Recipes for success: A mouthwatering selection of this season's new culinary tomes

last updated 10 September 2022

A Work in Progress: Notes on Food, Cooking and Creativity By René Redzepi

A Work in Progress is a triple treat. Redzepi’s year-long journal chronicles his efforts to sustain creativity, the grease in his team’s wheel and push Noma to the next level following its crowning as World’s No. 1 Restaurant in 2010. The pocket-sized Snap Shots captures the very scenes he describes in his reflections ('Everything we have achieved we have done by failing') and revelations ('The paradox of success. It limits you') with the liveliest language ('…it was like being bitch-slapped by summer'). As the centrepiece, the exquisite Noma recipes and plated presentations of his countless failed attempts, photographed majestically, seem doable and certainly inspired.

Published by Phaidon, $59.95

Writer: Antoinette di Michele

Green front cover of the book 'A Work in Progress', dark wood surface, orange background

White dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, white crinkled table cloth

From the book: a dish from Noma shows the importance of impeccable presentation

White dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, white table cloth

A seafood spread by René Redzepi, one of a hundred recipes in A Work in Progress

Greenery is the central focus of this salad dish

Manresa: An Edible Reflection By David Kinch

North California chef David Kinch has packed years of creative cuisine into Manresa, named for the restaurant he has run in the Bay Area since 2002. His all-American farm to table cooking ethos, insistence on organic ingredients, collaboration with Love Apple Farms in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains and passion for the local landscape are all discussed here wistfully. The recipes are on the foamy side of the gastronomic divide, and presentation a little delicate and studied for your average pot stirrer. But his thoughts, methods and the striking photography serve as a great inspiration for the adventurous cook.

Published by Ten Speed Press, $50

Writer: Rachael Sanders

Black and blue coloured front cover of the book 'Manresa: An Edible Reflection', dark wood surface, orange background

Close up of a tilted open top boiled egg, with a view of the yolk inside, black background

From the book: the Arpège Farm Egg is a dish by Kinch's culinary hero, Alain Passard L'Arpège. Kinch reinterpreted the dish at Manresa in homage to the French chef

Rustic wood surface, fresh green herbs recipe ingredients, small glass containing a yellow liquid

Kinch's ingredients for his chartreuse simplify the recipe, without compromising on flavour

White dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, grey marble effect surface

Walnuts, the unsung ingredient of California's central coast, are harvested to make a wine for this duck dish

Le Livre Blanc by Anne-Sophie Pic

She's the only female French chef with three Michelin stars. And yet instead of making a splash, Anne-Sophie Pic chose white as the underlying principle for her latest cookbook. Her goal: to offer a new take on long-established traditional recipes. Looking at dishes as though they were blank canvases, she re-engineers them with a contemporary approach, reinventing through texture, form and flavour. Using foams and emulsions, sous-vide cooking and siphons, she elaborates the creative processes that lie behind the transformation of the mundane to the extraordinary.

Published by Jacqui Small, £45

Writer: Marie Le Fort

White with black lettering front cover of the book ' Le Livre Blanc', dark wood surface, orange background

White dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, white background

From the book: lobster with red berries is just one of Anne Sophie Pic's fantastical combinations. Her blue lobster is roasted in seafood butter and served atop lobster consommé with red berries, foaming celery cream and green peppercorns.

White and red Ice cream dish neatly presented on square white plates, white background

Pic's bold take on ice cream is infused with beer and cinnamon leaves, raspberry marmalade and confit.

Venison noisette lightly smoked with Tahitian vanilla, heirloom cabbage and a rich jus.

Together Apart: Avant-Garde Cuisine as a Source of Inspiration for Architecture By Remei Giralt Simeon

The undisputed doyen of modern gastronomy, Ferran Adrià has not only mentored top chefs all around the world but also given inspiration to creatives across multiple disciplines. Among them is the Flemish architect Hedwig Van Impe, who has taken cues from Adrià's visual vocabulary and reconstructive method to design La Dividida, a house that serves as a cultural centre, on the Catalonian coast. 'Together Apart' examines Van Impe's creative process and explores his experimental architecture in writing, by Spanish curator Remei Giralt Simeon, that can at times be a little too experimental itself. Still, the photographs by Van Impe are thoughtful and make this book a worthwhile addition to any Adrià fan's collection.

Published by Lannoo, €45.00

Writer: TF Chan

Black with white lettering and images, front cover of the book 'Together Apart', dark wood surface, orange background

Daytime, outside image, white curved arch stone walls, bubble glass table top, small bottles in a row, tree, clear blue sky

From the book: Hedwig Van Impe's imagery explores the profound influence Ferran Adrià has had on him, and vice versa

Daytime, outside image, white curved stone wall building and steps, small topiary tree in a slanted red and white striped pot, white sand, clear blue sky

Both are blessed with the creative gift.Van Impe turned to Adrià's culinary theories and methods for inspiration while building La Dividida.

Black background and floor, black curved display with an image representing religious iconography

Van Impe addresses religious iconography

The Kinfolk Table: Recipes for Small Gatherings By Nathan Williams

Kinfolk magazine does a great job of chronicling the world of slow, meaningful living - the sort that involves a lot of slow, meaningful cooking, beautiful throwback packaging with carefully chosen fonts and the bearded, leather-aproned types who live it. It is, after all, based in Portland. The Kinfolk Table, subtitled 'Recipes for Small Gatherings', profiles food fans - chefs, home cooks, designers, bloggers, photographers, producers - uncovered on the global wanderings of Kinfolk founder Nathan Williams and his team, alongside recipes they have contributed. It's beautifully shot (on film, naturally) to induce envy of the kitchens, homes, dinner tables and children of these beautiful people. We might not be able to buy their lives, but we can at least eat their dinners.

Published by Artisan Books, £25

Writer: Emma Moore

White with black lettering and colour image of a woman sat at a white table with on a wooden chair, fresh vegetables on the top, front cover of the book 'The Kinfolk Table', dark wood surface, orange background

Daytime, outside image of a family enjoying food, sat around a long table, grey patio covered in leaves, soil border to the left, plants and potted plants

From the book: husband and wife entrepreneurs Doug and Paige Bischoff share a meal with family and friends.

Cream coloured deep dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, rustic wood background

Portland florist Riley Messina shares her recipe for ciabbottola, a rustic Italian brunch or lunch dish.

Close up of a black frying pan with a whole chicken and vegetables being cooked on a hob, empty pans to the back of the shot

Ceramicist Frances Palmer offers her recipe for 'Perfect Roast Chicken'.

Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, Recipes By Ivan Orkin

The Japanese culinary scene is notoriously difficult to break into, and Jewish-American Ivan Orkin was taking a big risk when he opened Ivan Ramen in Tokyo in 2007, with few credentials beyond an irrepressible love of soup and noodle. But thanks to his incredible attention to every ramen component, he quickly became the star of the scene and is now expanding his empire to his native New York. This unlikely tale is chronicled with charm and gusto in the eponymous book, which also contains a candid selection of recipes. The 38-page formula for his signature dish, Shio Ramen, may be too formidable to follow, but it certainly shows how the right hands can elevate even the humblest dish into a work of art.

Published by Ten Speed Press, $29.99

Writer: TF Chan

Front cover of the book 'Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, Recipes', Black background, white and red lettering, noodles, flour and chopsticks image, dark wood surface, orange background

White, deep dinner plate, a food dish neatly presented, wood surface, folded newspaper, pink grapefruit halved in a red bowl and silver spoon

From the book: breakfast yakisoba with pork belly chasu and fried eggs.

White bowl, noodle dish, chopsticks, dark wood surface

Toasted sesame and spicy chile tsukemen with fat rye noodles.

White bowl, neatly presented dish, white background

The half-cooked egg, one of Orkin's favourite ramen components, was not always considered a traditional topping.

Eating at Hotel Il Pellicano By Antonio Guida, Juergen Teller and Will Self

With images by Juergen Teller and text by chef Antonio Guida (plus an introduction by Will Self), this is food photography reinvented for the modern age - all bright colours, dark shadows and glistening sauces. Teller treats food as he treats the human body, getting up close and personal, voyeuristically emphasising the unusual and perverse. Guida's residency at the Hotel Il Pellicano in Grosseto has resulted in two Michelin stars, and a transformation of the remote retreat into a gastronomic destination.

Published by Violette Editions, £45

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Front cover of the book 'Eating at Hotel Il Pellicano', blue background, black lettering, noodles, food dish image, dark wood surface, orange background

Yellow serving plate, neatly presented dish, white background

From the book: risotto with squid ink, sage, baby calamari and cream of tumeric rice.

Close up of a red, decorated food dish, white background

Squab pigeon breast with foie gras, polenta and brioche sauce.

Close up image of a seafood dish, clear jelly background, peach flower head as decoration

A close-up of the langoustine carpaccio with venus clam blancmange, sea spider crab and caviar.

Close up of a chocolate desert, neatly presented, blurred white plate and black background

Beignets with chocolate, gold leaf-wrapped caramel ice cream and rosemary sauce.

Chin Chin Edited by Andrew McUtchen, recipes by Benjamin Cooper

When you've got one of the hottest restaurants in Melbourne, publishers come knocking. For Chin Chin owner Chris Lucas, though, capturing the personality of his eatery was just as important as getting the recipes right, and no one he met seemed to get that. What to do? Do it yourself, of course. With more than 70 recipes by chef Benjamin Cooper, sharp photography and even comic graphics, it's as close as you'll get to a night out at Chin Chin without leaving the house.

Published by Chin Chin, AU$49.95

Writer: Carrie Hutchinson

Front cover of the book 'Chin Chin', black background, white lettering, dark wood surface, orange background

Open book spread, recipe and image, blue background

A spread from the book featuring chef Benjamin Cooper's addictive chilli-salt chicken wings, which can also be cooked in golden syrup

Close up image of a graphic collage of the Melbourne eatery, blue background

A graphic collage reveals the eclecticism of the Melbourne eatery

Pigs, Pickles & Whiskey: Recipes From My Three Favourite Food Groups And Then Some By John Currence

If 'Pigs, Pickles & Whiskey: Recipes From My Three Favourite Food Groups And Then Some' isn't enough of a mouthful, then chef John Currence's slathered, pickled, brining and smoking flavours of the Deep South definitely will be. The James Beard Award-winner - AKA Mississippi's original big, bad chef - likes to tell it as it is, and his 130 DIY dishes, outrageous personal anecdotes and documentary-style photography speak loud and clear. From bourbon-braised pork cheeks to Deep South ramen topped with a fried poached egg, Currence throws readers into today's southern culinary scene. Adding more fun to the table, each recipe is paired with a song selected by Currence, which can be accessed through Spotify. Bop to Bruce Springsteen while prepping Maryland-style crab cakes or pair David Bowie with dill slices.

Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, $40

Writer: Rachael Sanders

Front cover of the book 'Pigs, Pickles & Whiskey', rustic background and image, white lettering, dark wood surface, orange background

Chapter 3 image, list of recipes, clear jars of pickled dishes, blue box, blurred landscape in the background

A spread from the chapter dedicated to pickling everything, from duck eggs, to shrimp to watermelon rind

Open book spread, drink recipe and image, beige background

The 'City Grocery Bloody Mary' recipe comes from the restaurant's bar manager, Randy Yates

Open book spread, food recipe and image, beige background

The whole beef tenderloin dish evokes an ever-positive response from dinner party-goers

Les 5 Saisons par Hugo & Victor By Hugues Pouget and Sylvain Blanc with Alexandra Michot

Pastry chefs Hugues Pouget and Sylvain Blanc, founders of exclusive Parisian pâtisserie Hugo & Victor, thrive on seasonality. Drawing inspirations from their own orchards and plantations in the South of France, they create contemporary-classic treats that highlight the quintessential flavour of figs, kaffir lime and grapes during what they call Indian summer; pomegranate and chestnut in autumn; pineapple, blood orange, lychee and passion fruit during the 'exotic citrus' season; lemongrass, pistachio and cane sugar in spring; and cherry, peach and strawberry in summer. Accompanied by texts from acclaimed food critic Alexandra Michot, 5 Saisons is a gastronomic journey through the seasons.

Published by Editions Du Chêne, €35

Writer: Marie Le Fort

Front cover of the book ' Les 5 Saisons par Hugo & Victor', brown textured background and white lettering, dark wood surface, orange background

Close up of a pastry pineapple, white background and surface

From the book: an imaginative creation from chefs Hugues Pouget and Sylvain Blanc transforms pastry into pineapple.

Green themed food dish creation, white background

A palette of green inspires this vivid creation by Pouget and Blanc.

Chocolate and gold desert dish, white background

A luxe combination of chocolate and gold.

Champignons By Régis Marcon

Michelin-starred chef Régis Marcon knows his mushrooms - so much so that he's turned his Ardeche hometown, Saint Bonnet le Froid, into something of a fungi theme park. This autumn he launches a 400-page bible on the subject, which itemises 65 varieties and rates their textures and tastes while the chef imparts tips on how to clean and prepare them. From starter to dessert, some hundred recipes explore the world of mushrooms like never before (pickled chanterelles, anyone?) Or if yours is a sweet tooth, you might like to try porcini ice cream or bananas with caramel and morels.

Published by Editions La Martinière, €45

Writer: Marie Le Fort

Front cover of the book 'Champignons' gold colour theme, dark wood surface, orange background

Rustic bowl with neatly presented dish, brown and blue speckled surface

From the book: the marbling of truffles creates an intriguing presentation as well as taste in this recipe for chestnut soup with truffles.

Purple and white speckled background, roasted mushrooms with ice cream dish in a pink bowl, silver spoon

Marcon even pairs lightly roasted mushrooms with ice cream in his Dame Blanche.

Close up of a colourful cake with a base of wild mushrooms and quinoa, rustic background, garnish

Here he creates a colourful cake with a base of wild mushrooms and quinoa.

Coi: Stories and Recipes By Daniel Patterson

Daniel Patterson, self-taught chef-patron of Two-Michelin-starred Coi, is fast becoming one of America's most revered chefs. 'Coi: Stories and Recipes' provides insight into the restaurant, its dishes and Patterson's food philosophies, which include heroising vegetables and foraging for ingredients. It takes the reader through the back-stories of 50 recipes significant to the San Francisco restaurant's evolution. A series of essays, recipes and imagery recreate Patterson's own journey and captures the emotional qualities of food as well as his relationships with family, friends and California.

Published by Phaidon, £35

Writer: Mariel Reed

Front cover of the book 'Coi: Stories and Recipes', white cover, branch design with yellow flowers and black lettering, dark wood surface, orange background

White bowl, neatly presented dish, dark wood background

From the book: combining three soups in one, Patterson's chilled spiced ratatouille mixes eggplant, squash and tomato-pepper.

White background, carrots and coffee dish display

'The interaction between carrots and coffee is magic, a totally new taste,' says Patterson of his carrots roasted in coffee beans.

Close up of neatly presented dish of strawberry's on a dark brown dish, ice cream prsented in a dark brown dish, dark wood surface

Strawberries are compressed and then glazed in a pectin-based gel of seasoned strawberry juice.

The AOC. Cookbook By Suzanne Goin

Suzanne Goin's experience working at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the US, from Ma Maison to L'Orange, laid the groundwork for her own acclaimed empire in Los Angeles. Goin's sophomore restaurant, AOC is known for having brought shared-plate dining back into vogue. Her latest literary venture, The A.O.C. Cookbook, shares the recipes that brought AOC into the limelight. She explains each of her culinary decisions and highlights seasonal ingredients while talking the reader through recipes, season by season. The proverbial 'cherry on top' of this collection of carefully considered recipes is the wine pairing for each dish, presented by Goin's business partner, Caroline Styne.

Published by Random House, $35

Writer: Mariel Reed

Front cover of the book ' The AOC. Cookbook', black and white design, white and black lettering, orange cut in half, dark wood surface, orange background

White bowl, neatly presented desert dish, wood surface

Goin's recipes are rooted in Californian cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients

White bowl, neatly presented red and grey checked surface

Though the recipes may not be simple, the idea behind AOC is: wine, cheese and sharing taste experiences with friends

White bowl, neatly presented dish, wood surface

Bacon-wrapped dates with parmesan is a must-have dish at AOC

Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms