'If I had a child at Uni ... this is the book I'd be putting in their stocking this Christmas' Nigella Lawson

'The millennials' answer to Delia Smith' Daily Mail

'The poster girl for TikTok cooks' The Times

'The how-to cookbook for the modern generation. Fresh, engaging and great fun' Rukmini Iyer, Roasting Tin series


Learn the basics. Up your cooking game. Delicious food every time.

This is a cookbook with no judgement. Together, we'll learn how to make incredible food at home. We'll start with the basics: 12 Core recipes (or go-to skills) that everyone needs to know, like how to make a pasta sauce, roast a chicken or make a killer salad dressing. Then we'll use these core skills as a base for delicious and adaptable recipes that will up your cooking game - the Staple, the Brunch, the Potato Hero (of course they make an appearance) and the Fancy AF. So, once you've nailed that classic tomato sauce (which I promise will become the new go-to in your kitchen), you can stir it through pasta, or bake it with eggs for the perfect Shakshuka and, before you know it, you'll be getting real fancy and making a show-stopping Chicken Parmigiana to impress your friends.

Other chapters include:
White Sauce: think Mac and Cheese and Bacon-y Garlicky Gratin.
Flat Breads: easy flat breads for Halloumi Avo Breads and Salmon Tikka wraps.
Emulsions: Chicken Caesar Salad with homemade mayo and next level Steak Béarnaise with Hollandaise and Crunchy Roast Chips.
Meringue: from Eton Mess Pancakes through to Simply the Zest Lemon Meringue Pie

Whether you're completely new to the kitchen or looking to elevate your basics with clever tricks, my step-by-step guidance will help you nail delicious food every time. As a chef with over ten years' experience in professional kitchens, I've done the years of training so you don't have to.

It's okay to make a few mistakes along the way, and together, we'll help you fix them and achieve incredible results at home. I am passionate about the importance of great food at home, every day - it's what we all deserve. This is not just the food you want. It's the food you need.

Love this? Check out Poppy's next book - THE POTATO BOOK - The Instant Sunday Times No.1 Bestseller!

Poppy has spent the last decade in professional kitchens - from Michelin-starred restaurants to fine-dining experiences and tasty everyday food - and since her Covid-related redundancy she has found a passion for teaching others via TikTok and Instagram. Her educational and entertaining content has amassed over 1.5M followers on social media, and gives us access to the skills she's learnt from fancy restaurants to inspire and teach people how to cook at home - beginning with the very basics - in a fun and informal way.

Find Poppy @poppycooks on TikTok and @poppy_cooks on Instagram.