By Corey Henry, Digital Media Specialist
Looking for some inspiration for your upcoming catered event? Whether it be a wedding, a corporate fundraiser, or a family gathering, your custom menu brings people together, and we want to help give you some ideas via our love of cookbooks.
For those not immersed in BookTok (Book TikTok) or may not necessarily consider themselves an avid reader, a TBR is a “To Be Read” list. Everyone on our team is in constant pursuit of culinary knowledge – no matter our department. You only learn when you are engaging with other chefs, bakers, authors, and those who are in it for the love of the craft.
We want to highlight some of our favorite current cookbooks, mixology books, and other food-related literature that you can add to your own TBR lists. Hopefully these recommendations will also help you along in your journey in planning any catered events in your future.
CBD’s TBR Recommendations for 2026
“The Baking Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Recommended by Carlos
The Baking Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum has been deemed an essential baking – well bible – for those interested in pastries of all kinds. The book delves into baked goods of all kinds such as cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, and so on for those of all baking experience levels. It’s no wonder that our Executive Chef, Carlos, gravitated towards this book as his TBR pick. Carlos comes from a family of bakers and bakery owners furthering his own education and passion for the art at the French Pastry School of Chicago. As a meticulous chef himself with a specific love for baking and catered desserts, this book resonates deeply with Chef and is a great resource to come back to time after time. Just take a look at some of the delicious new additions from Chef to our desserts from our “New Flavorful Dishes” blog.
“Plant You: Scrappy Cooking” by Carleigh Bodrug
Recommended by Lyndsay
Sustainability is a key mission of Catered by Design as a sustainable catering company, and we continually try to improve our eco-conscious practices through education. It is through reading, getting inspiration and applying our knowledge that we grow (no pun intended) as a company. Carleigh Bodrug’s “Plant You: Scrappy Cooking” details over 140 plant-based, zero-waste recipes that are not only good for your body but for the planet. One way we can encourage sustainable catering is by incorporating more vegetarian and vegan entrées and dishes into our repertoire. As a mother of one with another on the way, Lyndsay, our Beverage Manager, recommends this book as she believes it’s important to provide a healthy lifestyle for yourself, your partner, and your children while reducing waste and saving money.
“The Good Cookie” by Tish Boyle
Recommended by Tami
Who doesn’t love a good cookie? Our Operations Manager, Tami, certainly does which makes sense given her disciplined culinary background. Tish Boyle’s “The Good Cookie” has been a long time favorite of Tami’s as she believes it gives “a good mix of traditional and more unusual cookie [recipes].” She has personally vetted many of the recipes from Boyle’s book and notes “they’re all VERY good.” Tami used to host the annual winter “Cookie Day” for her children (including me) and their friends and families when her children were growing up. They would make all kinds of classic Christmas cookies such as Peanut Butter Kisses (which I totally thought she made up my entire life), Brandied Egg Nog Cookies, and Kayla’s Cookies (which she actually DID make up and named after one of her daughter’s friends). Cookies can be so much more than your average sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies which is why we made our own Gourmet Cookie Bar as a catering dessert station on our Decadent Sweets Menu – perfect for your catered wedding reception or corporate office holiday party.
“The Professional Chef” by The Culinary Institute of America
Recommended by Sam
Being a well-researched chef with a deep love for the culinary arts, Sam chose “The Professional Chef” by the Culinary Institute of America as his TBR pick. In the office, we have both the 7th and 8th editions of the publication which is updated periodically as new innovative dishes and techniques arise in the culinary world. The compendium of culinary information in these publications serve as a great groundwork for chefs of all disciplines. Sam grew up cooking by his grandmother Esposito’s side which lead him to his calling as a chef in his own right working as an Executive Chef for multiple renowned restaurants to owning his own restaurant. When Sam shifted his focus from the restaurant industry to catering, he did so with a vision of exceptional fine dining and service. Having accumulated an immense amount of knowledge regarding catering in Chicago and its suburbs, Sam shares his experience with his team, and you can always find a copy of “The Professional Chef” in his office and our kitchen.
“Ever-Green Vietnamese” by Andrea Nguyen
Recommended by Tami
Another TBR pick from Tami, this particular cookbook has always been one of her favorites. She has gravitated towards Asian cuisine and flavor profiles in her own cooking experience due to the philosophy of a smaller focus on proteins and more emphasis on fruits and vegetables and of course delicious flavor. In having an extensive cookbook library, Tami is always looking for inspired ideas and recipes trying to find ones that speak to innovation and creativity. Andrea Nguyen’s cookbook is brimming with innovative recipes filled with a good mix of meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. Her recipes are imbued with incredible knowledge about resourcefulness and history on traditional Vietnamese cooking. Harkening back to sustainable catering, we are always looking to evolve our menus to encourage clients to engage with eco-conscious choices that are either vegetarian or vegan. For example, in our St. Patrick’s Day menu, we took the idea of a traditional Irish Stew and turned it into our Vegan Irish Stew with Herb Dumplings turning a classic into a revitalized and sustainable dish.
“Chicago Cocktails” by Nicole Schnitzler
Recommended by Lyndsay
As a premier Chicago catering company, Catered by Design has had the privilege of working all over the city bringing thousands of events to life over the past 20+ years. With the amount of knowledge we have accrued over time, we have developed robust and refined menus for all types of events including not only our cuisine but our beverage services as well. We have a strong beverage division that has carefully curated our Chicago beverage menu to highlight quality options and allow flexibility for the vision of your event. Having an extensive background in bartending, Lyndsay recommends “Chicago Cocktails” by Nicole Schnitzler for its deep dive into the Chicago bar scene and its creative Chicago-inspired recipes that can spark plenty of ideas for signature cocktails and mocktails for your own event. Want to learn more about Chicago beverage catering and how a signature cocktail can elevate your event such as a catered reception or catered business event? Read our blog all about signature beverages!
“Every Day: All of the Flavor, None of the Fuss” by Tasty
Recommended by Matt
A staple cookbook can make all the difference, and Tasty’s “Every Day: All of the Flavor, None of the Fuss” is one of Matt’s favorites. As a father of one with another on the way, feasible and delicious meals are paramount to a healthy and happy home. Matt has spearheaded our delivery department’s development and understands how reliable, efficient, and delicious meals can make all of the difference in a variety of situations. Whether you need a boost during midday corporate meetings, a rich brunch buffet for a baby shower, or a hearty feast for the holidays, we have developed an expansive and carefully crafted delivery menu meant to service all kinds of drop-off catering events. Specifically looking for business catering or office catering? Read more about our Chicago corporate catering services here!
“No Crumbs Left” by Teri Turner
Recommended by Rachel
“No Crumbs Left” by Teri Turner illustrates an immense passion for the culinary arts and the intimacy surrounding unique and inclusive meals. This cookbook features a variety of dietary friendly recipes that range from gluten-free to dairy-free and more. As Rachel’s TBR pick, this book inspires sustainability in another way: community and care. Rachel has been with Catered by Design for over eight years, expanding her knowledge for Chicago event catering, helping cultivate inclusive menu options, and assisting with many community actions in the company such as meal donations to multiple non-profits over the years. We aim to provide a plethora of inclusive meal options across all of our menus so that those with dietary accommodations receive high quality and delicious meals. Our dedicated sales team, including Rachel, also work directly with you to customize your menu to fit every aspect of your vision be it for a wedding, celebration of life, or corporate happy hour.
“Studio Ghibli Cookbook” by Minh-Tri Vo
Recommended by Corey
As for my TBR recommendation, I wanted to highlight a cookbook that may be more niche but packs a lot of love and flavor. I grew up watching and adoring Studio Ghibli movies as they bring so much wonder and whimsy to the world. You can find at least one mouth-watering meal in each of Hayao Miyazaki’s films such as the Ramen in Ponyo, the Herring and Pumpkin Pie from Kiki’s Delivery Service, or something as simple as the bacon and eggs from Howl’s Moving Castle. Minh-Tri Vo brings these on-screen delights into the real world through detailed recipes and pictures to help you along in the process. We love to craft whimsical delights for all of our menus, and it’s fascinating to see how even animated meals can turn into tangible creations. Some of my favorite whimsical treats and catered desserts we’ve brought to life in our menus include our Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes, Ice Cream Tacos, and Orange Dreamsicle Truffles all of which can be found on our Decadent Sweets menu.
“Floral Libations” by Cassie Winslow
Recommended by Corey & Harlie
With spring on the horizon, so are the beautiful florals the season brings! “Floral Libations” by Cassie Winslow curates over 40 “fragrant” beverages that embody stepping into a garden and immersing yourself in the splendor of floral flavors. One thing I adore about this book in particular is its heavy inclusion of mocktail specific or cocktail-modifiable recipes that can either include liquor or skip it all together! Winslow includes floral recipes for coffee and tea-based drinks as well which I find a wonderful addition as someone aiming to spruce up my morning coffee. Find a favorite recipe in this book? Our dedicated sales team and beverage manager can work with you to create stunning and sumptuous signature cocktails and mocktails for your catered event.
Contact Us Today
We hope you have been inspired to add some or all of these cookbooks to your 2026 TBR list. If you’re planning a catered event, we also hope that these books give you some ideas! Our main goal is to bring your event to life with finesse and precision from your custom menu to your signature beverage selections and beyond. If you have more questions to ask regarding your catered event experience, feel free to send us an email at [email protected]. Whether you’re looking for excellent corporate catering services or the Chicago wedding caterer of your dreams, we look forward to helping you bring your event to life!
