Food writer
It's not really “new” anymore, and food snobs will probably sneer, but I love this book for the fact that it covers so many basics so well. It's my go-to when giving housewarming and wedding presents because I believe that more people would cook if they were comfortable with the basics, especially when those recipes are mostly foolproof.
Chef
As a child, I used to flip through my Mom's copy (which I now have) from front to back, enthralled.
Executive Chef, Eat First