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.
Cooking Up a Storm with Al Roker
Bigger Bolder Baking by Gemma Stafford
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.
Anything by Martha Stewart
“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.”
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
“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.”
