Top 5 Types of Cookbooks to Avoid

In this video, I'll go over the top 5 trends and types of cookbooks that I don't think will help you become a better home chef. I try to review and approach books on if you will become a better cook or get new ideas out of it, and usually these types of books don't impact me in these ways.

[eldergeek]

If you're on the fence about a cookbook, try checking them out from the library.

[sugarwater]

I quite enjoyed Jamie Oliver's Instant Pot™ mandrake soup recipe, actually.

[kell_checks_in]

Julia Child was a cookbook author BEFORE the TV show started. In fact, she and Simca had already released volume two of Mastering..., I believe before the show started.

[QuirkyGirl]

You brought up some very good points, and while I generally avoid most of the types of cookbooks you mentioned, I do have some celebrity cookbooks, mostly from TV chefs. If I enjoy their shows and like their cooking, then I'm more prone to buy their books, as I already know what I'm getting.

[brennathompson]

Honestly, I love pop culture cookbooks. Cooking easily becomes tedious and uninspiring, but connecting it to a book/TV series /movie/video game I love makes me want to get in the kitchen

[selenasimmons]

Very good advice..As Im always adding to my cookbook collection I tend to stay away from the ones you pointed out in this video...but some of the celeb chefs do have classical training and are about cooking...so I do have some who are on TV..but not many

[markoantic.]

I love the gordon ramsay cookbook of meals to make under 30 minutes. Of course most of them I can't make under 30 minutes but I can make them and they are really good 👍

[SilentTrip]

the only diet book I have is a Crohn's disease cookbook. The recipes are nice, but the other info and tools to manage the disease were very helpful

[TenaciouslyTim]

I really enjoyed a lot of the recipes in both the star wars, elder scrolls and fallout cookbooks. There's plenty of novelty in them, but I would argue there's an equal amount of practical recipes that are both delicious and interesting

[mareneaufrance]

I've bought a couple of cookbooks hoping to find recipes that could help me. Since I found out that I have stage 3 chronic kidney disease and pre-diabetic, I have no idea what or how to cook. I'm used to my pop tarts and microwave meals. Anyhow, these cookbooks have ingredients I would never use. Also they are not easy. They have way too many ingredients and they don't look appetizing. I just found this channel, and enjoy watching it.

[MsPaulathomas]

Absolutely agree on most of this: the one exception I'd make on celebrity cookbooks is anything by Madah Jaffrey is worth buying if you like Indian or far eastern food.

[thomaspalmer]

Strongly disagree with the pop culture cookbooks. Obviously some are better than others, like if they brand themselves as Unofficial, then they're probably going to be cutesy fluff. But a lot of the Official cookbooks are genuinely good, and have some surprisingly diverse recipes in them. I own the Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Stardew Valley, and Avatar: The Last Airbender cookbooks, and they are all excellent. I've made several recipes Hell, the one that shocked me is the Sonic The Hedgehog cookbook contains THE BEST hot dog chili recipe I've ever had (I don't own that one, I saw the recipe in MisoHungrie's review and had to make it).

Also I wouldn't discount Youtuber chefs' books. Usually if you follow a specific Youtuber chef it's because you like the food that they specifically make. If it's actually their cookbook, then you're getting their recipes AND supporting their channel. I know Binging With Babish has a couple of excellent books, as does Korean chef Maangchii. Hell, B Dylan Hollis has one of the best cookbooks I've ever read, the only cookbook I've literally sat down and read cover to cover for the entertainment value.

[tylerlopez]

I agree with you about the pop culture books. I bought the One Piece cookbook, but knowing full well it's not Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. I'm a home cook who's a big fan of the show with some extra money to blow. I open it. like, 1-2 times a year; but I'm glad I got it.

[vtheory]

Damn, some of these cookbooks are the types that I liked to read and use.
Some 100 recipe cookbooks specifically for meal prep are super useful, same with dieting cookbooks for when I need high-protein meal ideas, and I even have a One Piece cookbook at home because I love the chef character from that show.

But I understand these cookbooks are probably not the most educational, and more for if you just need meal ideas (rather than actively trying to study cooking), or if you already know what you're doing and can make the recipes taste good by altering the recipe as you go.

[CH-sleq]

I would add avoiding books geared towards very experienced chefs and cooks such as Larousse Gastronomique or Silver Spoon. Fantastic books; I own both, but have never made anything from them at this point. However, The Professional Chef provides a wealth of useful information for people of any level. Silver Palate is probably my most used cookbook in terms of actual used recipes. It's literally falling apart from use.

[kitkatbites]

Please post more I count days till you post. Love!

[fistfullofboomstick]

I have been really enjoying your videos and think you are right on the money with your advice here. One celebrity cookbook i own is Fergus Henderson's complete nose to tail which is really great if you like his style of cooking which is a really straightforward take on nose to tail cooking in an english style. To be fair though maybe he isnt so much a celebrity chef as he is a chef that is pretty famous.

[jonny]

Well, a couple of things to share, but first; thanks for making and posting this video.

First, as a kid, I got two small paperback Charlie Brown cookbooks for kids, and I went off and running with them ! So, maybe for a kid who might already show an interest in cooking, those Star Wars, etc, might be a fun, nice, helpful gift idea.

Next, YES, please do avoid, or be careful with celebrity cookbooks. I was asked to be a part of one over where I live, with the understanding I could use one of my grandmother's depression era, quite delicious recipes in it. I was told yes, but after submitting the recipe, I was told no, and had a bunch of cookbooks checked out from the local library and asked to pick an easy one from there. I was told all the top celebrities involved with the book had done the same, and I should as well. I backed out. The guy still ended up using a photo of me in the book, so I got a lawyer involved, and the publishing company who were non the wiser regarding everything he'd done to get that book together, removed my photo from father printings. They also spent less money on future printings and canceled his second book they were planning on doing because the pre-sales for this one were off the chart.

[smb]

5 ingredients, 3 minutes, 4 steps.. Anne Burrell’s Cook like a Rockstar sounds cheesy but it’s tons of info. Batali’s cookbooks are also full of technique, tips, science and explanations. Sean Brock’s are dense but very, very good.

[shannonbutler-williams]

That exact indian pressure cooker book gave me the best recipe for butter chicken I've ever had, including in restaurants.