Cookbooks › Gifts › The ultimate shelf
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.
Mastering the Art of French CookingJulia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck
Joy of CookingIrma S. Rombauer
Essentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella HazanJulia 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 listThomas 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 listThomas 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 listJulia Child · 1989
Julia's master class in technique, organized by method.
No. 95 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
Buy on Bookshop$65 listJacques 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 listJoël 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 listAnthony Bourdain · 2004
French brasserie cooking with Bourdain's voice in every line.
No. 98 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
Buy on Bookshop$40 listIrma 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 listAlice 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 listJudy 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 listEdna 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 listIna 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 listEdna 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 listAmanda 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 listAlison 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 listDeb 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 listJames 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 listToni 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 listPaul 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 listAaron 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 listLeah 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 listNagi 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 listMarcella 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 listFrank 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 listLidia 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 listKatie 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 listSamin 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 listJ. 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 listKaren 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 listFuchsia 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 listJ. 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 listFuchsia 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 listGrace Young · 1999
Cantonese home cooking and the family stories behind it.
No. 69 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
Buy on Bookshop$40 listChad 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 listKen 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 listDorie 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 listKen 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 listStella 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 listClaire 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 listRose 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 listDavid 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 listAndrea 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 listAmy 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 listMichael 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 listYotam 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 listSami Tamimi and Tara Wigley · 2020
Palestinian cooking and the people behind it.
No. 73 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
Buy on Bookshop$37.99 listPaula 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 listDeborah 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 listJoshua 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 listRick 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 listMargarita 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 listFrancis 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 listGastón 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 listMaangchi · 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 listDavid 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 listElizabeth Andoh · 2005
The Japanese home kitchen, its pantry and its seasons.
No. 71 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
Buy on Bookshop$40 listPushpesh 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 listMeera 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 listClaudia 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 listMagnus 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 listPublishers' 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.
Salt, Fat, Acid, HeatSamin Nosrat
Essentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella Hazan
The Barefoot Contessa CookbookIna GartenA wedding giftThe wedding starter3 books · about $110
Mastering the Art of French CookingJulia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck
Essentials of Classic Italian CookingMarcella Hazan
Salt, Fat, Acid, HeatSamin NosratA big giftThe amazing cookbook gift12 books · about $500Chef Amazing keeps every recipe you save in one clear format (what to buy, what to prep, how long each step takes), remembers the places you loved and plans the trip. Free.
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