At Cookbook Club, Food Is the Main Character

If you’re the type of person who shows up to book club more for the snacks than the story, cookbook club might just be your thing. Forget analyzing cliffhangers and debating plot twists — at cookbook club, food is the main character.

In recent years, traditional book clubs have evolved to cater to a wide array of personal interests and passions. And so, now exist cookbook clubs, in which members gather to discuss dishes they brought from a specific cookbook.

It’s a social way to try new foods and flavors while connecting with friends. And although not necessarily new, cookbook clubs have recently gained popularity partly due to the influence of social media spreading the word. Just scroll through TikTok, where the hashtag has racked up over 2,000 videos, capturing the creativity and camaraderie these gatherings have inspired over shared meals.

Julia Bernardi, a 31-year-old Chicago resident, is part of a 12-person cookbook club that began when a “foodie” friend brought together people from various cooking backgrounds, some passionate about food and others kitchen newbies. Each month, a different member hosts, selecting a cookbook and curating a menu that includes everything from sides and main dishes to drinks. Once the recipes are chosen, they’re sent out by text, creating a “first-come, first-served” claim on who will cook each dish. This approach saves everyone from buying a new cookbook each month, while also allowing people to pick recipes suited to their comfort and skill level.

According to Bernardi, meetings start with casual discussions about each dish but then quickly turn into general mingling and conversation. Yes, they chat casually about the food, but there’s no formal structure — it’s really about relaxing with friends and enjoying good food.

You don’t need to be a pro, you just need to be willing to try: Bernardi doesn’t consider herself a “big cook.” Before joining a cookbook club, she recalled constantly making the same few recipes. But after diving into books like Molly Baz’s “More Is More,” she found herself recreating some of the recipes in her own time. “Cookbook club has taken me outside my comfort zone, which has been really fun, but also taught me that I actually can cook,” she tells PS.

Cookbook clubs offer an affordable, low-stress way for friends to get together without the hassle of dining out, which can be both costly and difficult to coordinate. In Bernardi’s club, members only pay for the ingredients in the dish they bring, which can range from $10 to $40. “When you go out with a large group, it can easily cost over $100 per person, but this is a much more affordable way to enjoy a meal together,” she says.

Although cookbook clubs can be ideal for friend groups looking to save on the cost of dining out in larger groups, they’re also a way to make new connections. Mallory Belknap, a 28-year-old nonprofit event planner from the Bay Area, was excited when she saw a girl she followed on Instagram posting about wanting to start a cookbook club. After all, she loves to cook, but it was also about wanting to expand her social circle.

“It’s really difficult for women in their 20s to make friends, and you underestimate how many other women there are out there who also want to make friends but don’t know where to start,” she tells PS. “So many people just want a place to gather and someone to plan something where they can just show up.”

The cookbook club she’s part of was formed from the founder’s various social circles, meaning many of the members didn’t know each other when it began — it was like a “patchwork,” she describes. Belknap remembers the strangers being nervous to present their dishes at that first meeting. “We thought everyone else was going to be a really good cook and we would be the ones to show up with a bum dish,” she recalls. “That was a universal fear.”

But over time, they learned the core lesson of cookbook club: “It’s really more about gathering than it is about the sanctity of the food we’re eating,” she says.

While cookbook clubs are meant to be enjoyable and relaxed, some logistical challenges are still inevitable, as with any large gathering. One of the biggest hurdles is finding a date that works for everyone. But perhaps an even bigger challenge has been finding a space that can actually accommodate everyone comfortably. (Real talk: the average apartment probably isn’t meant to accommodate a 15-plus person meal.)

Bernardi and her Chicago club make it work by taking advantage of rooftops during the warmer months and going for a more casual, standing-and-mingling vibe indoors. Belknap’s nearly 15-person Bay Area club faces similar space limitations, so they often embrace a laid-back, stand-up setup, too. Plus, in a sprawling city like the Bay Area, there’s the added challenge of potentially long commutes. Belknap sometimes faces an over 45-minute commute, but it’s worth it for what she calls the “special occasion.”

Though she’s part of other book and skate clubs, Belknap loves the “uniquely curated feel” of cookbook gatherings. “It’s a fun excuse to dress cute, cook, and hang out with other girls,” she says. “I don’t have a ton of excuses to create those kinds of occasions so cookbook club just feels a little bit more special.”

Jordana Comiter is a Florida-based freelance writer who loves writing about entertainment, wellness, and dating trends. Her work has appeared in PS, Women’s Health, People, and Business Insider, among others. She is a proud graduate of Tulane University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.