The Gastrogays

Influencers

We have lots of Ottolenghi books in our collection and we adore and admire him as the authority on modern, meat-light Middle Eastern cookery, however we’ve longer adored Claudia Roden as a deity of cookery writing. The way she writes and cooks food is so much more about feeding the soul and understanding culture than satisfying appetite. In particular her exploration and recipe reporting on the Middle East is the best we’ve found; her books are rich, resplendent and enticing every time our hand runs along the cookbook shelf seeking inspiration.

Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Each generation is defined by its cook books. I grew up with these wonderful kitchen ‘mothers’ through the English-speaking world: Madhur Jaffrey, Paula Wolfert, Jane Grigson, Elizabeth David, Marcella Hazan, Diane Kennedy, Yan Kit-So, Anna Del Conte and Claudia Roden. I loved this book, it inspired me to travel, to buy a couscoussiere, to go to the Tunisian deserts, to love rosewater and olive oil and dried apricots and dates – and of course (deep bow) to cook my body weight in flourless orange and almond cake.

Caroline Hennessy

Food writer

I used this as a guide book on a trip to Morocco years ago, reading it while travelling through dusty desert towns, exploring the souks of Marrakesh and eating all the street food that I could get my hands on. An invaluable introduction to the techniques, ingredients and dishes of the Middle East.

Julia Platt Leonard

Writer and Food Consultant

Claudia writes with a beauty and joy that is unmatched. The recipes are fabulous but it's more than that -- it's a book you want to read and savour.

Terry Durack

Restaurant critic, author, columnist

The Middle East became just that little less mysterious for me as a young cook, with Claudia Roden by my side.

Paul Levy

Writer and former chair of the Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery

Enlarged version of the pioneering book that introduced the West to what is now one of our favourite cuisines.

Tom Jaine

Food writer

This gave us at least a dozen new things to do as part of our daily life: that's quite a high figure really.

Hayley Anderton

Blogger at Desperate Reader

For being so readable as well as inspiring to cook from.

Alistair Cameron

Coordinator for England of the Slow Food Chef Alliance and Ark of Taste

A scholarly subject, made accessible and fun to read.

Sandor Ellix Katz

Fermentation revivalist

Jordan Bourke

Irish chef, food stylist and best-selling author

Sally Grainger

Food historian

Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire

Lecturer in the Culinary Arts, Dublin Institute of Technology

Sue Hines

Group Publishing Director, Allen & Unwin/ Murdoch Books

Sue Lawrence

Food writer and novelist

Caz Hildebrand

Creative Partner at Here Design

Ed Mottershaw

Head Chef, The Eagle Farringdon

Somer Sivrioglu

Blogger, Chinese Grandma

Gemma Croffie

Food writer

Susan Peterson Chwae

Travel guide

Robert McCullough

Publisher of Appetite

Alison Swan Parente

Co-founder of School of Artisan Food

Joanne Weir

Chef, cookbook author and television personality

Andrew Langley

Food writer

Lynne Curry

Food writer

David Joachim

Food writer

Sri Owen

Food writer and cook

Jill Norman

Author and editor

Daniel Halpern

Publisher, Ecco

Nevin Halici

Chef and author

Kevin Gould

Professional Food Lover

Denis Cotter

Founder and executive chef of Cafe Paradiso and author

Reiko Hashimoto

Cookbook author and founder of Hashi Cooking

Harold McGee

Author and lecturer

Barbara Ketcham Wheaton

Honorary curator of the culinary collection at the Schlesinger Library

Pascale Gomes-McNabb

Designer

Greg Malouf

Chef

John Wilkins

Emeritus Professor

Darina Allen

Owner and Founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School

Stephanie Alexander

Food writer, former restaurateur, food educator

Mary Taylor Simeti

Food writer

Aglaia Kremezi

Food writer and journalist

Julie Gibbs

Publishing Director – Illustrated Books, Penguin Random House Australia