   Cook in its spirit: Raw Kale Salad with Parmesan, Lemon, and Garlic Breadcrumbs, Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Braised Greens and Salsa Verde (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

   No. 42 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

   Buy on Bookshop$40 list
10. Dessert PersonClaire Saffitz

    Dessert Person

    Claire Saffitz · 2020

    Every cake, pie and tart you need, with how hard each one is printed right on it.

    No. 63 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.50 list
11. Good ThingsSamin Nosrat

    Good Things

    Samin Nosrat · 2025

    New this year from Samin Nosrat: the dishes she actually cooks for friends.

    No. 1 on The New Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$45 list
12. Simply InaIna Garten

    Simply Ina

    Ina Garten · 2026

    Ina Garten's newest, and the easiest of all her books.

    No. 8 on The New Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list

Publishers' list prices on October 25, 2026, read from each edition's listing. Bookshop.org often sells a little under list; the total at checkout is what counts. Bookshop.org sells one book per link, so each book has its own Buy button. Chef Amazing earns a small commission when you buy.

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