Stephanie Alexander with Adam Liaw on 30 years of The Cook's Companion

Since 1996, The Cooks Companion has been a bible for Australian kitchens, a reliable friend who can tell you how to boil an egg, bake some bread, roast a chook, whip up a lemon delicious pudding — and much, much more. What is it about this book that's made it such an enduring go-to for household cooks for generations?

This event was recorded live at the Sydney Writers' Festival at Carriageworks on 21 May 2026.

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Speakers:

Stephanie AlexanderAuthor of 18 books including The Cooks CompanionFounder of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden FoundationChef

Adam Liaw (host)Author of Two Asian Kitchens, Asian After Work: Simple Food for Every Day, Adam's Big Pot series, and moreHost, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw (SBS)Recipe writer — The Good WeekendWinner, Masterchef (2010)