Mastering Spice (Potter)

The Svengali of spice Lior Lev Sercarz is at it again! His third cookbook proves why restaurants Daniel, Le Bernardin, Momofuku, Oleana and more keep returning to him as one of the country’s foremost experts on combining the right spices. The book showcases how the perfect spice blend can take straightforward recipes like chicken soup, meatballs, and brownies—yes, even brownies—from ordinary to sublime. You will never look at a peppercorn the same way again.

Pastry Love (Houghton Mifflin House)

James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Joanne Chang’s latest cookbook is a love letter to sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) everywhere, with inspired new recipes like Dulce de Leche Brioche Buns and Ginger-Peach Crumb Cake. If you’re looking to take your Thanksgiving pie or holiday cookie game to the next level, this is the book to buy.

Dishoom: From Bombay With Love (Bloomsbury)

Calling all travelers and Indian food lovers: London’s favorite Indian restaurant Dishoom has made its whimsical, though-provoking cookbook debut. Of course, there are recipes for Dishoom classics, as well as advice sections on making the perfect naan at home, but the book’s most lovable pages are the informative essays about experiencing Bombay through food, such as “A Gentle Stroll On Chowpatty At Sunset, With Plentiful Snacks,” or “Second Dinner In and Around the Crowded Mohammed Ali Road.”

A Place at the Table (Prestel)

A Place at the Table is a gorgeous, moving (not to mention delicious) celebration of foreign-born chefs and their contributions to contemporary American cuisine. Recipes from Marcus Samuelsson, Dominique Crenn, Daniele Soto-Innes and more are presented side-by-side with highly personal profiles highlighting these chefs’ compelling stories about making it in the food world. With 2020 on the horizon, it could be the most important cookbook you buy this year, or any year.