Need inspiration for fall cooking? Grab these 3 cookbooks

"San Francisco-based chef Melissa King, known for winning an All-Stars season of Top Chef, is the author behind Cook Like a King: Recipes From my Chinese California Kitchen, (Ten Speed Press, $40), in which she shares 120 mouthwatering recipes inspired by her life. The daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, King grew up in southern California, learning to cook in her family's kitchen, before going on to the Culinary Institute of America after college."

"From there, she found her way to San Francisco, working in Michelin-starred kitchens, including as a saucier under Chef Dominique Crenn. She continued to develop her culinary style, finding new ways to, for instance, incorporate her Southern Californian love for Mexican cuisine with her passion for Italian fare following stints at renowned restaurants. Eventually, she competed on Season 12 of Top Chef, then went on to win as an All-Star on Season 17."

"The goal of this book is to empower home cooks at any level, to show that you really can make Hainan chicken that would impress a Chinese grandma and lobster wontons that will impress your friends. King writes. I want you to feel the pride I feel when I feed my friends and see their faces light up, and the joy of watching them fight for the last bites."

Three new cookbooks showcase recipes from California culinary leaders, ranging from a Top Chef winner to a keeper of a San Francisco restaurant legacy and a former newspaper food editor. San Francisco-based chef Melissa King shares 120 recipes inspired by Chinese California roots, family traditions, and professional training at the Culinary Institute of America and Michelin-starred kitchens. Recipes range from smoky tea eggs and King's Wings to chicken and ginseng bone broth with goji berries and salted egg yolk Basque cheesecake. The collection emphasizes accessible techniques that empower home cooks of any level to reproduce impressive dishes like Hainan chicken and lobster wontons. The tone blends playful creativity with respect for heritage and technique.

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