Cookbook Collecting and Reviews

Martin Yan is to Chinese as Julia Child is to French cooking. I stumbled upon this signed copy of Martin Yan The Chinese Chef Cookbook last week. I don't often see signed copies of his books online. Martin Yan's cookbooks are fairly mainstream and don't sell very well second hand. He evidently p...

Justin Wilson is a familiar name in the cookbook world. Avid collectors will know the name--it is synonomous with Louisiana Cajun cooking. Justin Wilson's Homegrown Louisiana Cookbook and Justin Wilson Gourmet and Gourmand are often available in used bookstores and sometimes can be found at a fl...

Bob Longhi is the owner of Longhi's--an acclaimed Italian restaurant in the town of Lahaina on Maui. Longhi's has won numerous awards and is known for its great atmosphere and its charismatic owner, Longhi. That atmosphere and memorable menu draw celebrity fans including James Coburn and Kareen ...

Joachim Splichal, founder of the Patina Restaurant Group known for his French-Californian cuisine has not taken the route of many of the award-winning chefs of this time. Some top chefs have turned their cooking into a franchise--producing as many as a cookbook a year. Splichal is unique in that...

Pierre Franey cookbooks are fairly mainstream in the world of used cookbooks. His books are sold mass-market as Franey was a popular French chef and known through his writings for the New York Times. I usually see a Pierre Franey book at least 2 of my 5 or 6 cookbook hunting days in the month. I...

Emeril Lagasse, top chef specializing in New Orleans Creole cuisine, has written many best-selling cookbooks (for both children and adults). His books retail new in the neighborhood of $20-$30. Many of his cookbooks are easy to find used or can be purchased for less online. I often come across E...

Chef Paul Prudhomme is a top chef known for his Cajun seasonings. He is sometimes mixed up with the actor Dom Deluise who also happens to author some cookbooks. The two have an amazing similarity. Like some of the other nationally-known TV chefs, Chef Paul's cookbooks are mainstream and are easy ...