The Cook's Companion 30th Anniversary | Stephanie Alexander
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Fullers Bookshop About
The Cook's Companion has established itself as the kitchen ‘bible’, ‘the book for a lifetime of cooking’, in over 500,000 homes since it was first published in 1996. In 2026, to celebrate thirty years of this iconic book, Stephanie Alexander has added over 90 new or newly revised recipes as well as doing a full update of the introduction, ingredients, equipment and a new ‘how to use this book’ section.
In her book, you will discover:
- Ingredient Insights: Gain invaluable and updated information about a wide range of ingredients, reflecting the evolving world of food in Australia and a discussion of contemporary issues affecting Australian produce and producers.
- Cooking Mastery: Learn clever and easy-to-use cooking techniques.
- Kitchen Tools: Guidance on kitchen equipment and how to use it effectively.
- Inspiration & Advice: Friendly encouragement and expert knowledge to enhance your cooking skills.
- Failsafe Recipes: More than 1000 reliable and delicious recipes – all you need for a lifetime of cooking and eating well.
Stephanie believes that good food is essential to living well, and her book is a valuable resource for everyone, every day.
Stephanie Alexander AO is regarded as one of Australia’s great food educators. Her reputation has been earned through 30 years as an owner-chef in several restaurants, as the author of 18 influential books and for her groundbreaking work in creating and promoting the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. Everything she has achieved and worked towards has been driven by her desire to break down anxieties about cooking, to emphasise the beauty of produce fresh from the garden and to promote the pleasures of sharing around a table. Her strong belief is that the earlier children learn about food through example and pleasurable hands-on experience, the better their food choices will be throughout life.
In conversation with Stephanie is Rodney Dunn. Rodney worked under Tetsuya Wakuda at the Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s before moving into food media, working as a food researcher for the Better Homes and Gardens television program and as food editor of Gourmet Traveller magazine from 2004-2007. In June 2017, Rodney and Séverine opened The Agrarian Kitchen restaurant in nearby New Norfolk’s Willow Court precinct. Just four months after opening, the restaurant was awarded two hats and voted Best Regional Restaurant in Australia by Fairfax in the National Good Food Guide. Rodney has authored two books with Penguin Random House Australia under its Lantern imprint, entitled The Agrarian Kitchen and The Truffle Cookbook.
Join Stephanie and Rodney at the Afterword Cafe.