The 10 cookbooks every aspiring chef needs to read!

Whether you love experimenting in the kitchen, are bored of the same old dishes, or would just like to expand your culinary knowledge to impress everyone at your next dinner party, this list of cookbooks offers an expansive range of delectable delights that would encourage even the slightly gastronomically-challenged.

The Silver Spoon — Phaidon

This legendary collection of authentic Italian cuisine was originally published in 1950 after hundreds of recipes were gathered from various regions throughout the country. The Silver Spoon has since been carefully updated, adapting techniques to fit the modern cook. This historic compilation of recipes guides you through traditional sauces, provides ideas for every course, and even contains planned out menus for festive occasions. The Silver Spoon has been designed for novices and gourmets alike and the most recently revised edition contains over 2000 recipes, so anyone with an interest in Italian cuisine would surely benefit from this treasured collection.

Jerusalem — Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

“Jerusalem” is a unique tribute to the diverse cultural heritage of the city it is named after, embracing flavours inherited from Romanian, German, Polish, Moroccan, Tunisian, Libyan and Turkish influences among others. These 120 incredible recipes will immerse you in the intricate web that is Middle Eastern cuisine. Expect to use some delicious Mediterranean ingredients and a variety of grains in wild and unique combinations, exploring recipes for soups, creative vegetable dishes, meat, fish and decadent desserts. Be the innovative artist in the kitchen and get ready to start #tastingjrslm.

Persiana — Sabrina Ghayour

Sabrina Ghayour has offered us her kitchen’s history in this collection of memories and results of careful experimentation. These dishes are exotic and full of flavour, a beautiful blend of traditional Middle Eastern with a cheeky modern twist. Try your hand at mezze, stews, roasts and sweet treats. 100 recipes perfect for the novice cook with easily accessible ingredients that may well be in your kitchen right now.

Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course — Gordon Ramsay

There’s no denying that Gordon Ramsey is a true culinary legend, an expert chef who teaches other expert chefs! With this incredible cookbook, he can now teach us! No fancy skill set necessary — these simple, but delicious recipes will guide you through cooking for a crowd, cooking classic dishes with a twist and even some of the more adventurous dishes with ease. A truly educational experience.

Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals — Jamie Oliver

This cookbook is a lot more than a book full of recipes. It is a step-by-step guide on how to utilise your kitchen, time and ingredients to maximum efficiency, how to prep and cook fresh meals without the expected high cost and, best of all, make every meal a marvellous sensory experience with little effort. This book is for those who are tired of dwelling in the ready-meal supermarket aisle. Taking back control of your weeknight cooking has never been so much fun!

How to be a Domestic Goddess — Nigella Lawson

With this book about baking, Nigella Lawson encourages us to take a step back to when time spent in the kitchen was a therapeutic session of artistic creation. This compilation contains recipes for all types of delicious desserts and other baked goods, fantastic Christmas recipes and wonderful recipes for cooking with children. Let your kitchen be your safe haven again and rediscover the pleasure of baking.

Delia’s Complete How To Cook — Delia Smith

This cookbook is fantastic for those seeking an extensive understanding of the art and science of cooking. This guide is truly complete, packed with recipes for every occasion, basic recipes for beginners and innovative recipes for the adventurous. Delia has decades of experience under her apron and knows exactly how to help people conquer their kitchens. This book is guaranteed to become a handy tool for any cook.

Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss: Recipes for Get-Togethers Throughout the Year — Buddy Valastro

Most of us have seen him on TV where his creations have come alive and brought people together. Buddy is all about family celebrations with fun, creative food, marking the festivities throughout the year with interesting and easy-to-follow recipes that have been bringing the Valastro family together for years.

Eat in My Kitchen: To Cook, to Bake, to Eat, and to Treat — Meike Peters

This celebrated blogger has now published a cookbook with never-before-seen recipes that are hugely inspired by her summers spent in Malta. Meike’s simple, artful and unpretentious cooking can be enjoyed by anyone with a taste for Mediterranean ingredients. These seasonal recipes will take you from succulent sandwiches to beautiful baked treats with an infectious enthusiasm for food.

Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking — Eataly

Far from a typical Italian cookbook, “Eataly” explores the new and exciting world of modern Italian cooking that has left behind the heavy pasta and rich sauces we have all become a bit too familiar with. This collection of 300 easy-to-follow recipes are a contemporary reflection of tradition and culture that will change the way you experience home cooking. Eataly contains a visual glossary of ingredients, helpful tips and comprehensible instructions, making it a perfect guide for any cook.

Visit any Agenda outlet to get one of these wonderful works of culinary art and more!