Q&A: Samin Nosrat on her new cookbook ‘Good Things’

Samin Nosrat may be among the Bay Area’s most celebrated contemporary chefs. The Persian American, Oakland-based chef famously trained at Chez Panisse, then penned the bestselling “Salt Fat Acid Heat,” all about how to ditch recipes. The 2017 book was later adapted into a Netflix docuseries by the same name, which she hosted. In the intervening years, Nosrat went on to write recipes for the New York Times and cohost the “Home Cooking” podcast, which started during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now back in full swing.

Now, she’s now out with a second book, “Good Things” (Random House, $45), with 125 recipes for home cooks. From her book tour, she answered a few questions about her latest work — and where she loves to eat in the Bay.

Q: Your first book “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” defies a lot of cookbook conventions by teaching readers how to cook without prescriptive recipes. Meanwhile, your second, “Good Things,” does contain more traditional recipes. How do you see your two books working together to help home cooks improve their craft? 

A: After avowing that I’d never write a book of recipes … well, here we are! After “Salt Fat Acid Heat” came out, I regularly heard from readers, “Your book changed my life!” But just as often, people told me they loved a specific recipe, and that it meant something to them. That surprised me, but it also motivated me to offer people more of what will be useful for them. So with “Good Things,” I’ve aimed to do both — offer specific recipes as well as tips, tricks and matrices to help folks become better, more confident cooks.

I’ve been joking a lot that “Good Things” is about lowering standards for home cooks everywhere. What I mean is that I want to help people lower the stakes for their time spent in the kitchen. And that can mean anything from perfecting a braise by applying what they’ve learned in “Salt Fat Acid Heat” or making something as simple as marinated olives or a perfect bowl of popcorn. I believe people will find both books helpful and inspiring. As someone put it to me recently, if “Salt Fat Acid Heat” is for your head, “Good Things” is for your heart.

Q: In the introduction to “Good Things,” you talk about experiencing loss and depression, and how that turmoil spurred new thinking for you on what a good life looks like. How do cooking, food and community fit into that vision for you? 

A: I’ve come to rely on our weekly Monday dinners that really weave in cooking, food and community. I talk about it a lot in the book, but having a weekly time set to ground myself and spend time with people I love has become a keystone of my life. It came about completely by accident — I was developing recipes, and after ruining a huge amount of pork, I was upset about having to eat the leftovers by myself for days on end. A friend called out of the blue and suggested we share it with a few other folks. Before we knew it, Monday dinner was born. We now consider the ritual to be holy. Sometimes, dinner is a carefully cooked meal. Sometimes we order takeout. More than anything, it’s about showing up for each other week to week and spending time together.

Q: What are a few Bay Area restaurants, dishes and chefs that have influenced your cooking, and how? I’m guessing Chez Panisse is likely a big one, but what are some others? Any recs for our Bay Area readers?  

A: I lived in North Berkeley for over 10 years and was a regular at The Cheeseboard. I have so many favorites there, but I unfailingly love the Papi Chulo sauce, which I paid homage to in “Good Things.” It’s just the greatest all-purpose condiment out there.

And yes of course, Chez Panisse changed my life! More than anything, working there taught me about the importance of using quality ingredients. Everything starts with that.

One of my favorite dishes in all of the East Bay is the crispy rice ball salad at Larb Thai Tapas in El Cerrito. It’s just the most perfect balance of all things: crispy rice and lettuce, salt, fat, acid, sweetness, fresh herbs and, of course, spice. When I’m feeling uninspired or like I haven’t eaten anything that really excites my palate in a while, I head over there for an order.

Q: Between your new cookbook, newsletter, podcast and book tour, you’ve been doing a lot of talking and writing around food and cooking lately. What’s one big message you hope your audiences take away from your latest work? 

A: Time is so precious. While I hope people spend some of their time in the kitchen, what’s on the table is so much less important than the time you spend with the people around it.

Details: “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love” by Samin Nosrat (Random House, $45) is available now.