📖 Overview
Amanda Hesser is an American food writer, cookbook author, and entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and CEO of Food52, a pioneering food and cooking website launched in 2009.
During her career as a food writer for The New York Times, Hesser wrote over 750 stories and served as food editor for the New York Times Magazine. Her influential work includes compiling and testing more than 1,400 recipes for The Essential New York Times Cookbook, published in 2010.
Prior to Food52, she authored several acclaimed books including Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover's Courtship, with Recipes and The Cook and the Gardener. Her writing style combines detailed cooking instruction with personal narrative and historical context.
Hesser's impact on food media extends beyond traditional publishing - through Food52 she helped create a new model of culinary content that blends commerce, community and editorial. She has been recognized by publications like Forbes and Time Magazine for her entrepreneurial achievements in digital food media.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate Hesser's conversational writing style and ability to weave personal stories with recipes. Her recipes are described as reliable and well-tested, particularly in The Essential New York Times Cookbook.
What readers liked:
- Clear, detailed recipe instructions
- Personal anecdotes that give context to recipes
- Historical background on classic dishes
- Thorough testing and documentation of recipe variations
What readers disliked:
- Some find her personal stories in Cooking for Mr. Latte self-centered
- Complaints about recipe complexity and hard-to-source ingredients
- Several readers note typos in cookbook indexes
- Some recipes called too basic for experienced cooks
Ratings across platforms:
The Essential New York Times Cookbook:
- Goodreads: 4.2/5 (2,100+ ratings)
- Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,200+ ratings)
Cooking for Mr. Latte:
- Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,000+ ratings)
- Amazon: 4.3/5 (80+ ratings)
Reader quote: "Her attention to detail and recipe testing gives me complete confidence in trying new dishes." - Amazon reviewer
📚 Books by Amanda Hesser
Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover's Courtship, with Recipes (2004)
A memoir chronicling Hesser's relationship with writer Tad Friend, interspersed with recipes connected to their experiences together.
The Cook and the Gardener: A Year of Recipes and Writings from the French Countryside (1999) A collection of seasonal recipes and observations gathered during Hesser's year at a château in Burgundy, focusing on her interactions with the estate's elderly gardener.
The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century (2010) A comprehensive compilation of 1,400 recipes from the New York Times archives, spanning more than 150 years of culinary history.
Eat, Memory: Great Writers at the Table, a Collection of Essays from the New York Times (2009) An anthology of food-related essays originally published in The New York Times Magazine, edited and introduced by Hesser.
The Cook and the Gardener: A Year of Recipes and Writings from the French Countryside (1999) A collection of seasonal recipes and observations gathered during Hesser's year at a château in Burgundy, focusing on her interactions with the estate's elderly gardener.
The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century (2010) A comprehensive compilation of 1,400 recipes from the New York Times archives, spanning more than 150 years of culinary history.
Eat, Memory: Great Writers at the Table, a Collection of Essays from the New York Times (2009) An anthology of food-related essays originally published in The New York Times Magazine, edited and introduced by Hesser.
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Laurie Colwin focused on home cooking and wrote essays about food memories and recipe development. Her books connect cooking with family life and explore the intersection of food with relationships.
M.F.K. Fisher wrote about food, travel, and culture in mid-20th century America and Europe. Her work combines culinary history with personal experiences and observations about society.
Clementine Paddleford traveled across America documenting regional cooking and food traditions. Her writing captured American food culture in the mid-1900s through interviews with home cooks and research into local ingredients.
Elizabeth David wrote about Mediterranean and European cooking while introducing British readers to foreign cuisines. Her books combine historical research with practical cooking advice and recipe collections.