An item of luxury yet not of pretension, the coffee table book is a fine stylistic choice on any shelf, sideboard or coffee table containing a whole realm within its knowing pages.
If you consider yourself something of a foodie or are after inspiration of a gastronomical nature, a food coffee table book is a noble addition that often doubles as a cookbook.
From Gourmet Traveller‘s own pages depicting Aotearoa’s landscapes and delicacies to Neil Perry’s favourite recipes to the art of food staging, we’ve curated an edit of coffee table books about food for the gourmet palate.
Eight food coffee table books that double as cookbooks
gourmet traveller everyday
Everyday: Effortless Food with Flavours by Gourmet Traveller, Are Media Books
Featuring over 100 seasonal recipes oozing both ease and elegance, Everyday is a collection of from-scratch dishes from fresh produce that are pretty good in our books, literally.
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi and team, $49.99, Random House
From Yotam Ottolenghi and his team comes this unplugged guide for raiding the pantry and putting an Ottolenghi twist on modest ingredients to create homey recipes.
New Zealand: Inspired Escapes and Culinary Journeys by Gourmet Traveller, $59.99, Are Media Books
From snowy mountains of the Southern Alps to rugged coastline of the west coast, Gourmet Traveller’s ‘New Zealand’ highlights wild landscapes of Aotearoa, luxury properties and recipes from 21 kitchens of the country’s premium lodges and resorts.
Everything I Love to Cook by Neil Perry, $59.99, Murdoch Books
What’s in a name? Everything I love to Cook by Australian chef Neil Perry features over 230 old and new recipes that are favourites of the influential restauranteur.
Visual Feast by Gestalten, $77.82, Die Gestalten Verlag
Visual Feast captures the ravenous curiosity and creativity of food staging – an art that is both experimental and alluring.
The Noma Guide to Fermentation by Rene Redzepi and David Zilber, $42.25 (usually $55), Workman Publishing
From the culinary masters at four-time ‘world’s best restaurant’ Noma in Copenhagen comes this comprehensive guide to fermentation. Chef and co-owner René Redzepi with chef of the fermentation lab David Zilber share a set of step-by-steps for recreating Noma’s extensive pantry of ferments. As the restaurant is set to close its doors in 2024, this guide could serve as a little slice of cuisine history on your bookshelf.
The Gourmand’s Egg: a collection of stories and recipes by Ruth Reichl and Jennifer Higgie, $73.75, TASCHEN AMER
The egg is one of the most versatile and adaptable staples of any pantry and doesn’t this book know it. Celebrating the tie between ingredient and life source, The Gourmand’s Egg is a collection of recipes and essays about the humble egg in food and culture around the world.
