15 best cookbooks

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Gastronomic variety is possible not only in the restaurant, but also at home – it is enough to purchase a book with recipes, and you can pamper your family with new dishes, also diluting the usual festive menu. However, the book is a book – in some collections you can find recipes only for haute cuisine, involving the use of exotic products that are not always found in a regular store, in others – ordinary stories of people whose lives were influenced by food. We present a rating, which includes 15 of the best cookbooks of different cuisines of the world from famous chefs, culinary experts and writers in many countries.

Rating of the best cookbooks

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
Rating of the best cookbooks	1	Gastronomic encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique	4 111 RUB
	2	Jamie's Kitchen	RUB 3,180
	3	Refined Simplicity, Shizuo Tsuji	RUB 1,500
	4	How to cook, Delia Smith	244 RUB
	5	Recipes for happiness. Diary of an oriental culinary expert, Elchin Safarli	355 RUB
	6	Julie & Julia. Cooking happiness recipe. Julie Powell	267 r
	7	'French lessons. Traveling with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew ', Peter Mail	329 r
	8	The Complete Encyclopedia of Culinary Arts. 1000 technologies and recipes	1328 RUB
	9	Italian Cuisine. La Pappa Italiana, Valentino Bontempi	771 RUB
	10	Recipes, Nika Belotserkovskaya	RUB 1,127
	11	Family kitchen, Masha Traub	RUB 101
	12	The 80/10/10 Diet by Douglas N. Graham	1 305 RUB
	13	We eat at home all year round, Yulia Vysotskaya	RUB 790
	14	Recipes of the Kremlin chef, Anatoly Galkin	RUB 918
	15	Great cookbook. Meat	RUB 3,881

Gastronomic encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique

Rating: 4.9

Experts call the Larousse Gastronomique gastronomic encyclopedia the best and reference book of predominantly French cuisine. This is not just a collection of recipes, but a real storehouse of useful knowledge: history of dishes, great chefs, traditions of French gastronomy.

The original encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique is a series of 8 volumes, translated into 8 languages. In the first volumes, most of the pages are occupied by the history and techniques of cooking dishes of French gastronomy; in subsequent collections, the information field is expanded with materials about cuisines and recipes of other countries. Famous chefs and restaurateurs of different years worked on the books: Prosper Montagnier, Auguste Escoffier, Phileas Gilbert, Robert Courtyne and many others. It makes sense to purchase the entire series of collections – they contain recipes and cooking techniques for different historical periods: the first book was published in 1938, then in 1960, 1967, 1984 – they contain information about the gastronomy of the old traditional cuisine. In later collections of chefs, modernized techniques are expected, improving with the advent of new utensils and flavor combinations: 1996, 2001, 2007, 2012.

The number of books in translations of different publications and countries may differ – from 8 to 15 books in different countries. The fact is that the originals are very voluminous, the number of pages reaches 1350, so the publishers partially redistribute the material for more collections.

Advantages

• In addition to recipes, there is a lot of interesting information;
• Historical cuisine of different countries, mainly France;
• Recipes from different years in their original form;
• Recommendations for combining food, drinks, etc.

disadvantages

• The encyclopedia is more targeted at professionals;
• Many recipes and techniques are complex for home use.

Jamie's Kitchen

Rating: 4.8

Speaking about the chefs of our time, one cannot but recall the bright and talented Jamie Oliver, a master of home and restaurant cuisine, host of culinary shows and author of gastronomic books. Jamie's Kitchen is a guide for people who want to expand the taste experience and diversify the menu at home. The author has collected recipes from different parts of the world and presented the techniques for their preparation as accessible as possible. No complicated descriptions, specific knowledge, only accessible and interesting material. In addition to hundreds of recipes, Jamie gives many practical recommendations and shares his cooking experience, life hacks, tells how an ordinary housewife can learn to cook like a professional. The reader will also receive a portion of motivation, help in choosing the right products in the supermarket.

Advantages

• Many simple but varied recipes;
• Practical advice on cooking techniques and product selection;
• Simple language of presentation;
• Lots of pictures.

disadvantages

• Not everyone likes a lot of photos of Jamie himself.

Refined Simplicity, Shizuo Tsuji

Rating: 4.7

For lovers of Japanese cuisine, the culinary book “Refined Simplicity” is dedicated to the chef Shizuo Tsuji, the founder of one of the largest culinary schools in his country. The concept of the book is to enjoy simple traditional food that can be prepared at home. Japanese cuisine is actually not as complicated as it seems at first glance, at least the author presents it easily and naturally, like the previously mentioned Jimmy. The book “Refined Simplicity” has already been reprinted 25 times, but each new issue only becomes more interesting and informative for both professionals and lovers of Japanese cuisine.

In total, the collection contains over 200 recipes with step-by-step instructions for cooking, supplemented by national philosophy and interesting illustrations. Refined Simplicity is not only a guide to the world of simple Japanese cuisine, but also an assistant in the development of proper nutrition.

Advantages

• Japanese cuisine in simple words;
• More than 200 dishes with step-by-step cooking instructions;
• Japanese cuisine philosophy as an addition to recipes;
• For professionals and food lovers.

disadvantages

• Not all food can be obtained far from the sea.

How to cook, Delia Smith

Rating: 4.7

On the fourth line of the rating, the book of the English chef Delia Smith, 'How to cook', dedicated to vegetarians – the collection contains many ideas for dishes and recipes for those who have given up meat. It turns out that vegetarianism is tasty, and even inexpensive, the cuisine does not require exotic products. Delia Smith shares recipes that were originally based on meat products, but exclude or replace them with herbal ingredients, giving the dish an unusual character.

The book contains more than 250 recipes from appetizers and soups to desserts with unusual food combinations, such as buttermilk cobbler with plums and almonds or vegetarian goulash with pimenton and many others, complemented by colorful photographs. Chefs and food lovers also love Delia Smith's books for their simple language – everything is simple and accessible.

Advantages

• 250 vegetarian dishes;
• Available language of presentation;
• Unusual flavor combinations;
• Bright illustrations.

disadvantages

• Not defined.

Recipes for happiness. Diary of an oriental culinary expert, Elchin Safarli

Rating: 4.6

Author of the book 'Recipes for Happiness. Diary of an oriental culinary expert 'Elchin Safarli is an Azerbaijani journalist, therefore he does not offer his own recipes. The book contains dishes of traditional national Azerbaijani cuisine of different years, as well as philosophy, history, culture of Azerbaijan. Elchin managed to find both recipes for noisy holidays, and those that can be prepared every day according to your mood. The author has a light syllable that conveys the atmosphere for eating, Safarli shares his story, some of the tricks of preparing delicious dishes with his own chef's zest. The gastronomic material is clothed in the history of a person's life, whose fate can be influenced by the very recipes.

The reader can watch the cooking process by reading a book, or he can become a cook himself, repeating the actions of the hero in the kitchen.

Advantages

• Unusual presentation of recipes within a person's life story;
• Creation of the atmosphere of the East with the author's style;
• Immersion in traditional technologies.

disadvantages

• Not a traditional recipe book.

Julie & Julia. Cooking happiness recipe. Julie Powell

Rating: 4.5

Julia Powell's memoir is the autobiographical story of a New York woman call center operator who decided to bring new colors to life by mastering French cuisine. She sets a task for herself: to cook 524 dishes from the cookbook How to Master the Art of French Cuisine by Julia Childe in a year. She starts a blog where she broadcasts cooking new food for herself, attracting readers.

There are two times in the book: the history of 1940-1950s in France and the modern world. How they intertwined, and what the heroine did in the end – read in the collection 'Julie & Julia. Cooking a recipe for happiness. '

Advantages

• 524 French recipes;
• The described execution of dishes is available;
• Recipes inside memoirs.

disadvantages

• Not defined.

'French lessons. Traveling with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew ', Peter Mail

Rating: 4.5

Book 'French lessons. Traveling with a Knife, Fork and a Corkscrew 'was written not by a professional chef, but by a writer who is seriously interested in French cuisine. He traveled throughout France for a year, attending culinary festivals, getting acquainted with eminent chefs and their masterpiece dishes, the secrets of their preparation. The author tried to compile an ideal collection, introducing the reader not only to cuisine, but also to its philosophy and folk traditions. He writes with love and admiration about France, infecting the atmospheric reader.

Haute cuisine is illuminated seasonally, Mail writes in which seasons of the year certain dishes are most relevant, which is associated with the harvest of certain products, for example, autumn truffles, in the spring the omelet from them will be irrelevant. No less important is the author's study of winemaking, attending sommelier lessons and wine festivals, the book will help you understand the variety of drinks and their combinations with dishes.

'French lessons. Traveling with a knife, fork and corkscrew 'is more of an introductory book, a guide to French cuisine, which in practice can be used mainly by professional chefs – many products are simply not available for purchase everywhere or require special cooking techniques. But to get acquainted with the culture and atmosphere of gastronomic France, the collection is definitely suitable for everyone.

Advantages

• Acquaintance with classic French cuisine;
• A guide to wines and drinks;
• Presentation of famous festivals, seasonal gastronomic events.

disadvantages

• Complex recipes.

The Complete Encyclopedia of Culinary Arts. 1000 technologies and recipes

Rating: 4.3

Reference book 'Complete encyclopedia of culinary art. 1000 technologies and recipes' is one of the most informative in our ranking. Chefs from different countries took part in its creation, they represent the national cuisine traditional for the states, share the secrets of cooking delicious food. The reader will learn how to turn an ordinary 'basic' dish into a masterpiece, how to make ordinary fried vegetables melt in the mouth and discover other tricks of the world's knife masters. The recipes are complemented by vivid photographs, the book has footnotes for notes.

The book contains the secrets of cooking a variety of dishes from cooking jam to proper deep-frying, assembling different types of pilaf, the secrets of cooking traditional Italian pasta and much more. All information is presented in an accessible form, set out in simple language, but you should be on the alert: knowledgeable chefs note some oddities in the translation of specific words, for example, the streusel is replaced by a strudel, the powder is called glaze, etc. For this, the editors reduce the rating of the book and only on the eighth line.

Advantages

• 1000 recipes from different countries;
• Many useful life hacks;
• Tips for creativity for home cooks.

disadvantages

• Inaccuracies in translation.

Italian Cuisine. La Pappa Italiana, Valentino Bontempi

Rating: 4.3

The first in our rating collection of Italian cuisine recipes La Pappa Italiana from the famous chef Valentino Bontempi. Detailed workshops, vivid illustrations, simple techniques and the use of products that can be found in any supermarket – all important factors are combined in the book, especially valuable for housewives. The recipes are collected in thematic sections for situations: for a romantic dinner, in a hurry, and the like, which makes it somewhat difficult to find the right positions. So, pasta with different sauces can be found in different categories, so we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the collection in advance so that it is easier to navigate in it.

The recipes presented in the book can be repeated at home even by novice cooks. Collection 'Italian cuisine. La Pappa Italiana 'is adopted even by experienced chefs of large restaurants, because the dishes described by Valentino Bontempi are presented by the author in a classic form, in the same way as Italians know them.

Advantages

• Traditional Italian cuisine;
• Detailed instructions with pictures;
• All food products can be bought in a Russian store.

disadvantages

• Not entirely clear content by topic.

Recipes, Nika Belotserkovskaya

Rating: 4.3

The use of a variety of traditional dishes and improvisation in the kitchen – this is what Nika Belotserkovskaya, a famous Russian chef, offers. Her book 'Recipes' contains a large collection of recipes that are easy to prepare and at the same time interesting, beautifully designed, no worse than in a restaurant. Initially, Nika shared her work with subscribers of her own blog. The audience enjoyed repeating Belotserkovskaya's master classes, expressing their admiration, which became the idea for the author to collect recipes inside the printed edition.

The instructions suggested by the author are clear, but they are not written in a highly literary style, which confuses some readers. However, this practically does not affect the quality of the material.

Advantages

• Uncomplicated and simple cuisine;
• Recipes from products available to everyone;
• Convenient content.

disadvantages

• The language of presentation of the material suffers.

Family kitchen, Masha Traub

Rating: 4.3

Family Kitchen introduces the reader to the life of different people through the lens of food. There are no recipes here, but there are reflections on how to feed the future husband, how not to break with the diet started a couple of days ago. There are a lot of really interesting moments in the work, for example, how a cutlet lowered to the lower floor on a string can become the beginning of a good friendship, and mother's belyasha become the reason for a marriage proposal. Feelings, memories, incredible but real stories became the basis of Masha Traub's 'Family Kitchen'.

Advantages

• An interesting family story from an unexpected food angle;
• The opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of childhood and important events left in the memory;
• Easy language, pleasant to read.

disadvantages

• No recipes, no cookbook in the usual sense.

The 80/10/10 Diet by Douglas N. Graham

Rating: 4.2

The 80/10/10 code is the percentage, respectively, of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which, according to the American nutritionist, constitute the ideal daily diet of a person. Why are there so many carbs? Because it is mainly complex vegetable fiber from fresh vegetables and fruits. The author himself adheres to this diet, while being an avid athlete.

The book contains options for a daily diet with a reduction in calorie and value, a lot of information about 'right' and 'wrong' food, Douglas N. Graham explains how to determine the needs of your body, describes the benefits of plant foods and teaches you to make the right choice in the supermarket.

Advantages

• Healthy food book;
• Using information, you can lose weight;
• Lots of useful information and nutrition and eating habits.

disadvantages

• Does not contain complete recipes, mostly scientific information.

We eat at home all year round, Yulia Vysotskaya

Rating: 4.1

A Russian culinary expert who needs no introduction, Yulia Vysotskaya is a supporter of eating for pleasure, and taking into account the season, country and harvest. For each period of the year, she offers dishes that can be prepared from fresh products: baked goods in winter, greens and the first vegetables in spring, and harvest from a summer cottage in summer. The place of preparation is no less important: in Georgia – traditional khachapuri and satsivi, in Ukraine – dumplings with cherries, in Italy – pasta with pizza. Julia collects national recipes around the world and embodies them in her kitchen, many of them are included in the book 'Eat at home all year round'. This is a unique collection of various dishes with step-by-step cooking instructions, and the author uses only available products, it is not for nothing that she suggests cooking at home, for a circle of close people and friends.

Advantages

• Seasonal dishes and recipes from different countries;
• Bright photos and clear cooking instructions;
• Excursion to seasonal dishes.

disadvantages

• Not defined.

Recipes of the Kremlin chef, Anatoly Galkin

Rating: 4.0

For more than a decade, Anatoly Galkin served in the Kremlin kitchen: he fed Gorbachev and Yeltsin, and the Patriarch of All Russia Alexei II, and other dignitaries and guests of the State Duma. Now he shares recipes for the very dishes that, if desired, can be prepared at home. Readers and culinary experts note the simplicity of the presentation of the material, the ease of the recipe, as well as the opportunity to purchase all the products in the convenience store or the nearest supermarket.

The design of the book evokes respect: beautiful frames, font, photographs.

Advantages

• Beautiful book design;
• Recipes, easy to prepare and composition;
• Behind the scenes of the Kremlin kitchen.

disadvantages

• There are few original recipes, mostly traditional ones.

Great cookbook. Meat

Rating: 4.0

Vegetarians cannot make friends with this book – the collection contains a large selection of recipes from meat of domestic animals. This is a real encyclopedia, from which the reader will learn about the peculiarities of raising livestock, the rules for cutting carcasses and processing all their parts, as well as storage. In addition, the authors offer recipes for making delicious cutlets, roasts, goulash, chops. The book has easy navigation, visual design, many photographs and explanations.

Advantages

• Useful information about meat animals and the peculiarities of their raising;
• Carcass handling training;
• Lots of recipes with meat.

disadvantages

• Not defined.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.