Start Here

About the book

*** 2024 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION BOOK AWARD WINNER *** A NEW YORK TIMES BEST COOKBOOK OF 2023***

'A book to return to again and again and again' Yotam Ottolenghi | Foreword by Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat' | An instant classic' Dan Levy | 'Sohla has improved my cooking' Samin Nosrat

Change the way you think about cooking! In this epic guide to better eating, chef, recipe developer, and video producer Sohla El-Waylly reimagines what a cookbook can be, teaching home cooks of all skill levels how cooking really works.

A one-stop resource, regardless of what you're hungry for, Start Here gives equal weight to savory and sweet dishes, with more than 200 mouthwatering recipes, including:

- Chicken Soup with Masa Dumplings
- Charred Lemon Risotto
- Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Radishes & Nuoc Cham
- Fancy Restaurant-Style Glazed Potatoes
- Brothy Same-Day Slow-Roast Whole Chicken
- Flaky Brown Butter Lachha Paratha
- Add-Anything Drop Cookies
- Creamy Lemon Squares with Brown Butter Crust
- Masa & Buttermilk Tres Leches

This practical, information-packed, and transformative guide to becoming a better cook and conquering the kitchen is a must-have masterclass in levelling up your cooking. Across a dozen technique-themed chapters - from "Temperature Management 101" and "Break it Down & Get Saucy" to "Mix it Right," "Go to Brown Town," and "Getting to Know Dough" - Sohla El-Waylly explains the hows and whys of cooking, introducing the fundamental skills that you need to become a more intuitive, inventive cook.

Packed with practical advice and scientific background, helpful tips, and an almost endless assortment of recipe variations, along with tips, guidance, and how-tos, Start Here is culinary school - without the student loans. Perfect for novice cooks, and foodies who want to grow their repertoire, alike.