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Last night, we set our ovens to 350°F and opened the doors of the Food52 HQ to welcome our community of cooks in celebration of friends, food, and Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Tenderheart, our Food 52 Cookbook Club’s cookbook of the year. The cityscape, paired with dripping candles, soft chatter, and “This Charming Man” by The Smiths softly playing in the background, painted the picture of gratitude, but here are three more gifts we’re appreciating from Thursday night:

1. Food as Connector

Food isn’t just about sustenance—it’s a catalyst for thoughtful conversation, deeper connections, and an uplifting community. Friendships blossomed over plates of Tenderheart’s recipes for Mapo Eggplant, Tomato and Gruyère Clafoutis, and Hazelnut Hasselback Potato Gratin (her Thanksgiving must-have). 

2. Breaking the Rules This Holiday Season

Not a Thanksgiving food fan? You’re not alone. Hetty shared that, having grown up in Australia, “I do celebrate Thanksgiving, but I use it more as an opportunity to feast and cook the food I want to cook.” And if her cookbook is any indication, that food isn’t necessarily the typical turkey spread. 

3. Community, Period

“When I think about food, it’s about having the courage to reflect on my identity and where I come from,” Hetty shared. Tenderheart is the manifestation of that courage—the first time she allowed herself to feel the emotions of losing her father as a teenager. “When you finally make it through to the other side, you discover the most incredible community around those feelings and emotions,” she shared. It’s the reason we cook: to foster the kind of meaningful connection we all shared last night.

A huge thank you to Hetty for sharing her beautiful recipes with the world and allowing us to see food through her eyes. And a special thanks to Stephanie Lau and the entire Cookbook Club team. Keep the holiday spirit going by joining us for December’s Cookbook Club Sweets Swap, where we’ll dive into Italian-American desserts with Dolci! by Renato Poliafito.