The Best American Food Writing 2021

Remarkable essays spanning a year that shook the food industry—and led us to reflect on our appetites—by Bill Buford, Priya Krishna, Jade Chang, and more.

“A year that stopped our food world in its tracks,” writes Gabrielle Hamilton in her introduction, reflecting on 2020. The stories in this edition of Best American Food Writing create a stunning portrait of a year that upended the food industry, reminding us of how restaurants, grocery stores, shelters, and those who work in them are so important in our lives and our society. From the Sikhs who fed thousands during the pandemic, to the writer who was quarantined with her Michelin-starred chef boyfriend, to the restaurants that served $200-per-person tasting menus to the wealthy as the death toll soared, this superb collection captures the underexposed ills of the industry and the unending power of food to unite us, especially when we need it most.

This extraordinary volume represents the year’s top food writing, celebrating the many innovative, comforting, mouthwatering, and culturally rich culinary offerings of our country, edited by Silvia Killingsworth and renowned chef and author Gabrielle Hamilton. 

 THE BEST AMERICAN FOOD WRITING 2021 INCLUDES • BILL BUFORD • RUBY TANDOH • PRIYA KRISHNA • LIZA MONROY • NAVNEET ALANG • KELSEY MILLER • HELEN ROSNER • LIGAYA MISHAN and others

Praise for The Best American Food Writing

“[A] punchy and vibrant collection . . . Thoughtful and educational, enticing and entertaining.” —Publishers Weekly