Bestselling Books By Beloved Celebrity Chefs That Will Make You Fall Harder for Food This Chef Appreciation Week

Food isn’t always pretty. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, it’s about working hard, making mistakes, and learning from them. But when it’s good, it’s a little bit of magic: a perfect bite that takes you somewhere else entirely. Chef Appreciation Week 2025 (September 7 through September 13, 2025) is that rare chance to tip a hat and acknowledge the cooks who make it all happen. Whether Michelin-starred or modestly homegrown, chefs are the unsung alchemists of our time, turning the ordinary into the sublime.

Here’s a list of books that’ll take you behind the scenes and remind you why food matters, written by chefs who know exactly what they’re talking about.

1. No Reservations by Anthony Bourdain

No Reservations is rockstar globe-trotting chef Anthony Bourdain's blood, sweat, and tears. But more than that, it’s a brutal love letter to the world’s kitchens: the dingy, the celebrated, the forgotten. The late chef takes you to far corners, where the food is rough, authentic, and human. If you want to understand that eating well is about experience, culture, and guts, not just pristine plating, this is your ticket.

2. Kitchen Secrets by Sanjeev Kapoor

Sanjeev Kapoor is one of the earliest celebrity chefs in India, and the first chef to have a fan following on television. Kitchen Secrets is a set of 5 books with traditional Indian cooking techniques every home chef should know. This masterchef doesn't believe in gatekeeping secrets of culinary greatness.

3. Everyone Can Cook by Vikas Khanna

Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna’s Everyone Can Cook cuts through the bullshit. No elitism, no overly complicated techniques—just good food for anyone willing to roll up their sleeves. It’s simple, smart, and rooted in the belief that cooking is for everyone, not just the pros.

4. Mastering The Art Of French Cooking by Julia Child

Julia Child was a force. Her bestseller doesn’t treat you like a dim bulb. Instead, she invites you into the sacred world of butter, wine reductions, and perfect soufflés. The book takes you by the hand and says, “Yes, you can do this at home, and it’ll be worth it.” It’s the French kitchen reimagined for anyone brave enough to try.

5. Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

The handsome Jamie Oliver is that optimistic mate who says, “Come on, mate, it doesn’t have to take all day.” His 15-Minute Meals is for those of us who want great food without the pretence and the endless waiting. Fresh, simple, fast, and no-nonsense. It’s food made for living.

6. How To Eat by Nigella Lawson

Nigella doesn’t just teach you recipes. She teaches you how to approach food with desire and abandon. How To Eat is an ode to indulgence, comfort, and honest pleasure. Forget calorie counting... this is about feeling the flavour, enjoying every bite, and not giving a damn about guilt.

Chef Appreciation Week is celebrated globally as a nod to the men and women behind the stove who dedicate their lives to creating the food we love. So, pick up these books and cook your heart out. Then, go down to your favourite restaurant and pay your compliments to the overworked, unappreciated chef there!

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