Who is which cookbook for?
Reader types, each with their own kitchen and habits. For every book they say how well it fits you, on a scale of 0 to 5, which recipe to start with, and why.
Entries written by CookCook with AI from the recipes in each book; the numbers come from our own analysis of the recipes.
- Wine lover and Italophile
Every page calls for a bottle
Cooks in order to drink and travels to Italy in their head. Judges a cookbook by what can be opened alongside it.
29 books
- Vegan health foodie
Plant-based, fresh and fuss-free
Eats plant-based and reads labels. Hunts every book for the recipes that work without animal products, and counts how many are left.
29 books
- Quick weeknight cook
Thirty minutes, one pan
Cooks on a Tuesday night between work and bed. A recipe must be done in half an hour, from groceries that are already in.
29 books
- Old-school meat lover
Meat, fire and patience
Believes a meal revolves around meat. Judges a book by its braises, its grilling and its butcher cuts.
29 books
- Fitness-minded
Protein, meal prep, no excuses
Trains four times a week and cooks on Sunday for the whole week. Counts protein, not calories, and wants to know what goes in the fryer.
29 books
- Light and healthy
Light, colourful, balanced
Eats healthily but socially: lots of vegetables, colour on the plate, and the occasional cake without guilt. A book has to cover your lunch and your Friday night.
29 books
- Beginner
Has never fried anything
Is just starting to cook and wants a book that holds their hand. Long ingredient lists and jars they do not know yet are a hurdle.
29 books
- Parent of young kids
Has to survive a toddler and a late dinner
Cooks for children who do not want chilli and adults who do want some flavour. A recipe has to reheat well and be eaten with the hands.
29 books
- Student on a budget
One pan, little money
Counts ingredients and euros. A book is good when the basics are cheap and the jars you have to buy last a year.
29 books
- Flavour maximalist
Chilli, anchovy and lemon on everything
Wants flavour that hits: sour, salt, fire, umami in one bite. A tame caprese is a waste of the page.
29 books
- Traveller
Tastes the city before arriving
Buys cookbooks as travel guides. Wants the market, the street food and the stories behind the recipes, and recognises a place by a dish.
29 books
- New-flavour explorer
Something unfamiliar on every page
Buys a book to learn ingredients and techniques they do not know yet. A familiar dish with an unfamiliar twist is exactly right.
29 books
- Home cook
Gets a little better every year
Loves cooking and works on technique: own stock, dough, a proper braise. Not a professional, but someone who sees an hour at the stove as relaxation.
29 books
- Restaurant lover
Wants to eat out at home
Eats out often and knows the chefs. Buys a cookbook to recreate last week's dish, plating included.
29 books
- Low carb
Few carbs, lots of flavour
Leaves bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and sugar alone. Hunts every book for the recipes that work without them, and the clever swaps.
29 books
- Flexitarian
Mostly vegetarian, most of the time
Eats vegetarian during the week and good meat or fish now and then at the weekend. Wants a book where vegetables take the lead without it becoming a rule.
29 books