Are Cookbooks Still Relevant?

Several chefs debate the question

In today’s digital age, where recipes are just a click away on websites, apps and social media platforms, the question arises: Are cookbooks still relevant?

 

While it may seem that the convenience of online resources could make physical cookbooks obsolete, for many they remain a beloved tool in kitchens around the world, continue to have a place in modern cooking culture and still matter in an era dominated by technology.

 

For many, there’s something deeply comforting about holding a cookbook in your hands, flipping through its pages, and finding a recipe to try. Others view cookbooks not just as a collection of recipes, but as treasures, filled with stories, tips and personal anecdotes from the author, creating a connection that online resources can’t quite replicate.

 

Cookbooks can also become heirlooms, passed down through generations, often with notes scribbled in the margins of food-stained, dog-eared pages. They bring a sense of nostalgia and offer a physical connection to loved ones. A cookbook isn’t just a guide to cooking – it can also be a piece of history, culture and tradition.

 

Further, while the internet provides an almost endless supply of recipes, it can be overwhelming to sift through the vast amount of content available. Cookbooks, on the other hand, often feature carefully curated recipes by trusted chefs, food writers or experts. The quality control that comes with a cookbook’s editorial process means that the recipes have been tested, refined and organised for the reader’s ease, which reduces the guesswork often involved with randomly searching the web.

 

Some cookbooks often focus on a specific cuisine, technique or dietary preference which  allows for a deeper dive into a particular food culture or cooking method, something that can be more time consuming to achieve through generic search results online.

 

Cookbooks can also be a way to develop culinary skills, learning techniques that go beyond basic recipe-following. Many chefs and food writers share their expertise on topics like knife skills, seasoning techniques, flavour pairings, shortcuts and alternative ingredients which can elevate a cook’s ability and confidence in the kitchen.

 

Not everyone is convinced though. We asked a number of chefs, including several from Capsicum Culinary Studio, if cookbooks are still relevant, and here’s what they said.

 

Chef Charl Botha, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Cape Town campus: Yes, even if they become digital we will always have a need for a recipe book; it just makes it easier when a lot of your favourites are grouped together in one book. Cookbooks that have a specific style of cuisine help when planning a themed occasion. One of the first cookbooks I bought was Huisgenoot Wenresepte and I still use it. Most of the recipes in it are very old and have been tried and tested, so I have a trust relationship with the book knowing that whatever I make will come out great.

 

Chef Karsen Govender, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Durban campus:  I don’t think cookbooks are relevant these days as most recipes are available online and via YouTube guided videos. I used to have a meat cookbook which I found very informative on butchery and preparation methods, but now all that information is available on YouTube showing a step-by-step process which I think is more beneficial as people learn better from visual aids.

 

Jenny Morris (aka the Giggling Gourmet): For me cookbooks will always be relevant. I love the themes and stories and collections of recipes between the covers of a book. Books are traditional and I get so much enjoyment from turning the pages. I’m a tactile creature, so I love the feel of the paper. One of my first cookbooks was The Readers Digest South African Cookbook, it’s like a little black dress, you can use it for so many occasions. I still use it all the time. That and Larousse Gastronomique.

(Morris has released several cookbooks including Rude Food, Nude Food, Good Food, More Rude Food, Taste the World with Jenny Morris, Cooking with Jenny Morris, World Atlas of Food and Yumcious.)

 

Chef Kyron Bierman, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Durban campus: Yes and no. They are relevant to those who are home cooks and need some guidance for flavour profiling and balance, but they are less relevant to chefs who have studied and spent many hours developing a palate to find flavours and balance. Personally, I have not used a cookbook in three years. Prior to that, my go-to cookbook was Larousse Gastronomique by Auguste Escoffier, the man who revolutionised the chefs brigade and the flows in kitchen that we still use today. It was written as a cheat code for chefs and helped me create my own recipes and figure out plating concepts. I’d highly recommend it to any aspiring chef. 

 

Tapiwa Guzha, founder of Tapi Tapi Ice Cream Café, Cape Town: I think cookbooks can still be relevant depending on how they are written. Straightforward recipe books face intense pressure from the digital space where the method of presentation is far more exciting and far more responsive to contemporary shifts. I am more likely to engage in a book that is more of an anthology, a collection of human food stories and contributions that speak to the range and diversity versus one person’s distillation of what they think is important and representative of who they are speaking for. I do have websites that I find myself going back to and they mostly have an expansive idea of how to teach people to cook, and less of a prescriptive approach that is all about perfect replication.

 

Chef Melissa Collop, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Cape Town campus: Cookbooks allow readers to dive into cooking traditions and cultures and educate them at the same time. One of my first cookbooks was Cape Malay Cookbook by Faldela Williams, which I still use to this day. My favourite one though is Indian Delights by Zuleikha Mayat which is packed with classical and authentic recipes for a variety of Indian dishes.

 

Chef Lebo Mamabolo, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Pretoria campus: Even in the digital age cookbooks are still inspirational, relevant and useful. One of my first cookbooks was The Art of Bread Making by Jacques Pépin. I still have the book and use it every time I need to make a loaf of bread. I’m also a fan of Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals as I am a ‘let’s get in the kitchen and cook with love and get it done with’ kinda girl, and his 30 minute meals are my favourite.

 

Chef Wayne Oosthuizen, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Nelson Mandela Bay campus: There is nothing like having a cookbook that follows you around, becoming as broken and tattered as you are the further you get into your career. I’m currently writing my own cookbook that focuses on cooking for cancer patients. 

 

Last word from Hilary Biller, cookbook author and Sunday Times food editor: Definitely! You just have to look at sales of cookbooks, especially those written by the popular big chefs. And why would publishers keep on producing them if the market wasn’t hungry? Who can resist turning the pages of a beautiful cookbook and salivating over the mouthwatering images? For me it’s the best bedside reading. (Biller’s cookbooks include The Step-by-Step Cookbook, 101 Fuss-free Bakes, Fuss Free Braais and Great Meals Fast.)

 

So it seems that while online recipes and digital tools may have revolutionised the way we cook, cookbooks are far from obsolete. Their value lies in the depth of expertise, the personal connection and the physical experience they provide. They offer something that technology cannot always replicate: a sense of continuity, tradition and authenticity and serve as an indispensable source of inspiration, education and enjoyment. As long as people continue to cook for pleasure, family and tradition, cookbooks will remain relevant. Perhaps not for the sole purpose of finding a recipe, but as an irreplaceable part of the culinary journey.