Chefs Eat Canberra is a 310-page foodie bible, chronicling the nation’s gastronomic scene from its infancy, starting with the Blue Moon Café which opened in the Sydney Building in 1926, and concluding with the opening, just this month, of Mínima and a profile of the talented brothers, Mork and Benn Ratanakosol, behind it.

The book provides something for everyone, from 30 profiles of our band of celebrated chefs, the hatted ones, the viral ones, the mould-breaking ones as well as a beautifully crafted history of who came before – the pioneers, rule-breakers, and families who helped feed our fledgling capital and provided the inspiration for it to grow.

With the glorious photography of Ashley St George (also an expert on the local food scene) and a stack of interesting views and perspectives of our most talented chefs and hospo people (Nick Smith from Bar Rochford’s top ten most played albums, Dash Rumble from Such and Such’s top five dishes for under $20, Andrew Duong from Miss Van’s top four ramens, Raku’s Hao Chen’s itinerary for 12-hours in Tokyo, and Sean McConnell from Rebel Rebel’s four favourite chilled red wines just for beginners), the book is a cracking good read.

Emma MacDonald

Associate Editor, Her Canberra