The world’s best food writing books 2022: Culinary getaways in India, the Baltics and more

Post Covid, travel is back on the agenda. The latest figures from IATA show that global air traffic had returned to 73% of its pre-crisis level – but for anyone looking to satisfy their wanderlust by flying away this summer, it may have been a painful experience…

Airport chaos, mile long queues (i.e. if your flight hasn’t been canceled), Russian roulette of loss luggage, it’s understandable that not everyone is ready to squeeze into an economy seat just yet. But there’s a way to get a taste of faraway places without having to leave the warmth of your kitchen.

During the pandemic, the kitchen was a place of safety and sustenance, far from the catastrophic loop of the pandemic. The big stay at home has encouraged people to get creative with what’s in their kitchen, to venture beyond the microwave and ’15 minute’ recipes; to slow down and enjoy spending more time cooking.

As people sought escapism and inspiration, sales of novels and cookbooks skyrocketed during the pandemic. Consequently, a new recipe book trend has emerged – a book that can take you away from it all and immerse you in an entirely different (and possibly new) food culture.

These cookbooks, written or published during or since the pandemic are much more than collections of recipes. They take you away from everything and deliver you, metaphorically, to the Himalayas, the Baltic countries, from Malaysia to Romania. They’ll tell you that you’ll be better informed about the world – and they’ll also teach you delicious new cooking tricks.

How we tested

We rated the books on their ability to take readers on an edible journey and introduce them to a less familiar culinary culture and cuisine. We also took into account the quality of the prose (we were looking for books that were a good and solid read), the level of research undertaken and the quality of the photography, as well as the recipes: their “interest”, their good functioning and how much we enjoyed eating them.

The best culinary escape books for 2022 are: