About the Author

Andy Baraghani started his professional cooking career as a teenager at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, and the acclaimed New York restaurant Estela. He then worked as a writer and test kitchen cook at Saveur and Tasting Table before joining Bon Appetit as a senior editor. Baraghani played a key role in building Bon Appetit's Healthyish vertical and popularizing the brand's instructional videos on YouTube, including hosting his own series, Andy Explores. As the child of parents who emigrated to California from Iran in 1976, Andy grew up knowing that yogurt should always be within arm's reach.

Reviews

“Bold, contemporary flavors leap from the pages of Andy Baraghani’s exciting book, enticing me to make everything he writes about. A multicultural roster of flavors infuses his recipes, from spicy, herbaceous, and garlicky sauces to smoky, crunchy appetizers and braised and roasted vegetables and meats . . . and, yes, a whole chapter on pasta too! The Cook You Want to Be lives up to its promise for anyone who wants to bring new flavors, textures, and techniques to the table—from one of the most dynamic cooks of our generation.”—David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen and Drinking French

“‘That Andy boy is clever,’ Andy thinks we’ll think, once we’ve tried one of his salads. He’s right! This book is full of things I want to make and cook, a selection of condiments and sauces I need a new shelf in the fridge for, and an altogether understandable obsession with sesame seeds. In The Cook You Want to Be, every recipe encourages us to take that one further twist or step to elevate it into the totally delicious.”—Yotam Ottolenghi, author of Ottolenghi Flavor

“This is not so much a cookbook as it a friend with great taste (buds) who loves to gossip about food. I feel like Andy’s cooking with me, a benevolent kitchen poltergeist guiding me toward the Kunz spoon as we perfect our sauces. We’ve snacked, we’ve saladed, we’ve fished. The food we made together is, of course, delicious.”—Raven Smith, columnist for Vogue

“With The Cook You Want to Be, Andy Baraghani does more than provide you with a blueprint to making delicious recipes. He changes the way you think about building flavor and layering texture. Beautifully shot and entertaining to read, this is a book for everyone.”—Dawn Davis, editor in chief of Bon Appétit

“What kind of cook do you want to be? If it’s one who is curious, fun, and tasteful, you’ve come to the right place. Andy shows us how to create a range of exciting, deeply satisfying dishes while making it look easy. These days, it can be hard to choose between all the new cookbooks—this one is a must-have.”—Ignacio Mattos, chef and author of Estela

“Andy Baraghani is one of my favorite modern cooks, and this book demonstrates why. The recipes in The Cook You Want to Be allow us to bring his high-impact flavors, colorful kaleidoscope of ingredients, and bright plates of beautiful food into our own kitchens. Load up on all the herbs and spices and cook your heart out!”—Heidi Swanson, author of Super Natural Cooking