This image is the cover for the book Classic Recipes for Modern People

Classic Recipes for Modern People

The siblings and authors of This Is a Cookbook and The Best Cookbook Ever “take the age-old concept of comfort food and update it for modern tastes” (Publishers Weekly).

Classics Recipes for Modern People is the definitive collection of classic recipes that have been reinvented, rejiggered, reordered, and re-created by Max and Eli Sussman. They believe that recipes should be ever expanding and evolving, a philosophy they practice in both their professional and home kitchens. That a dish “no matter how classic and iconic—has the ability to morph into something new and fantastic.” Divided into eight sections like “Classics from Our Childhood,” TV Dinner Classics,” “Future Classics,” and “Breakfast Classics” readers will find reinvented dishes inspired by Max and Eli’s childhood in Detroit, the frozen food aisle, followers on social media, and more.

“The cookbook displays their trademark creative spin on classic dishes, featuring recipes for things like Gefilte Fish Terrine, Duck à l’Orange, and Kibbeh and Tzatziki. It’s decidedly not Kosher (see: Pork Burger with Apple Ketchup, Shellfish Shells), but it speaks to the contemporary trend of repurposing traditional Jewish foods to make them shine in a modern context.”—Tablet

“Spotlights their cooking chops and dead-on wit in equal measure . . . For the book, the brothers took a novel tack to gather recipes: crowd-sourcing for childhood culinary classics.”—The Forward

“Home cooks interested in adding to their comfort food canon will likely find some inspiration in this eye-catching collection . . . The Sussmans’ thoughtful collection is sure to jar readers from their comfort (food) zones and encourage them to branch out to incorporate new flavors and ingredients.”—Publishers Weekly

Max Sussman, Eli Sussman

Max Sussman is the chef de cuisine at Roberta's in Brooklyn. He was recently named one of the 30 under 30 food and wine stars to watch in 2012 by Forbes magazine. During his tenure at Roberta's, the restaurant has received 2 stars from the New York Times and prompted critic Sam Sifton to write in his review that "[Roberta’s is] one of the more extraordinary restaurants in the United States." Max was previously was the chef de cuisine at Eve, a beloved restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and worked under chef April Bloomfield at the Michelin starred Breslin in New York City. 

Eli Sussman is a line cook at Mile End Deli in Brooklyn, which has been featured on several “best of” lists, including Time Out, GQ, and Village Voice. He is also the marketing director for Taste of the Nation NYC, an annual tasting event to benefit the national hunger charity Share Our Strength. He has MC'd events, such as the Los Angeles Times Taste and Taste of the Nation LA, and has written for several websites including LAist.com and WilliamsSonoma.com. Max and Eli’s first cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen, was released immediately after they graduated from college. They have cooked with Hoda and Kathie Lee on the Today Show and have appeared on WGN and ABC-Chicago morning programs.

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