Cookbook Presenters

Our Cookbook Presenters will each be featured at a special ticketed event. More details as to exact schedule of these food events will be announced by June 30th.

COOKBOOK PRESENTERS

Maureen Abood

Maureen Abood has helped the world’s Lebanese-food-loving community cook and eat this vibrant Mediterranean cuisine. Growing up in a large family in Michigan, Abood learned to master Lebanese cuisine and cherish its stories while also studying literature and attending culinary school in San Francisco. Her new book, Lebanese Baking, is the follow-up to her award-winning cookbook, Rose Water & Orange Blossoms: Fresh & Classic Recipes from My Lebanese Kitchen. Her website—MaureenAbood.com—and her social channels are beloved for her trusted recipes made easy, tips, ingredients, and her deep personal connections to family, food, and memories.

  • Savor the rich, multilayered baking traditions of Lebanon with this definitive compendium from Award–winning writer Maureen Abood.

    Maureen Abood’s authoritative cookbook celebrates the delicious baked goods of Lebanon with traditional recipes and Lebanese American innovations. Indulge in Baklawa Diamonds, Triple Chocolate Baklawa, and Baklawa Cheesecake. Bake Chocolate Pistachio Knafeh Bars, Zalabia Donuts, or Orange Blossom Caramel Pecan Rolls. Delight in Mocha Cardamom Snack Cakes, Turmeric Tea Cake, or Pomegranate Mousse Cake with Lime Icing. Enjoy Fig Crescents, Raspberry Rose Water Macarons, White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies, and Glazed Ka’ak Shortbread. For something savory, tuck into Kale and Feta Fatayer, Muhammara Manakeesh, and Za’atar Croissants. Learn how to simplify and streamline, with time-saving tips for preparing baklawa and how to make saj bread (with and without a dome oven).

    Gorgeous food photography highlights the warmth of Maureen’s kitchen, and helpful process shots guide you, step by step, through tricky techniques. Recipe variations include vegan and nut-free options, and a helpful glossary and pronunciation guide round out this mouthwatering collection.

David Nayfeld

David Nayfeld worked with some of the best chefs in the world before co-creating Back Home Hospitality and opening the group’s first restaurant, Che Fico, in San Francisco, which was named one of the best new restaurants in America by Bon Appétit and Esquire. He is also the chef and co-owner of Che Fico Parco Menlo, il Mercato di Che Fico, and Che Fico Pizzeria, and was Star Chefs’ 2019 Rising Star Chef. Most recently, Nayfeld was named a semi-finalist for the 2023 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef.

  • I am a professional chef. I’ve spent twenty-seven of my forty years in some of the best kitchens in the world. . . . And still, when my daughter, Helena, asks, “Dad, what’s for dinner?” it gets me every time.

    This is a book for dads (and moms, and grandparents, and caregivers, and anyone else who needs to get dinner on the table without cooking the same old thing again). It’s a book that believes “kids’ food” can, and should, mean more than just buttered noodles or chicken fingers. In its pages, chef David Nayfeld translate his decades of professional expertise into something that all parents can use to become more confident and creative in the kitchen, and better able to care for their toughest customers—their kids. 

    The result is a collection of more than eighty hearty, good-for-you recipes the whole family will love, from Italian Sausage and Broccolini Lasagna to The Best Fricking Meatloaf in the World; from Tomato and Bread Salad (it still counts as a salad!) to Cuppycakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

    Nayfeld’s goal is to empower home cooks, giving them the tools, strategies (the wonders of batch-cooking!), and recipes to break a reliance on frozen foods and takeout. It’s a book that helps to bring families together at the dinner table and to raise more adventurous eaters. And, most of all, it’s a book that answers the all-important question: Dad, what’s for dinner? (or lunch, or breakfast, or . . .)

Alix Traeger

Photo Credit: Alex Stone

Alix Traeger is a self-taught cook, recipe creator, video producer, YouTuber, podcaster & digital creator with over 2 million social media followers. Traeger was a pioneer in the success and virality of Buzzfeed Tasty, serving as a lead producer and host; her videos helped skyrocket the platform into the world’s largest food social network at the time. Traeger is the author of debut cookbook, Scratch That: Embrace the Mess, Cook to Impress.

  • Make magic (and maybe a little bit of chaos) in the kitchen with more than 100 recipes from online sensation Alix Traeger! 
     
    If mistakes are for learning from in life, why should the kitchen be any different? 
     
    If you’ve ever added salt to your cookie dough instead of sugar or set off the smoke detector while searing on the stovetop, you are not alone! Internet darling Alix Traeger grew up going viral with BuzzFeed Tasty hands & pans videos—so she’s been there and done that. But unlike so many online perfectionists, she believes in letting your blunders lead the way! 
      
    Alix’s long-awaited debut cookbook, Scratch That, is filled with creative, delicious, decadent recipes—many of which were born from her signature process of trial and error. These recipes are fun and approachable: The book is organized into recognizable categories such as Weekend Breakfast (best served after sleeping in), Dips, Snacks, and Apps (for a party or a party of one), Sweet Treats (for your sweet tooth), and more. Standouts include her soon-to-be-famous Banana Pudding Banana Bread, shareable Sizzled Scallion–Stuffed Flatbread, snackable Potato Chip Onion Rings, go-to Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma, and tastes-as-good-as-it-looks Heirloom Tomato & Potato Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette—perfect for spicing up your feed. Best of all, every single recipe shares a piping HOT TIP from Alix to help you avoid or fix common cooking errors—all of which she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! You’re sure to find plenty of new favorites, and as long as you laugh through the (potentially) messy process, you’re doing it right! 

    Perfect for fans of Buzzfeed’s Tasty cookbooks or her viral tiktok recipes, Alix Traeger’s Scratch That brings a fresh perspective to home cooking that celebrates both successes and failures. The ultimate cookbook for beginners, it offers over 100 approachable recipes alongside practical tips for avoiding (or fixing) common kitchen mishaps. Anyone in search of fun cookbooks will enjoy Traeger’s signature blend of humor and practicality that prove making mistakes in the kitchen isn’t just okay – it’s part of the process!