8 Must-Read Food Books Coming This Fall

Illyanna Maisonet is the United States’ first Puerto Rican food columnist, and this new book is a record of all the Puerto Rican dishes she wants to make sure are not forgotten. A collection of recipes from her mother (who is prominently featured on the chef’s YouTube channel and other social media pages) and her grandmother, this is more than a cookbook—it’s an exploration of Maisonet’s personal history and the Puerto Rican diaspora through food.

Out October 18 through Ten Speed Press.

What happens when that one night stand who you never thought you’d see again shows up as the newest employee at your family’s winery? Thanks to Jasmine Guillory’s Drunk on Love, we’re about to find out. Guillory has a history of writing tantalizing romantic comedies, many of which have caught the eye of Reese Witherspoon and her book club, so it’s likely only a matter of time before this story set in Napa Valley wine country gets its moment on the big screen.

Out September 20 through Berkley.

Frankie Gaw has long been documenting recipes from his upbringing as a Midwestern Taiwanese American on his blog Little Fat Boy. His debut cookbook features some of his favorites, like Lap Cheong Corn Dogs, Honey-Mustard Glazed Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, and Cincinnati Chili with Hand Pulled Noodles, while reflecting on the resilience of the immigrant spirit.

Out October 25 through Ten Speed Press.

The Bronx-born culinary collective Ghetto Gastro is all about storytelling through food and merging the culinary influence of Black, Brown, and Asian communities to create healthy, high-quality dishes. Black Power Kitchen, which Ghetto Gastro describes as “part cookbook, part manifesto,” specifically celebrates Black food and culture with stunning images, mostly plant-based recipes, and the inclusion of many voices.

Out October 18 through Workman.

Usually when we see Molly Yeh, she’s camera-ready for her appearances on Food Network or morning talk shows. But her new book, Home Is Where the Eggs Are, is all about the foods that are best cooked and enjoyed in your comfiest sweatpants and unwashed hair. There are low-maintenance recipes that combine Yeh’s Chinese and Jewish heritage, her husband’s Scandinavian roots, and Midwestern comfort to create dishes like Mozzarella Stick Salad, Ham and Potato Pizza, and Orange Blossom Creamsicle Smoothies.

Out September 27 through Harper Collins.

Baek Sehee’s memoir was a runaway hit in South Korea, in part because it got the stamp of approval from BTS’s RM—now it’s being translated for English speaking audiences to enjoy. The memoir details Baek Sehee’s deep depression and sessions with her psychiatrist to help her understand it. The silver lining that keeps her going through it all is her love for her favorite street food, the hot, spicy rice cake called tteokbokki.

Out now through Bloomsbury.

Tanya Holland is known for combining Black Southern food with California cuisine, resulting in a style now known as California Soul. Her cookbook provides not only delicious recipes in that distinct style but a history lesson tracing the roots of modern California soul food to the Great Migration. California Soul highlights key ingredients, techniques, and traditions brought by African Americans from the South to the West Coast, with recipes like Collard Green Tabbouleh, Zucchini-Scallion Waffles with Toasted Pecan Romesco, and Honey Lavender Chess Pie.

Out October 25 through Ten Speed Press.

When Hannah Che became vegan, she worried how her dietary restrictions would affect her connection to her Chinese culture. But through her blog The Plant-Based Wok, Che discovered zhai cai, a sustainable, plant-based way of cooking that can be traced back to Buddhist temples. With The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, Che shares vegan recipes for dishes like Sweet and Sour Tofu, Scallion Pancakes, and Blistered Dry-Fried String Beans that celebrate her culture and traditions without the meat.

Out September 13 through Clarkson Potter.