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The ultimately amazing cookbook bookshelf

Sixty of the greatest cookbooks ever written, from Julia Child to Fuchsia Dunlop, every kind of cooking, in one bookshelf. For a new house, a big birthday, or yourself.

$2,497.6260 books at list price, checked October 25, 2026
Mastering the Art of French Cooking coverMastering the Art of French CookingJulia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone BeckJoy of Cooking coverJoy of CookingIrma S. RombauerEssentials of Classic Italian Cooking coverEssentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella Hazan

The best French cookbooks

7
  1. Mastering the Art of French Cooking

    Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck · 1961

    It taught America to cook French food at home, one technique at a time, and every recipe still works.

    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. The French Laundry Cookbook

    Thomas Keller · 1999

    The book that showed what a cookbook could be; an education in care and precision.

    Cook in its spirit: Butter-Poached Radishes with Brown Butter and Herbs, Slow-Poached Salmon with Leek Soubise and Chive Oil (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 25 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$60 list
  3. Bouchon

    Thomas Keller · 2004

    French bistro cooking from Keller's bistro, more cookable than The French Laundry.

    Cook from it: French onion soup (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Bistro Roast Chicken with Pan Jus, Beef Short Rib Braise with Root Vegetables and Red Wine (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 53 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$60 list
  4. The Way to Cook

    Julia Child · 1989

    Julia's master class in technique, organized by method.

    No. 95 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$65 list
  5. Essential Pépin

    Jacques Pépin · 2011

    Seven hundred recipes from a lifetime of cooking, with a DVD of technique.

    Cook from it: French omelette (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 96 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$50 list
  6. The Complete Robuchon

    Joël Robuchon · 2008

    The great chef's home recipes; his mashed potatoes are the famous ones.

    No. 97 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$50 list
  7. Les Halles Cookbook

    Anthony Bourdain · 2004

    French brasserie cooking with Bourdain's voice in every line.

    No. 98 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list

The best American cookbooks

15
  1. Joy of Cooking

    Irma S. Rombauer · 1931

    Self-published in the Depression and revised for ninety years; the book on more American shelves than any other.

    Cook from it: Buttermilk pancakes, Meatloaf (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Classic Broiled Chicken with Pan Gravy, Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Root Vegetables (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 2 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$38 list
  2. The Art of Simple Food

    Alice Waters · 2007

    The Chez Panisse way at home: good ingredients, treated simply, in season.

    Cook in its spirit: Garden Lettuces with Simple Vinaigrette, Slow-Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 9 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$38 list
  3. The Zuni Cafe Cookbook

    Judy Rodgers · 2002

    The roast chicken with bread salad, and the early salting that changed how cooks season meat.

    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
  4. The Taste of Country Cooking

    Edna Lewis · 1976

    Seasonal Southern cooking from a Virginia farming community founded by freed slaves; a classic of American food writing.

    Cook from it: Southern fried chicken (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Skillet Braised Spring Greens with Smoked Ham Hock, Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 14 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$30 list
  5. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

    Ina Garten · 1999

    Food from her Hamptons shop that guests love, written so it works every time.

    Cook from it: Perfect roast chicken (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Perfect Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs, Coconut Cake with Coconut Buttercream (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 19 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list
  6. The Gift of Southern Cooking

    Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock · 2003

    Edna Lewis's last book, with her young friend; the biscuit and fried chicken recipes are the ones to own.

    Cook from it: Buttermilk biscuits (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Buttermilk Biscuits, Skillet-Fried Chicken (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 22 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$45 list
  7. The Essential New York Times Cookbook

    Amanda Hesser · 2010

    A century and a half of the paper's best recipes, each re-tested.

    Cook from it: Purple Plum Torte, Dutch Baby (David Eyre's Pancake) (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Weeknight Roast Chicken with Lemon and Pan Juices, Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Root Vegetables (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 29 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  8. Dining In

    Alison Roman · 2017

    The book behind the most cooked recipes of the late 2010s, The Cookies included.

    Cook from it: Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (The Cookies) (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 56 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.99 list
  9. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

    Deb Perelman · 2012

    Recipes from the blog's tiny kitchen, re-made until they earned their place.

    No. 57 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list
  10. James Beard's American Cookery

    James Beard · 1972

    The dean of American cooking on the country's own food.

    No. 66 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$25.99 list
  11. Jubilee

    Toni Tipton-Martin · 2019

    Two centuries of African American cooking, recovered from cookbooks history ignored.

    No. 68 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list
  12. Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen

    Paul Prudhomme · 1984

    Cajun and Creole cooking that swept the country; the gumbo is the lesson.

    Cook from it: Chicken and andouille gumbo (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 87 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list
  13. Franklin Barbecue

    Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay · 2015

    A meat-smoking manifesto from the brisket people line up for in Austin.

    Cook from it: Texas brisket (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 88 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$32.99 list
  14. The Dooky Chase Cookbook

    Leah Chase · 1990

    Creole cooking from the queen of New Orleans and her famous restaurant.

    Cook from it: Red beans and rice (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 89 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$24.95 list
  15. RecipeTin Eats: Dinner

    Nagi Maehashi · 2022

    The internet's most dependable recipe writer in print, as dependable on paper as online.

    Cook from it: Butter chicken (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 100 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list

The best Italian cookbooks

4
  1. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

    Marcella Hazan · 1992

    The Italian cookbook in English. Her tomato sauce with butter and onion alone has fed millions.

    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
  2. Rao's Cookbook

    Frank Pellegrino · 1998

    Italian-American cooking from the East Harlem table you can't get; the meatballs are the reason.

    Cook from it: Rao's Meatballs (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 91 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$42 list
  3. Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen

    Lidia Matticchio Bastianich · 2001

    The Italian-American classics, cooked with an Italian's care.

    Cook from it: Eggplant Parmigiana (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 92 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  4. Tasting Rome

    Katie Parla and Kristina Gill · 2016

    Rome's cooking, old and new, with the right carbonara.

    Cook from it: Spaghetti carbonara, Cacio e Pepe (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 93 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list

Cookbooks that teach you to cook

3
  1. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

    Samin Nosrat · 2017

    Teaches the four things that make food taste good, so you can cook without a recipe.

    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
  2. The Food Lab

    J. Kenji López-Alt · 2015

    Home cooking, tested like science; the reasons behind every step of the American classics.

    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
  3. The Flavor Bible

    Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg · 2008

    What goes with what, from the world's best chefs; the book for cooking without a recipe.

    No. 58 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$50 list

The best Chinese cookbooks

4
  1. Land of Plenty

    Fuchsia Dunlop · 2001

    The book that showed English-speaking cooks what real Sichuan food is, and how to make it.

    Cook from it: Kung pao chicken, Mapo tofu (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Smacked Cucumber with Garlic and Chili Oil, Twice-Cooked Pork Belly with Leeks and Fermented Bean Paste (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 15 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$30 list
  2. The Wok

    J. Kenji López-Alt · 2022

    Everything a wok can do, tested and explained; fried rice will never be the same.

    Cook from it: Egg fried rice (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Weeknight Egg Fried Rice, Dry-Fried Sichuan Green Beans with Ground Pork (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 31 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$50 list
  3. Every Grain of Rice

    Fuchsia Dunlop · 2012

    Simple Chinese home cooking, vegetables first, for every night of the 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
  4. The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen

    Grace Young · 1999

    Cantonese home cooking and the family stories behind it.

    No. 69 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list

The best baking books

7
  1. Tartine Bread

    Chad Robertson · 2010

    The country loaf that started the home sourdough movement, explained over thirty years of practice.

    Cook from it: Basic Country Sourdough (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Basic Country Sourdough Loaf, Sourdough Crumpets with Butter and Honey (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 23 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$45 list
  2. Flour Water Salt Yeast

    Ken Forkish · 2012

    Artisan bread and pizza at home on a schedule that fits a working day.

    Cook in its spirit: Overnight Country Loaf, Weeknight Charred Pizza Dough (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 24 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.99 list
  3. Baking: From My Home to Yours

    Dorie Greenspan · 2006

    Home baking at its friendliest and most dependable, with playful variations for every recipe.

    Cook in its spirit: World Peace Cookies, French Apple Tart with Vanilla Bean (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 37 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  4. The Elements of Pizza

    Ken Forkish · 2016

    Great pizza in a home oven, from Neapolitan to New York, on any schedule.

    Cook from it: Pizza margherita (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 61 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$32.99 list
  5. BraveTart

    Stella Parks · 2017

    The story and the best version of every American dessert, from Oreos to Twinkies.

    No. 62 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$35 list
  6. Dessert Person

    Claire Saffitz · 2020

    Baking for people who love it, with a difficulty and time chart for every recipe.

    No. 63 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.50 list
  7. The Pie and Pastry Bible

    Rose Levy Beranbaum · 1998

    Every pie, tart and pastry, by weight and by reason.

    Cook from it: Apple pie (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 64 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$55 list

The best Southeast Asian cookbooks

3
  1. Thai Food

    David Thompson · 2002

    The deepest English book on Thai cooking, its history and its balance of flavors.

    Cook from it: Thai green curry (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Green Mango Salad with Dried Shrimp and Peanuts, Red Curry of Duck with Lychees (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 30 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$45 list
  2. The Pho Cookbook

    Andrea Nguyen · 2017

    Vietnam's soup, from quick versions to a full day's broth, by the best writer on Vietnamese food.

    Cook from it: Beef pho (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Weeknight Chicken Pho, Weekend Beef Pho with Charred Spices and Brisket (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 45 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$25 list
  3. Memories of Philippine Kitchens

    Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan · 2006

    Filipino food, its history and its regions, with the adobo you should make.

    Cook from it: Chicken adobo (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 81 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list

The best Middle Eastern and North African cookbooks

4
  1. Zahav

    Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook · 2015

    Israeli cooking from the Philadelphia restaurant; the tehina and the hummus recipe alone are worth it.

    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
  2. Ottolenghi Simple

    Yotam Ottolenghi · 2018

    Ottolenghi flavors in fewer steps, coded by how much time you have.

    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
  3. Falastin

    Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley · 2020

    Palestinian cooking and the people behind it.

    No. 73 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.99 list
  4. Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco

    Paula Wolfert · 1973

    The first great English book on Moroccan cooking; the tagines are still the standard.

    Cook from it: Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 79 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$22.99 list

The best vegetable cookbooks

2
  1. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

    Deborah Madison · 1997

    The complete vegetarian reference, from the founding chef of Greens.

    Cook in its spirit: Braised Leeks with Butter and Thyme, Winter Vegetable Gratin with Gruyère and Cream (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 33 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  2. Six Seasons

    Joshua McFadden · 2017

    Vegetables through six seasons, not four; a farmer's-market cook's favorite.

    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

The best Mexican and Latin American cookbooks

4
  1. Authentic Mexican

    Rick Bayless · 1987

    Regional Mexican cooking for American kitchens, from the Frontera Grill chef.

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

    Cook in its spirit: Salsa Verde Cruda with Avocado, Red Chile Braised Pork (Cochinita-Style Pork Shoulder) (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 34 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  2. Mexico: The Cookbook

    Margarita Carrillo Arronte · 2014

    Six hundred recipes from every state in Mexico.

    Cook in its spirit: Salsa Verde Cruda with Avocado, Pork and Guajillo Chile Tamales (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 47 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$54.95 list
  3. Seven Fires

    Francis Mallmann · 2009

    Argentine cooking over fire, seven ways.

    Cook from it: Grilled steak with chimichurri (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 77 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  4. Peru: The Cookbook

    Gastón Acurio · 2015

    Five hundred recipes from the chef who made Peruvian food famous.

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

    No. 78 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$54.95 list

The best Japanese and Korean cookbooks

3
  1. Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking

    Maangchi · 2015

    Korean home cooking from the YouTube teacher who made kimchi a household word.

    Cook from it: Napa cabbage kimchi, Bibimbap (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Quick Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Muchim-Style Salad), Sizzling Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 44 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$37.50 list
  2. Momofuku

    David Chang and Peter Meehan · 2009

    The pork buns, the ramen and the story of a restaurant that changed how New York ate.

    Cook in its spirit: Quick-Pickled Smashed Cucumbers with Sesame and Chile, Pork Belly Steamed Buns with Hoisin, Scallion, and Quick Pickles (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 54 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list
  3. Washoku

    Elizabeth Andoh · 2005

    The Japanese home kitchen, its pantry and its seasons.

    No. 71 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$40 list

The best Indian cookbooks

2
  1. India: The Cookbook

    Pushpesh Pant · 2010

    A thousand Indian recipes from every region, in one volume.

    Cook in its spirit: Tadka Dal (Simple Yellow Lentils with Spiced Butter), Rogan Josh (Slow-Braised Lamb in Kashmiri Chile and Yogurt Gravy) (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 48 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$54.95 list
  2. Made in India

    Meera Sodha · 2014

    Gujarati family cooking from a London kitchen; her dal is a weeknight staple.

    Cook from it: Red lentil dal (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 74 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$36 list

Cookbooks for Spain, Greece, Britain and the North

2
  1. The Food of Spain

    Claudia Roden · 2011

    Spanish cooking region by region, with the history that explains it.

    Cook from it: Paella valenciana (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    Cook in its spirit: Pan con Tomate (Catalan Bread with Tomato), Chicken and Seafood Paella (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)

    No. 50 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$75 list
  2. The Nordic Cookbook

    Magnus Nilsson · 2015

    Seven hundred home recipes from across the Nordic countries, collected by the Fäviken chef.

    Cook from it: Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) (our write-up, saves to your recipes)

    No. 76 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks

    Buy on Bookshop$54.95 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.

Other gifts

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat coverSalt, Fat, Acid, HeatSamin NosratEssentials of Classic Italian Cooking coverEssentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella HazanThe Barefoot Contessa Cookbook coverThe Barefoot Contessa CookbookIna GartenA wedding giftThe wedding starter3 books · about $110Mastering the Art of French Cooking coverMastering the Art of French CookingJulia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone BeckEssentials of Classic Italian Cooking coverEssentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella HazanSalt, Fat, Acid, Heat coverSalt, Fat, Acid, HeatSamin NosratA big giftThe amazing cookbook gift12 books · about $500

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