Fans pick 28 books like Sunday Suppers at Lucques

By Suzanne Goin, Teri Gelber,

Here are 28 books that Sunday Suppers at Lucques fans have personally recommended if you like Sunday Suppers at Lucques. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Entertaining

Maria Zizka Author Of The Hostess Handbook: A Modern Guide to Entertaining

From my list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started hosting pretend tea parties for my stuffed animals when I was just a little girl. I made mud pies in the backyard and created huge messes in the kitchen as I taught myself to cook. I’ve always been enthralled by the warm feeling of being cared for, the love you feel deep in your heart when someone puts a plate of hot scrambled eggs in front of you after a long day. Now, as a cookbook author, I get to share that feeling with others through my own recipes and via my newsletter, Recipe of the Month. I hope you love these cookbooks as much as I do!

Maria's book list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting

Maria Zizka Why did Maria love this book?

I pulled this iconic cookbook from my mom’s bookshelves when I was somewhere around the age of ten—and it still ranks as one of my all-time favorites. I loved how inviting the cover was, and all the photography within made me wish I could teleport myself to Martha’s house to be a guest at her gorgeously set table.

By Martha Stewart,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Entertaining as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With 500 glorious full-color photographs, 300 original recipes, and hundreds of innovative ideas, Entertaining is the book that revolutionized the way people entertain today. 500 full-color photographs.


Book cover of Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again

Maria Zizka Author Of The Hostess Handbook: A Modern Guide to Entertaining

From my list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started hosting pretend tea parties for my stuffed animals when I was just a little girl. I made mud pies in the backyard and created huge messes in the kitchen as I taught myself to cook. I’ve always been enthralled by the warm feeling of being cared for, the love you feel deep in your heart when someone puts a plate of hot scrambled eggs in front of you after a long day. Now, as a cookbook author, I get to share that feeling with others through my own recipes and via my newsletter, Recipe of the Month. I hope you love these cookbooks as much as I do!

Maria's book list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting

Maria Zizka Why did Maria love this book?

I first came across this book when I was a college student, falling in love with a cute boy on the volleyball team. I adored how the book was dedicated to her husband: “My home is wherever Jeffrey is.” I loved all the recipes so much that I cooked every single one, some multiple times.

By Ina Garten,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Barefoot Contessa at Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Throughout the years that she has lived and worked in East Hampton, Ina Garten has catered and attended countless parties and dinners. She will be the first to tell you, though, that nothing beats a cozy dinner, surrounded by the people you love most, in the comfort that only your own home can provide. In Barefoot Contessa at Home, Ina shares her life in East Hampton, the recipes she loves, and her secrets to making guests feel welcome and comfortable.

For Ina, it’s friends and family–gathered around the dinner table or cooking with her in…


Book cover of The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

Maria Zizka Author Of The Hostess Handbook: A Modern Guide to Entertaining

From my list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started hosting pretend tea parties for my stuffed animals when I was just a little girl. I made mud pies in the backyard and created huge messes in the kitchen as I taught myself to cook. I’ve always been enthralled by the warm feeling of being cared for, the love you feel deep in your heart when someone puts a plate of hot scrambled eggs in front of you after a long day. Now, as a cookbook author, I get to share that feeling with others through my own recipes and via my newsletter, Recipe of the Month. I hope you love these cookbooks as much as I do!

Maria's book list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting

Maria Zizka Why did Maria love this book?

I completely love how this book has recipes for all the little bites that go into a great meal but are not the main course. Things like roasted almonds with herbs, warm olives (a revelation to me!), plus sweet treats such as apricot jam, caramel sauce, and candied citrus peel. I find the everyday dishes like cheese omelet to be charming and comforting.

By Alice Waters,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Art of Simple Food as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An indispensable resource for home cooks from the woman who changed the way Americans think about food. 

Perhaps more responsible than anyone for the revolution in the way we eat, cook, and think about food, Alice Waters has “single-handedly chang[ed] the American palate” according to the New York Times. Her simple but inventive dishes focus on a passion for flavor and a reverence for locally produced, seasonal foods.

With an essential repertoire of timeless, approachable recipes chosen to enhance and showcase great ingredients, The Art of Simple Food isan indispensable resource for home cooks. Here you will find Alice’s philosophy…


Book cover of The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant

Maria Zizka Author Of The Hostess Handbook: A Modern Guide to Entertaining

From my list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started hosting pretend tea parties for my stuffed animals when I was just a little girl. I made mud pies in the backyard and created huge messes in the kitchen as I taught myself to cook. I’ve always been enthralled by the warm feeling of being cared for, the love you feel deep in your heart when someone puts a plate of hot scrambled eggs in front of you after a long day. Now, as a cookbook author, I get to share that feeling with others through my own recipes and via my newsletter, Recipe of the Month. I hope you love these cookbooks as much as I do!

Maria's book list on cookbooks that celebrate the art of hosting

Maria Zizka Why did Maria love this book?

My absolute favorite cookbook of all time. Although the recipes come from a beloved San Francisco restaurant, they are written with such care that you could easily be fooled into believing they came from your best friend instead. Every single recipe is such a hit, and I learn something new about cooking and showing love through food each time I pick up this book.

By Judy Rodgers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Zuni Cafe Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, a book customers have been anticipating for years, chef and owner Judy Rodgers provides recipes for Zuni's most well-known dishes, ranging from the Zuni Roast Chicken to the Espresso Granita. But Zuni's appeal goes beyond recipes. Harold McGee concludes, "What makes The Zuni Cafe Cookbook a real treasure is the voice of Zuni's Judy Rodgers," whose book "repeatedly sheds a fresh and revealing light on ingredients and dishes, and even on the nature of cooking itself." Deborah Madison (Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone) says the introduction alone "should be required reading for every person who might…


Book cover of French Provincial Cooking

Clifford A. Wright Author Of A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

From my list on provincial French cooking for home cooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an independent research scholar, food writer, and cook who won the James Beard Cookbook of the Year award and the Beard Award for the Best Writing on Food in 2000 for A Mediterranean Feast. I have written 19 books, 17 of which are cookbooks, and two on politics and history. I wrote all the food entries for Columbia University's Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and the entry for tiramisu and other sweets in the Oxford Companion to Sweets. I have written articles on politics, military affairs, foreign policy, history, and botany.

Clifford's book list on provincial French cooking for home cooks

Clifford A. Wright Why did Clifford love this book?

David was one of the most famous food writers in post-World War II Europe and she introduced English readers to the cuisine that exists beyond the celebrated kitchens of the top chefs of Paris. Although the recipes are written in a more abbreviated style than one sees today, her personable stories enliven the dishes she includes so you the reader will excitedly jump right to the kitchen and get cooking.

By Elizabeth David,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked French Provincial Cooking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

First published in 1962, Elizabeth David's culinary odyssey through provincial France forever changed the way we think about food. With elegant simplicity, David explores the authentic flavors and textures of time-honored cuisines from such provinces as Alsace, Provence, Brittany, and the Savoie. Full of cooking ideas and recipes, French Provincial Cooking is a scholarly yet straightforward celebration of the traditions of French regional cooking.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and…


Book cover of The Cooking of South West France

Clifford A. Wright Author Of A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

From my list on provincial French cooking for home cooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an independent research scholar, food writer, and cook who won the James Beard Cookbook of the Year award and the Beard Award for the Best Writing on Food in 2000 for A Mediterranean Feast. I have written 19 books, 17 of which are cookbooks, and two on politics and history. I wrote all the food entries for Columbia University's Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and the entry for tiramisu and other sweets in the Oxford Companion to Sweets. I have written articles on politics, military affairs, foreign policy, history, and botany.

Clifford's book list on provincial French cooking for home cooks

Clifford A. Wright Why did Clifford love this book?

Wolfert made her name with her book Couscous and Other Food of Morocco, first published in 1973. This groundbreaking book was not only the first time an American writer’s topic was North African food but Wolfert explored for the first time its culinary anthropology. This book on southwest France might even be better than her couscous book. Its depth of understanding and explanation is amazing. Its thoroughness is unparalleled. Its fastidiousness might annoy some readers, but one will never claim there wasn’t enough detail. Follow this book and you will be able to make confit de canard to use in your equally authentic cassoulet of southwest France.

By Paula Wolfert,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cooking of South West France as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Paula Wolfert is one of America's most highly respected food writers, and the author of Moroccan Cuisine which Grub Street reissued to much critical acclaim in 1998. Her highly respected book on South West France, unavailable for 15 years, is now appearing in paperback. This reissue could not be more timely with the opening of restaurants such as Club Gascon in West Spitalfields which has had unanimous plaudits from all the national restaurant critics praising its delicious South Western French classic dishes. The food of this region could well become one of the popular causes of the next year as…


Book cover of Monet's Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet

Julia Crowe Author Of My First Guitar: Tales of True Love and Lost Chords from 70 Legendary Musicians

From my list on what drives an artist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author, film composer, guitarist, multimedia artist, and perfumer. As a music journalist, I’ve written extensively for many major U.S. and international guitar publications before launching the website, The Guitar. My music has been featured on National Public Radio and worldwide at major U.S. and international art and design museum festivals. Part of being a writer is about expressing one’s curiosity through constant delving and engaging in the ongoing process of discovery. What compels me is the attempt to understand the inspiration that drives an artist to create a distinctively beautiful melody, fragrance, or artwork—one that grabs your attention with a mesmerizing, transfixing, and soulful quality. 

Julia's book list on what drives an artist

Julia Crowe Why did Julia love this book?

A famous painter’s cookbook? If you didn’t think artists eat, think again, and start by Googling images of Monet’s kitchen at his house in Giverny. (I said eat, not cook.) Written by the wife of Madame Monet’s great-grandson, this book offers you beautiful photographs of this artwork along with diary accounts of his family life and an opportunity to understand one of the great Impressionist artists through the dishes that his wife and family prepared, including his favorite, richly green-hued pistachio cake. 

By Claire Joyes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Monet's Table as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A member of Monet's family describes life at Giverny in the painter's day and shares family recipes.


Book cover of The Accidental Alchemist

Daryl Wood Gerber Author Of A Flicker of a Doubt

From my list on mysteries that will make you wonder whodunit.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew, as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.

Daryl's book list on mysteries that will make you wonder whodunit

Daryl Wood Gerber Why did Daryl love this book?

Years ago, I met Gigi Pandian at a mystery conference. She is a gifted and spiritual woman. I adore her writing.

In this book, Zoe Faust, an alchemist, moves to the Northwest and discovers a stowaway in her luggage—a live gargoyle named Dorian who can cook French cuisine! Oh, man, wouldn’t you love to have a “familiar” that cooks?

Zoe moved, hoping to put her old life behind her, but she can’t when she discovers her new friend Dorian is turning to stone and only she can save him. 

This story is clever beyond words. FYI, Gigi is a gargoyle expert! If you meet her, ask to see her collection of photographs.

By Gigi Pandian,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Accidental Alchemist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Filled with magic, intrigue, and humor, this series is sure to delight fans of cozy mysteries and urban fantasy."―Bookriot

A chance for a new beginning in Portland, Oregon. A stowaway from Paris. Can alchemist Zoe Faust solve the mystery of an ancient book in time to save her new friend? Don't miss the first novel in the award-winning series from USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian!

Unpacking her belongings in her new fixer-upper house, alchemist Zoe Faust can't help but notice she's picked up a stowaway. Dorian Robert-Houdin is a living, breathing gargoyle―not to mention a master of French cuisine―and…


Book cover of The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen

George J. Siedel Author Of Seven Essentials for Business Success

From my list on leadership that doesn’t have “leadership” in the title.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I headed the Executive Education Center at the University of Michigan I had the opportunity to meet with many great leaders and observe them in action. I also enjoy interacting with faculty colleagues who conduct state-of-the-art research on leadership. Because of this experience, I believe that leaders are made, not born, and that reading biographies, psychological studies, philosophical commentary, histories, and fiction like the books on my list is one of the best ways to gain insight into what you need to become a great leader. 

George's book list on leadership that doesn’t have “leadership” in the title

George J. Siedel Why did George love this book?

This is the heartwarming and inspiring story of the journey a great chef took from serving as a lowly apprentice to becoming a leader in establishing new food traditions in America. I especially enjoyed the many funny stories about Pepin and his family. Warning: the book includes many of his favorite recipes that will cause hunger pangs as you read the book. 

By Jacques Pépin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Apprentice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this captivating memoir, the man whom Julia Child has called “the best chef in America” tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Award–winning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nation’s tastes in the bargain.

We see young Jacques as a homesick six-year-old boy in war-ravaged France, working on a farm in exchange for food, dodging bombs, and bearing witness as German soldiers capture his father, a fighter in the Resistance. Soon Jacques is caught up in the hurly-burly action of his…


Book cover of The Cooking of Provincial France

Clifford A. Wright Author Of A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

From my list on provincial French cooking for home cooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an independent research scholar, food writer, and cook who won the James Beard Cookbook of the Year award and the Beard Award for the Best Writing on Food in 2000 for A Mediterranean Feast. I have written 19 books, 17 of which are cookbooks, and two on politics and history. I wrote all the food entries for Columbia University's Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and the entry for tiramisu and other sweets in the Oxford Companion to Sweets. I have written articles on politics, military affairs, foreign policy, history, and botany.

Clifford's book list on provincial French cooking for home cooks

Clifford A. Wright Why did Clifford love this book?

The Time-Life Foods of the World series first published in the 1960s is hands down, to this day, the best books on the various cuisines of the world. Every book in the series is top-notch but the one on provincial French cooking was edited by the famous food writer M. F. K. Fisher. The book, as all in the series, is not written from a chef's point of view, but for the home cook. The recipes are classics and easily do-able by an even slightly competent home cook. They were originally sold as a box set consisting of a large book of text with several recipes and alluring photographs and a smaller spiral-bound book of recipes.

Book cover of Entertaining
Book cover of Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again
Book cover of The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

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