Best Restaurant & Food Industry Books of 2026

The "Simple and Delicious Vegan" cookbook by Michaela Vais, aka ElaVegan, is a must-have for anyone looking to add more plant-based meals to their diet. With 100 vegan and gluten-free recipes, this cookbook offers innovative ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The recipes are easy to follow and use simple ingredients that are healthy, allergy-friendly, and good for the planet. The author's expertise in plant-based cooking shines through in this beautifully photographed cookbook. Overall, "Simple and Delicious Vegan" is a great addition to any cookbook collection and a perfect choice for those looking to embrace sustainable living while enjoying delicious food.

Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar is a #1 New York Times Bestseller and regarded as the best business narrative ever written. It tells the story of the fall of RJR Nabisco, the largest takeover in Wall Street history, marked by brazen displays of ego and the ruthless style of finance in the 1980s. The book is a masterpiece of investigative journalism, written with the bravado of a novel, and includes a new afterword by the authors. It is a valuable cautionary tale that must be heeded, and a fascinating inside story of greed and glory.

The Art of Natural Cheesemaking by David Asher is a refreshing take on cheesemaking that emphasizes natural and intuitive techniques, ecological principles, and biological science. The book covers everything from sourcing good milk and making bacterial starter cultures to avoiding plastic equipment and chemical additives. It also provides specific recipes and handling advice for various types of cheese, fully illustrated with hand-drawn diagrams and triptych photos. What makes this book unique is its political stance against Big Dairy, promoting the use of ethical animal rennet and criticizing both standard industrial and artisanal cheesemaking practices. Overall, this is an informative and thought-provoking read for home and small-scale commercial cheesemakers alike.

The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming is a comprehensive guide to sustainable and profitable farming. The authors, Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene, share their low-tech, high-yield production methods that have made their micro-farm a thriving business. The book covers everything from designing biologically intensive cropping systems to effective weed and pest management. It's a must-read for anyone interested in starting a small-scale organic farm. The Market Gardener is unique because it focuses on growing better, not bigger, and proves that a living wage can be made without big capital outlay or acreages.

A Bold Return to Giving a Damn is a memoir-meets-manifesto that tells the story of Will Harris, a fourth-generation farmer who inherited a highly profitable, conventionally-run farm. However, he found himself disgusted with the excess, cruelty, and smalltown devastation this system entailed. So he bet the farm on forging a different way of doing things. In this book, Harris urges readers to consider where their food comes from and re-connect to the places and people who raise what we eat each day. A Bold Return to Giving a Damn offers a unique perspective on regenerative agriculture and the future of food.

The Fish That Ate the Whale is a captivating biography of Samuel Zemurray, a banana mogul who went from being a penniless roadside banana peddler to a powerful figure in the corporate world. Rich Cohen's well-researched book sheds light on Zemurray's monumental and sometimes dastardly life, from hustling on the docks of New Orleans to overthrowing Central American governments. The book is a page-turner that unveils Zemurray as a hidden power broker, driven by an indomitable will to succeed. Overall, The Fish That Ate the Whale is a must-read for anyone interested in business biographies and American history.

Fast Food Nation is a New York Times bestseller that exposes how the fast food industry has shaped America's landscape, widened the gap between rich and poor, fueled obesity, and transformed food production worldwide. Eric Schlosser's investigative journalism is impressive, mixing statistics, reportage, first-person accounts, and interviews, and offers visionary glints. This book has changed the way millions of people think about what they eat and helped launch today's food movement. Schlosser's research is alarming but not alarmist, and his writing is thoughtful and spare, making this book a must-read for those who want to understand the impact of fast food on society.

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us is a compelling investigation into the processed food industry. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss, the book delves into how companies like Kraft, Coca-Cola, and Nestlé have formulated their products to be addictive and how they market them to consumers. With eye-opening research and insights from insiders, Moss reveals how the industry has contributed to the obesity epidemic in America. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the food industry and its impact on our health.

Metabolical: The truth about processed food and how it poisons people and the planet is a thought-provoking book that exposes the dangers of processed food. Dr Robert Lustig provides a compelling argument that our addiction to processed food is the leading cause of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, cancer, and dementia. He offers a doable plan for individuals and society to restore health and wellbeing by returning to unprocessed food. The book's unique perspective on the relationship between processed food and health makes it a must-read for anyone interested in their well-being.