The cuisine of Eastern Europe is, increasingly, receiving the recognition it deserves thanks to passionate cooks and authors eager to share their ancestry, culinary traditions and love for this biodiverse landscape. Several cookbooks published this spring – Alissa Timoshkina’s Kapusta, Irina Georgescu’s Danube, and Caroline Eden’s Green Mountains out this April – have caught the eye of our Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, because they shine a light on its diverse peoples, their stories and the eclectic heritage of their food.

LUGMA, meaning ‘a bite’ in Arabic, is an utterly inviting new cookbook from Bahraini-British chef and author Noor Murad.  Our Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, reviews a book filled with evocative recipes that transport you to a haven of dried limes, spice, chilli heat, steaming rice, and the aromatic scent of incense.

Great British Menu Book – A cookbook celebrating the 20th series with a selection of dishes that made it to the banquets over the years and ones that were incredible that didn’t quite get there. Our co-founder Mecca Ibrahim spoke to the show’s Series Producer Avril Beaven who collated all of the 80 recipes for the book and worked on the production of this stunning book.

Agak Agak – Everyday Recipes from Singapore – is the second cookbook by Shu Han Lee. Our co-founder Mex Ibrahim knew Shu from the times when Mex commissioned recipes for Great British Chefs, so it was with great pleasure to attend a launch of Shu’s book which included a demo of recipes at, so it was with great pleasure to attend a launch of Shu’s book which included a demo of recipes at Divertimenti cookery school.

A Woman’s Place Is In The Kitchen – the long-awaited memoir of British culinary star Sally Abé is out this June and it’s a searingly honest account of a young cook’s ascent to the top of the restaurant industry. Following in the vein of Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, Sally’s grit and determination to succeed shines through every sentence, intensifying as she faces hostile situations and a brutal working environment.  Our Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, reviews Sally’s debut book.

Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, spends a weekend cooking from Anna Haugh’s newly released cookbook – Cooking with Anna: : Modern Home Cooking with Irish Heart. Anna has created a wonderful debut cookbook that will expand any family cook’s repertoire with a light touch.

Plant Feasts – Frankie Paz’s debut cookbook (published by Nourish Books / Watkins 9th April 2024) is reviewed by Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and TV Producer, Antonia Lloyd, who talks candidly with Frankie about her overcoming drug addiction and then appearing on Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Challenge for Channel 4.

Recipes for a Better Menopause is a new book from award-winning chef, Jane Baxter working together with nutrition expert Dr Federica Amati, who is head nutritionist at ZOE.  Taking scientific research and combining with super-tasty, nourishing recipes, the two women have produced a book that will help to harness the power of food to optimise your health. Our co-founder Mecca Ibrahim spoke to Jane Baxter at the tail end of 2023 before she made an appearance on Saturday Kitchen to cook a recipe from the book.

Since 2014 Luminary Bakery has offered courses, work experience and paid employment within their cafes in London, empowering women to build their careers. Now the organisation has published its first cookery book – Rising Hope. A collection of over 70 delicious recipes each accompanied with heartwarming, joyful and inspiring story. Our co-founder Mecca Ibrahim caught up with co-authors Rachel Stonehouse and Kaila H. Johnson to discover more about the book.