The cookbooks that London chefs swear by

Ben Tish

Culinary director at Norma London and Stafford London, and author of Moorish: Vibrant Recipes From The Mediterranean

Moro: The Cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clark, helped me focus my love of Mediterranean cuisine and understand the influence of Moorish style and flavour. I immersed myself in this style of cuisine and travelled extensively to explore it. I’ve got three copies — all the reprints!

Fergus Henderson

Co-founder of St John restaurant and author of The Book Of St John

When an Italian architecture student called Barbara came to stay with our family, she brought a copy of Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cookbook and it changed our lives forever. Everything in the book works. My mother’s signature recipe became ‘Tomato Sauce III’, which played a huge role in my upbringing and in the upbringing of my own children.

Ravinder Bhogal

Journalist and chef patron of Jikoni

A favourite for cultural insight is Food In Vogue — a collection of recipes that appeared in the magazine. It was edited by flamboyant Maxime de la Falaise, muse and model of Yves Saint-Laurent and Andy Warhol. Highlights include Truman Capote’s ‘Favorite Supper For Two’ (baked potatoes with caviar and a bottle of champagne, each).

Anna Haugh

Owner and head chef at Myrtle

When I was about 19 and doing my professional cookery course as a young commis on Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin, my parents bought me Jamie Oliver’s Italian cookbook, The Naked Chef. I think I cooked every recipe at least once and some a lot more. Mam would leave me to cook alone and totally trash the kitchen — she’d joke about how I used every single bowl, plate and spoon.

Jeremy Lee

Chef proprietor at Quo Vadis

My favourite cookbook would have to be An Omelette And Glass Of Wine, by Elizabeth David. It was a present from my parents and my first hardback cookbook. As it lives mostly by my bedside, it is in surprisingly good condition, having escaped the usual kitchen splatters.

Gizzi Erskine

Resident chef at The Nitery, St Martins Lane Kitchen (to 30 Apr) and author of Slow: Food Worth Taking Time Over

In Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain recommends Larousse Gastronomique by Prosper Montagné — a monster reference book I’ve read cover to cover. This is a book for real cooks who want to be exceptional, and it single-handedly changed my perception of how I wanted to tackle my career.

Jackson Boxer

Chef patron of Orasay and owner of Brunswick House

While I treasure Ludwig Bemelmans’ famous Madeline books, it is La Bonne Table, his magnificent writing about the hotel and restaurant world in the glory days of old New York, that I hold most dear. It motivates me to return to the firing line even when I feel utterly depleted of energy and inspiration.