Stephanie Alexander’s Cook’s Companion turns 30: Share your book’s ‘battle scars’

When Stephanie Alexander published her fifth book in March 1996, The Cook’s Companion, she probably didn’t realise it would become such a fixture in kitchens across Australia. Her magnum opus went on to sell more than 550,000 copies and became known as Australia’s “kitchen bible”.

In many homes, that bible is a battle-scarred veteran – splashed with sauce, smeared with butter, and held together by a faded spine. Ours certainly are.

To celebrate 30 years of The Cook’s Companion, we’re inviting readers to share the history written into their own copies.

The original 1996 edition, billed as “the complete book of ingredients and recipes for the Australian kitchen”, was instantly recognisable by its orange linen spine.

It was followed in 2004 by the iconic “stripy” second edition, featuring Matthew Johnson’s painting Emanation, which added 300 new recipes and 12 chapters to the canon.

Now, for its 30th anniversary, Alexander has revised the tome from top to bottom. This new edition adds almost 100 recipes and features fresh essays reflecting how we cook in 2026 – capturing our shifting attitudes toward produce, sustainability, and the way we shop and dine today.

Even those closest to the book aren’t immune to its charms. Alexander’s longtime editor, Caroline Pizzey, who lives in regional Victoria, admits her own copy is far from pristine. She’s pencilled in reminders about the baking tins she uses, and notes about her own recipe tweaks.

“I think the page that sticks together the most is Mrs Atkins’ fruit slice. I whip it out for shearers and anyone who’s had a baby because it’s energy food, and it’s delicious. And the lemon tart page is also a shocker.”

Good Food recipe editor Roslyn Grundy says the “Quince” chapter has sustained the most damage in her original orange edition. “Few cooks cook this old-fashioned fruit better than Stephanie,” she says. “Her recipe for poached quinces has become an autumn ritual in my kitchen.”

If your copy of The Cook’s Companion is filled with handwritten notes, stained with memories, or held together by tape, we want to hear from you. Email your photos and stories to editorial@goodfood.com.au with the subject line “Stephanie Alexander”. We look forward to sharing a selection of your best kitchen adventures to mark 30 years of an Australian icon.