Jenny Chandler

Food writer

Jenny's recommendations

A Book of Middle Eastern Food

Claudia Roden

The first cook book I really read and still dive into regularly, 30 years later. All Claudia Roden's books are inspirational but this opened up an entirely new world of food and culture not just to me but to the British nation.

Leith's Cookery Bible

Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave

My trusty go-to guide for all the basics and classics, also a great reminder of my training many years ago.

Jane Grigson's Fruit Book

Jane Grigson

Grigson's writing is glorious, I'd love to have The Vegetable Book on my list too, but this is the most dog-eared of the two which says it all.

Mediterranean Seafood

Alan Davidson

A brilliantly researched, incredibly thorough guide that was absolutely indispensable to me as a cook on a yacht based in the Med'. North Atlantic Seafood is wonderful too.

Moro: The Cookbook

Samantha Clark and Samuel Clark

The fabulously relaxed style of these recipes changed the way I cook. Moorish, that Hispanic/Arabic flavour suddenly felt so accessible.

La Cocina Doméstica de Pedro Subijana

Pedro Subijana

Down to earth recipes from one of the greatest Spanish chefs. It's not really a classic collection, there's plenty of French influence (he's a BasqueCountry chef after all) it's just modern Spanish food that I really want to eat.

A Change of Appetite

Diana Henry

So difficult to chose which of Diana's books I love the most but this collection of "accidentally healthy" recipes is perhaps my favourite. A million miles away from all the "clean" eating trends, this is fabulously tasty food that we guzzle as a family with no sense of deprivation.