7 chef-approved books and podcasts for your holiday cooking

The holidays are here, and that means you’re going to need something to eat. Sure, gifts, decorations, and myriad other items are looming on your to-do list, but now you’re thinking about food, so you’ll want to get your meals squared away as soon as possible.

In times like these, it’s best to enlist some expert help. Or, in this case, enlist the resources that experts use to inspire their own holiday cooking.

Here are seven recommendations from chefs around the country, including cookbooks, baking bibles, and insightful podcasts. Settle into your favorite chair, or equip your kitchen with all the necessary tools and ingredients, then dive into these interesting, instructive works whenever you need a dose of inspiration.

“Though I don’t need too much of a push to find inspiration for my holiday baking and entertaining, there are a few podcasts and publications that I think help make the season a little brighter,” says Stephen Collucci, executive pastry chef at The Tavern, a modern American bistro at NYC’s Hudson Yards development. He likes this Al Roker-led podcast for “his fun takes on holiday entertaining.”

Collucci also turns to Gemma Stafford for holiday inspiration. The author and host shares her pro tips, wisdom, and recipes through her Bigger Bolder Baking book and Knead to Know podcast.

“This time of year, I lean into all things Martha Stewart, ranging from podcasts to YouTube and print,” says Collucci. “The queen bee always seems to have some coveted tricks up her sleeves.”

“I respect David Chang as an innovative chef, but also as someone who is incredibly curious intellectually,” says chef Diego Muñoz of Peruvian restaurant Popular, located in the Public hotel in New York. “His podcast covers so many diverse, even random, topics that touch on the food world and go well beyond it. While it is not the kind of podcast you listen to for recipes, it always stimulates my brain and opens me to new ways of thinking that I incorporate into my cooking, including during the holidays. Listening to it helps me think outside the box.”

“I’m a big fan of the The Splendid Table podcast,” says Muñoz. “Over the course of the year, they interview some of the leading lights of the culinary world and spotlight a diverse array of voices and opinions. I’ve lost count of how many recipe ideas and techniques that I use for the holidays and year-round that I’ve gleaned from listening. I also love that they probe the cultural and historical aspects of food, which takes it to another level. It’s always a great listen.”

“This is a fantastic, easy-to-use book that makes cooking with bold flavors a breeze,” says Naiha Falkner, senior culinary product developer at Thistle, which delivers chef-prepared meals to peoples’ homes. “The recipes are intuitive and straightforward, while also prompting the reader with creative ways to incorporate plants into new creations. This is a great book to reference when I'm cooking with others, which is right on time for the holiday season.”

“Simple, healthy, and seasonal food is showcased in every edition of Moosewood cookbooks,” says Falkner. “This classic cookbook gives me inspiration during the holidays, as it focuses on plant-based foods with thoughtful, seasonal ingredients that are as nutritious as they are delicious.”