Make a booking with some inspirational cooks

Jamie Oliver seeks out the best in Italian cooking and presents it in his own style.

SIMPLY BILL

By Bill Granger,

Murdoch Books, $49.95

Fans of Bill Granger's engaging and beautifully simple style will be thrilled with his latest cookbook. It is filled with recipes for weekdays and lazy days, baking days and special days, and serves up more of his fresh, pared-down recipes with ease.

Clever theme menus will make catering for a pool party, Sunday brunch or easy dinner party a breeze.

Elegant images capture the simplicity of Granger's food and inspirational lifestyle.

MARIE CLAIRE LUSCIOUS: SIMPLY DELICIOUS FOOD

By Michele Cranston,

Murdoch Books, $45

Luscious is the first book in the new breed of stunning Marie Claire cookbooks. This one concentrates on fresh food, simply cooked but this time all the food is placed in a glorious Pacific Island setting. Evocative photography sets the theme for the food, which has a sun-drenched, seaside flavour.

The four chapters - fruit, sea, husk, and leaf - cover summery dishes suited to our lifestyle. Marie Claire food editor and author Michele Cranston demonstrates a huge talent for creating fresh, clean recipes combined with a unique visual style.

COCINA NUEVA: THE NEW SPANISH KITCHEN

By Jane Lawson,

Murdoch Books, $45

This beautifully designed and presented book blends authenticity with inspiration. There are many classics here, plus new recipes that present Spanish flavours with a clever twist. The three chapters follow the way Spaniards eat: from plates of tapas to hearty mains such as seafood fideua (a paella made with noodles instead of rice), and delightful if unconventional desserts, such as the refreshing Sangria granita.

Lawson's recipes play on the original flavours of Spain in a way that celebrates Spain's growing reputation for innovative European cooking.

RIVER CAFE TWO EASY

By Rose Gray and

Ruth Rogers,

Random House, $69.95

The River Cafe in London serves up unpretentious cucina rustica with simplicity and style, and so do the best-selling cookbooks in the River Cafe series.

The second volume Two Easy is once again aimed at people who want to eat well without too much effort. Each recipe stresses the authors' belief that if you start with and respect quality seasonal produce, you can't go wrong. The inspired recipes (many of which are vegetable-based), fantastic flavour combinations and expert tips show that this food is easy to shop for, easy to serve and easy to enjoy.

JAMIE'S ITALY

By Jamie Oliver,

Michael Joseph, $59.95

Jamie Oliver goes off the beaten track in search of the essence of Italian cooking. He embraces the Italian lifestyle: fishing, hunting, talking, cooking and eating with locals, and he is richly rewarded.

He shares not only the vibrant Italian recipes he collected during his travels but introduces us to some of the wonderful food-producers and the colourful characters he meets along the way. From region to region, locals share their recipes and the cooking tips they have followed for generations. The result is an exuberant account of Italy's remarkable food culture.

FRENCH

By Damien Pignolet,

Lantern, $69.95

French is the masterful and long-awaited cookbook by Australian chef and restaurateur, Damien Pignolet.

With consummate French style and an eye for detail, Pignolet shares his vast knowledge of French cooking.

He is inspired by French classical and provincial cooking, and his dedication to his craft shines from every page.

Here are essential recipes for everything from stocks, sauces and terrines to the magical art of pastry making. This is a comprehensive collection of timeless recipes, such as roast tarragon chicken and passionfruit and praline souffle, presented with delightful twists that make them highly accessible to cooks from Downunder.

ANTONIO CARLUCCIO'S ITALIA: THE RECIPES AND CUSTOMS OF THE REGIONS

By Antonio Carluccio,

Quadrille, $65

Italia is Antonio Carluccio's deeply personal celebration of the regional food of his beloved Italy. Carluccio's extraordinary knowledge, his handpicked recipes, richly textured photographs, and fascinating information on local speciality products and traditions, give insight into the culinary character of each region.

Share his joy as he explores each region, from the kitchens of Sicily through the vineyards of Tuscany; from authentic mountain dishes to sparkling coastal seafood. Bursting with passion and pride, this colourful book of authentic recipes is a veritable feast.

TAMASIN'S KITCHEN BIBLE

By Tamasin Day-Lewis,

Weiderfeld & Nicolson $85

Tamasin Day-Lewis may not have as great a following as some other kitchen celebrity gods and goddesses, but she should have. I love the way she writes. Her friendly, no-fuss explanations are designed to instil confidence in novice cooks and to take competent cooks to greater heights. This culinary Bible is jam-packed with sage advice and practical recipes for everything anyone would ever want to cook.

Topics range from easy things and frugal food, to more advanced classics and serious skills sections. This is a must-have, foolproof cookbook for every kitchen. In store December 2.

THE FOOD I LOVE: BEAUTIFUL, SIMPLE FOOD TO COOK AT HOME,

By Neil Perry,

Murdoch Books, $89.95

Neil Perry is one of Australia's greatest restaurant chefs. However, this book is all about the food he loves to cook at home - that is, simple, delicious, Mediterranean-based dishes. It is more than just a group of recipes, though. The Food I Love is very much a how-to cookbook. The chapters are set out like building blocks to help home cooks graduate from simply being able to follow a recipe, to being inspired to go imaginatively beyond the recipe. With each page he shares oodles of expert knowledge and advice and offers hundreds of suggestions for variations and alternatives. Simply brilliant.

GOOD COOKING: THE NEW ESSENTIALS

By Jill Dupleix,

Quadrille, $49.95

All of Jill Dupleix's vivacious cookbooks are about good cooking and this is bursting with goodness - it's full of smart tricks, wholesome but witty advice, lots of mouth-watering recipes, and tips for keeping things simple.

Dupleix has a way with words and she uses this same inventive approach with recipes. She creates recipes with an original edge, often finding new ways with favourite flavours or better ways to cook the classics. The book's design is sometimes a bit busy but the tasty recipes are inspired and up-to-the-minute.