Jay Rayner shares his favourite books
The journalist and food critic picks works by Nora Ephron, Fliss Freeborn and more

The writer and broadcaster chooses his top five food books. His first cookbook, "Nights Out At Home" – with recipes for favourite dishes collected over his 25 years as a restaurant critic – is out this week.
Roast Chicken and Other Stories
Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham, 1994
As I discovered when I came to write my own, good cookbooks aren’t just about great recipes. They are about tone, about the sense of a trustworthy, non-judgemental hand on your shoulder. Hopkinson’s book, arranged by ingredient, and beautifully illustrated rather than full of shiny photography, gets that just right.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Food of Sichuan
Fuchsia Dunlop, 2019
Dunlop has done more than almost anyone to widen our understanding of the breadth of Chinese food. This book, first published in 2001 and now reissued and updated, demystifies everything. With Dunlop as your guide, an eye-widening and delicious world of chillies, Sichuan peppercorns and fermented bean pastes opens up before you.
Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook
Melissa Thompson, 2022
Caribbean food has, for too long, been either ignored or characterised as monolithic and merely about a couple of familiar dishes such as jerk or rice and peas. Both are in this magnificent volume, which focuses on Jamaica – but there is so much more. Plus, there’s a deft narrative which moves it into the anthropology column.
Heartburn
Nora Ephron, 1983
Simply the funniest, smartest food-based novel ever written, by the co-writer of "When Harry Met Sally". It’s a true classic. Treat yourself. You’ll never look at a key lime pie in the same way again.
Do Yourself a Flavour
Fliss Freeborn, 2023
If you’re waving off a new student this year, this is the cookbook to give them. Too many student cookbooks are written by people for whom university life is a distant memory. Freeborn is not long graduated. More importantly, she is a brilliant writer full of wit, vigour and insight.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Harvard sues Trump over frozen grant money
Speed Read The Trump administration withheld $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts after Harvard rejected its demands
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump tariffs place trucking industry in the crosshairs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the White House barrels ahead with its massive tariff project, American truckers are feeling the heat from a global trade war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
7 tranquil hotels worth the (sometimes extreme) trek
The Week Recommends Find serenity off the beaten path
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thriller
The Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
By The Week UK
-
6 must-see homes in Boston
Feature Featuring a factory-turned-loft in South Boston and a wraparound roof deck in South End
By The Week US
-
Cartier at the V&A: a 'dazzling' show
The Week Recommends A 'once-in-a-lifetime' display of the French jeweller's 'exquisite' objects
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expression
The Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
By The Week UK
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
By The Week UK