4 cookbooks for inspired menus

Making room on your shelf for a new addition can pay off when it comes to menu inspiration. Here, foodservice directors share the books that elevated their menuing to the next level. 

1. “The Science of Good Cooking” by Cook’s Illustrated

“I am more of a science- than art-oriented person, and like to know why something works,” says Julie Boettger, director of food and nutrition services at School City of Hammond in Indiana. “It was exciting to me to find out why adding the butter to mashed potatoes before the milk made them fluffier. I am more likely to do something if I understand why I need to follow the directions in a certain order.”

2. “Essential Pepin” by Jacques Pepin

Chef Jason Everett, a Chartwells K-12 foodservice director at Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, Conn., relies on this cookbook as an ongoing resource. “From cooking techniques and a genuine passion for all things food, [it] inspires me daily to create a unique culinary experience for our students,” he says.

3. “The French Laundry Cookbook” by Thomas Keller 

“The French Laundry reminds us that the ingredients should be respected and honored in the preparation of a meal,” says Matt Rogers, resident district manager at University of North Carolina-Wilmington. “Something as simple as a fava bean should be prepared and cooked in a manner that highlights the flavor and depth of the bean, rather than being lost in an overpowering sauce or seasoning.”

4. “Apples of Uncommon Character” by Rowan Jacobsen

“We were inspired by the information and recipes in Jacobsen’s book, and created an Applefest promotion for our guests last fall,” says Jim Dodge, director of specialty culinary programs at Bon Appétit Management Company in Palo Alto, Calif. “Our chefs worked with farmers to source unique local apples, and created apple-inspired dishes that highlighted the fruit’s versatility and diverse flavors.”

Plus one: “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan

Though it’s not a cookbook per se, a friend recommended this book to Kenneth Chadwick, director of dining services at American University in Washington, D.C., and it affected him personally as well as professionally. “It is a book that will challenge you as a foodservice professional, and will make you reassess what our responsibility towards the food system is,” he says. “[It] was a key piece of an overall lifestyle change that I have adopted since I arrived at AU.” Chadwick started a vegan diet more than two years ago, and since has lost 120 pounds and has eliminated his cholesterol and blood pressure medication.