Memories of a Good Meal

An unforgettable collection of recipes inspired by ten diverse, moving stories of Holocaust survivors and WWII heroes, from James Beard Award–winning chef Alon Shaya with author June Hersh. Memories of a Good Meal is a culinary journey that celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit and the transformative power of a good meal.

Twin Jewish girls, hidden by a Christian family, foraging for blueberries and wild mushrooms in the Polish forest. A Navajo code talker who carried a sachet of corn pollen as a talisman into battle. A small French town that rallied around the united cause of saving—and feeding—thousands of children during the Holocaust.

In this one-of-a-kind cookbook you’ll discover remarkable stories of ordinary people who did the extraordinary, and the unparalleled role that food played in their survival. Through exclusive interviews and rich archival material, each story is anchored by remembrances of good meals and insights from lives lived with intention and purpose. From Holocaust survivors who persevered against all odds to military heroes who saved thousands of people through their bravery and unwavering faith, these snippets of history give you a deeper understanding of the past and renewed hope for the future.

James Beard Award–winning chef Alon Shaya, along with culinary historian June Hersh, transform these moving accounts into recipes that will nourish generations to come. From humble potatoes eaten by a Polish partisan fighter to miso soup in a Japanese internment camp, dreams of warm hotcakes in a German POW camp, and culinary fusion in a Jewish refugee community in the Dominican Republic, these recipes are as diverse as the stories they honour:

• Hungarian Goulash with Buttered Egg Noodles
• Matzo Ball Soup with Avocado, Yuca, and Cilantro
• Chilled Blueberry Soup with Pine Nuts, Rosemary, and Crème Fraiche
• Gratinéed Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms
• Potato Dumplings with Bacon and Onions
• Grilled Steak with Blueberry Vinaigrette
• Leg of Lamb Braised Pomegranate
• American Cherry Pie with Hot Fudge

Inspired by Shaya’s work with the Rescued Recipes Initiative in collaboration with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Memories of a Good Meal is not just a cookbook, but a celebration of humanity, history, and the enduring power of food to sustain both body and soul.