12 Gorgeous Cookbooks That Double As Decor
The coffee table book is an established decor essential, making surfaces prettier around the world. Though many cookbooks are equally weighty, sizable, and beautiful, they're not as frequently used for decoration — but, we think it's time for that to change.
While coffee table books are designed to leisurely flip through, cookbooks are stocked with inventive recipes that will transform your kitchen. With eye-catching photography or skilled illustrations on the cover, cookbooks are the marriage of art and function. Here are 12 that you should put on display.
1. A Table for Friends: The Art of Cooking for Two or Twenty, $28
Amazon
Author, Sunday Times food columnist, and queen of the tablescape Skye McAlpine offers elegant recipes for chic yet unfussy hosting in her sophomore release. The cover of this stylish ode to entertaining might as well be a fashion editorial, while interior images of roast chicken and spaghetti with creamy lemon sauce will have you wishing you got the invite to the party.
2. Chicken and Charcoal: Yakitori, Yardbird, Hong Kong, $29.14
Amazon
At Yardbird in Hong Kong, Canadian chef Matt Abergel has gained a cultish following for his yakitori, Japanese-style skewered chicken. His book reveals the secrets behind the poultry magic, from sourcing to butchering to grilling. Its exterior is classic black and white, with a stately drawing of a rooster as the centerpiece.
3. Cooking in Marfa: Welcome, We've Been Expecting You, $33.83
Amazon
If you prefer a desert aesthetic, this burnt orange book belongs in your home. The sweeping, open road imagery is staggering, but the content might be even more compelling, as it documents the cuisine and character of an unlikely fine-dining success in a small, West Texas town.
4. Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day: A Cookbook, $29.25
Amazon
Bright, flavorful Middle Eastern recipes are the focus of chef and television host Eden Grinshpan's debut publication. Dishes like braised halibut with roasted cherry tomatoes and tahini reflect her Israeli heritage and accessible cooking, while vivid, colorful photographs inform the visuals.
5. Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook, $24.45
Amazon
Warm, neutral tones and delicious-looking shrimp grace the front of this celebration of African American fare. Journalist and activist Toni Tipton-Martin highlights plates from nearly 200 years of Black cooking, from classics like seafood gumbo and buttermilk fried chicken to delights like baked ham glazed with Champagne.
6. My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes, $27.94
Amazon
A thoughtful primer on Korean cuisine, chef Hooni Kim's first cookbook provides explainers on key ingredients like doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang, alongside recipes like bulgogi sliders, scallion pancakes, and fried chicken wings. Napa cabbage and bold lettering steal the show on the cover.
7. On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen, $33.99
Amazon
With an abstract graphic of carrots and beets on the wheat-hued cover, chef Jeremy Fox's tome of vegetable expertise resembles a design book. In reality, it's filled with 160 vegetarian recipes that spotlight seasonal produce with creative methods and ingredient combinations.
8. Ottolenghi Flavor: A Cookbook, $20.80
Amazon
Prolific chef and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi is a renowned vegetable expert. His upcoming publication concentrates on pairing fresh produce with sweetness, fat, acidity, or chile heat to accentuate its inherent flavor. On the cover, a sea of cherries and pearl onions get their close-up.
Amazon
Hot pink sprayed edges and a geometric design define the modern look of this anniversary collection from London's preeminent Italian restaurant. While it tracks 30 years of serving patrons, the book is full of new favorites like risotto nero with Swiss chard, pork braised with vinegar, and the famous Chocolate Nemesis cake.
10. The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes, $35
Amazon
An intimate view of vibrant green limes fronts this upcoming, groundbreaking text from scientist and food blogger Nik Sharma. It delves into the science behind flavor and why certain combinations work together as they do. Savory is exemplified by soba noodles with mushroom and walnut sauce, while saltiness is evidenced in roasted tomato and tamarind soup.
11. The Good Book of Southern Baking: A Revival of Biscuits, Cakes, and Cornbread, $31.50
Amazon
A flaky, golden biscuit looks like an artist's muse on the navy and white cover of this guide to Southern baking. New Orleans-based pastry chef Kelly Fields shares her deep dessert knowledge with rich, regional recipes like Creole cream cheesecake, moon pies, bourbon-butterscotch pudding, and more.
12. The Missoni Family Cookbook, $50
Assouline
A rainbow checkered print outfits this shimmery cookbook from famed family fashion house Missoni. Well-guarded, Italian recipes like zucchini parmesan, spinach and ricotta gnocchi, and marinated sardines have been passed down for generations. Now, they're available and packaged in pages of multicolored patterns, just like the brand's beloved clothes.