Kate Young

I grew up in Australia, and rarely saw a shelf of cookbooks without this book. It’s an extraordinary, encyclopedic tome. Endlessly inspiring, with tips for using almost any ingredient you can put your hand to. I remembering reading my mum and dad’s copies as they were teaching me to cook – it was an integral part of my education.

A food book I read more often in bed than in the kitchen. Colwin’s prose is gorgeous; engaging and unfussy. I love her recipes, but she is also a brilliant storyteller, drawing you completely into her kitchen and her home.

I love Diana Henry’s prose, and have dutifully collected all of her brilliant books. A Change of Appetite is my favourite. Released while the ‘clean eating’ trend was at its height, it is a book full of food that is ‘accidentally healthy’ – light, full of flavour, and completely delicious. One of the rare books that has a post-it note on almost every page; I have tried countless recipes from it, and all are perfect.

A cookbook I can happily read cover to cover. It’s endlessly practical but also full of joy, warmth and a clear love of food. How to be a Domestic Goddess was the first of Nigella’s I cooked from, but I found this at the perfect time: when I first moved out of home. It has been a companion ever since.

The St John is my favourite London restaurant, and provider of my all-time favourite dish: bone marrow, sourdough and parsley salad. I bought this book expecting it to include recipes from the restaurant, but didn’t quite anticipate just how witty it would be. I’d happily include it in this list solely for the instruction to: “…cook for a further 2 hours, which gives you time for a bath and a couple of dry martinis”.

A complete joy to read. I regularly find myself getting home and checking the date in this book (and Kitchen Diaries II and III) for inspiration. It changed the way I shop, and stocked my pantry. Slater writes evocatively about accessible ingredients, and his recipes are thoughtful and delicious. I love all of his books, but this is a precious favourite.

Having grown up in a tropical climate, it wasn’t until I moved to the UK that I discovered the joy of seasonal eating. England, and English fruit in particular, was a revelation. I also discovered Jane Grigson. Her writing is erudite and thoughtful, and made the discovery of each new fruit that much more of a pleasure.

When I was teaching myself to bake, this is the book I turned to most regularly. Lepard’s recipes are clear and concise and, most importantly, they work.

This book is a fascinating commentary on the power of food to unite cultures and people. Ottolenghi introduced me to so many things I had never tasted before, and changed the way I approach new ingredients. I turn to this book regularly, mostly for meat and salad inspiration during summer.

A predictable choice, I know, but Child’s instructions are precise, detailed and foolproof. The book is so clearly a labour of love; meticulously tested, and such a brilliant manual for learning the basics of French cuisine. I have learnt so much from it over the years.