Not every restaurant cookbook captures the spirit of its kitchen—but this one does. The food at King, a small New York City restaurant opened in 2016, is grounded in home cooking traditions from Italy, France, and England. The recipes feel personal, shaped by experience and intuition, not just technique. Written by Clare de Boer, Jess Shadbolt, and Annie Shi, the book is one of the rare restaurant volumes that doesn’t ask home cooks to compromise. It encourages thoughtful cooking—less about speed, more about rhythm—with dishes that range from familiar to quietly surprising: Ribollita, pot-au-feu, and other cold-weather staples Pork chops roasted with cherries, thyme, and prosciutto Fava beans braised in milk Carta di musica, King’s signature flatbread, with a chapter of its own Rabbit, with guidance for stewing, frying, or tucking it into a pie Huckleberry galette and Pernod semifreddo Illustrated sequences walk readers through key techniques, including shaping fresh pasta, searing steak, and breaking down a rabbit. These drawings echo the restaurant’s minimalist aesthetic while making the recipes more approachable. A section of seasonal menus rounds out the book, reflecting the restaurant’s daily practice of writing menus by hand and building meals around what’s best right now. This is a cookbook for people who like to cook: those who find satisfaction in the process and don’t mind dishes that ask for attention. Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.
