Third Culture Cooking is American Cooking: Multicultural, borrowing from our parents and their parents’ homes, melding the old with the new, and the familiar with the unfamiliar to create bold flavors and new classics for the next generation of cooks
The food that author Zaynab Issa cooks—inspired by her East African and South Asian roots, the American suburban delights she grew up eating, and her international travels—is packed with unique and flavorful riffs. The traditional foods of Zaynab’s family are reflected here—from her grandmother’s Baklava to her sister-in-law’s Biryani—as are her affectionate homages to the chain restaurants we love: Fluffy cinnamon rolls that rival Cinnabon’s, Baskin Robbins–inspired almond fudge squares, and an artichoke dip that recalls TGiF delights that will make you want to stay in. The mix of ingredients and styles, influences and techniques is spectacularly, distinctly, uniquely American: perfect for curious, modern cooks hungry for exciting food. These are bold flavors and new classics for the next generation of cooks.
Recipes include:
- Samosas Two Ways
- French Onion Ramen
- Tandoori Tacos
- Smashed Black Bean Burgers
- Udon Carbonara
- Spiced Short Ribs and Potatoes
- Chocolate Cake with Chai Buttercream
- Salted Brown Butter Pancakes
- Almond Mocha Brownies
- and many more!
Praise
“It is not every day that you open a cookbook and can't find a single recipe you don't want to eat. In fact, I don't know if I ever have...until now. Zaynab's food is a lot of things–intentional, smart, storied, beautiful–and above all else, divinely delicious. She is the kind of cook that simply ‘gets it’ and this book is a very clear testament to that. In Zaynab Issa we trust.”
—Molly Baz, author of Cook this Book and More Is More
“Third Culture Cooking is my new book for instant inspiration. Each page holds either something I haven’t learned or a new take on a comfort classic. Issa is the one who (famously!!) brought green chutney into my life, and now I can say she’s given me 100 more things that I am excited to get on my table.”
—Justine Doiron, author of Justine Cooks
“It should be no surprise to me that Zaynab has created a cookbook that is at once a work of art and extremely approachable—and yet here I am, gasping in awe with every turn of a page. Delicious, drop dead gorgeous and deeply down-to-earth, this book is both the girl I want to be and the girl I want to be best friends with, just like Zaynab herself. I guess some girls really can do it all! And now, so can we.”
—Dan Pelosi, New York Times bestselling author of Let's Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart and Home
“Zaynab Issa’s debut book captures the joy and passion she pours into her cooking. Third Culture Cooking transcends the traditional cookbook, offering not just recipes but a narrative of culinary identity and heritage. It’s a thoughtful and innovative collection that invites readers on a voyage through flavors and stories, appealing to the spirit and the palate of any curious cook.”
—Andy Baraghani, New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award winning author of The Cook You Want
“Zaynab beautifully weaves her multicultural heritage into Third Culture Cooking, offering a collection of recipes that reflect both her personal journey and the rich culinary traditions she embodies. Her passion for making cooking more accessible to all shines through, reminding us that food is not just nourishment, but a powerful way to connect with our roots, share stories, and build community.”
—Nasim Alikhani, author and chef-founder of Sofreh
"Zaynab has delved deep into her personal history, of interwoven continents and culinary traditions, to create recipes that are steeped in tradition yet fully modern, and immediately craveable."
—Chris Morocco, food director at Bon Appétit and Epicurious
“Zaynab is the ultimate tastemaker. Her personal style, thoughtfulness, and culinary flair appear on every page of her book. Also, the sensitivity with which she approaches her multiple cultures and influences makes for a beautiful cookbook.”
—Kerry Diamond, founder of Cherry Bombe
"In her debut cookbook, Zaynab Issa weaves together her personal history and culinary traditions with ease, intention, and impeccable style. The recipes, images, and narrative laced through the pages of Third Culture Cooking will draw you in—and pull you straight to the kitchen."
—Rebekah Peppler, author of Le SUD, À Table, and Apéritif
“Third Culture Cooking is a cookbook of reverence and revelry. For Zaynab, the flavors of the past and present are inseparable. Her recipes—stunningly portrayed, boldly unapologetic, and refreshingly modern—inspire us to reconsider what American food can and should be: personal, nostalgic, and communal.”
—Sue S. Chan, founder, Care of Chan
