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James Martin Books in Order

Explore James Martin books in order, with brief summaries plus reading-order tips for his cookbooks, memoir and the multi-volume History of the Old Covenant.

Last updated: January 13, 2026

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18 books

Slow Cooking

by James Martin

2017

Slow Cooking shows how a few good ingredients and plenty of time can produce big-flavoured food with very little effort, from soups and stews to slow-roasted meats and gently marinated fish and vegetables for relaxed family meals or entertaining.

James Martin's French Adventure

by James Martin

2017

James Martin's French Adventure follows his road trip across France, sharing regional recipes, market finds and bistro classics so home cooks can bring everything from rustic soups to seafood, slow braises and elegant desserts from the series into their own kitchen.

More Home Comforts

by James Martin

2016

More Home Comforts gathers 100 new recipes for the kind of food James cooks at home, from super fast bowls of soup to sharing roasts, nostalgic childhood favourites and indulgent puddings, all built around seasonal ingredients and straightforward methods.

Sweet

by James Martin

2015

Sweet is James Martin's collection of more than seventy desserts and bakes, from simple lemon cake and chocolate tart to cream-filled gateaux and patisserie-style showstoppers, with clear guidance that makes ambitious puddings feel achievable.

History of the Old Covenant; Volume 2

by James Martin

2015

History of the Old Covenant; Volume 2 continues Kurtz's survey of Old Testament history, tracing the later lives of the patriarchs, the rise of Moses, the signs and plagues in Egypt, Passover and the exodus as Israel takes shape as a covenant nation.

History of the Old Covenant, Volume 3

by James Martin

2015

History of the Old Covenant, Volume 3 completes the trilogy with the journey from Sinai towards the promised land, examining the giving of the law, wilderness wanderings and major rebellions, and reflecting on how these episodes unfold God's covenant purposes.

History of the Old Covenant Volume 1

by James Martin

2015

History of the Old Covenant Volume 1, translated by Alfred Edersheim and James Martin from the work of J H Kurtz, begins a detailed study of the Old Testament from creation and early humanity through the patriarchal age, blending narrative, geography and theology.

Easy Everyday

by James Martin

2012

Easy Everyday pulls together favourites from James's earlier books into one essential collection, offering straightforward recipes for light lunches, hearty suppers and fuss-free desserts that rely on bold flavours rather than complicated techniques.

James Martin's British Bistro

by James Martin

2010

James Martin's British Bistro focuses on core dishes every home cook should master, such as burgers, pies, roasts, risottos and comforting puddings, with practical tips and step-by-step advice that demystify classic techniques and make smart bistro food feel approachable.

My Kitchen. James Martin

by James Martin

2009

My Kitchen shares the seasonal recipes James cooks off camera for himself, friends and family, celebrating fresh local produce, game and traditional British grub in more than one hundred relaxed dishes organised around spring, summer, autumn and winter.

James Martin - The Collection

by James Martin

2008

James Martin - The Collection brings together three hundred recipes from his earlier cookbooks, covering roasts, stews, pies, puddings and easy everyday plates so you have a single reference for classic British favourites and crowd-pleasing international dishes.

James Every Day

by James Martin

2008

James Every Day is packed with simple, gutsy meals that use familiar British ingredients with global inspiration, from cod with spiced lentils to cheat's coq au vin, giving reliable ideas for midweek dinners and laid-back weekend cooking.

Driven

by James Martin

2008

Driven is James Martin's memoir of how cooking and cars have shaped his life, tracing his journey from a Yorkshire childhood through tough early kitchens and television fame to racing vintage machines, with plenty of candid stories along the way.

Saturday Kitchen Cookbook

by James Martin

2007

Saturday Kitchen Cookbook gathers over one hundred recipes from the weekend TV show, mixing dishes from James and guest chefs, with everything from quick brunches and simple midweek mains to impressive plates inspired by cuisines from around the world.

James Martin Desserts

by James Martin

2007

James Martin Desserts dives deep into cakes, pastries and puddings, beginning with step-by-step basics for pastry, meringue and sauces before offering more than seventy recipes that range from comfort classics to striking dinner party finales.

Easy British Food

by James Martin

2005

Easy British Food reworks traditional favourites such as cottage pie, Cornish pasties, roast beef and treacle tart into approachable recipes, sitting alongside newer dishes like lamb curry or pea and salmon risotto to show how British home cooking can be both nostalgic and fresh.

James Martin's Delicious!

by James Martin

2002

James Martin's Delicious! turns deli counter ingredients into everyday meals, using cured meats, marinated vegetables, cheeses and speciality oils in quick starters, generous mains and easy desserts that feel special without demanding lots of last-minute work.

The Deli Cookbook

by James Martin

2000

The Deli Cookbook offers a guide to shopping and cooking with delicatessen produce, showing how stocks, antipasti, cold meats, fresh pastas and flavoured oils can be combined into simple, flavour-packed dishes, plus advice on choosing and using key deli staples.

Where should I start?

If you love relaxed British home cooking: More Home ComfortsSlow CookingMy Kitchen. James Martin
If you want big-flavour bakes and desserts: James Martin DessertsSweet
If you need easy everyday meal ideas: Easy EverydayJames Every DayEasy British Food
If you enjoy TV tie-in cookbooks: Saturday Kitchen CookbookJames Martin - The CollectionJames Martin's French Adventure
If you are here for biblical history: History of the Old Covenant Volume 1History of the Old Covenant; Volume 2History of the Old Covenant, Volume 3

Author bio

James Martin was born in Malton in North Yorkshire in 1972 and grew up on the Castle Howard estate, where his father worked as catering manager and the family farmed. Helping in the kitchens there gave him an early feel for big, generous food.

As a teenager he was already confident at the stove, and by his mid teens he had cooked for the Queen Mother during a visit to the estate. A trip to France at thirteen, eating in grand chateaux, convinced him that food could be a whole world to explore.

Instead of drifting into cooking, he chose formal training. At sixteen he enrolled at Scarborough Technical College, where he spent three years studying catering and won student of the year several times. College placements led him into busy professional kitchens and confirmed that he liked the pressure.

Early in his career Martin went to France to refine his skills, working at places such as Hostellerie De Plaisance in Saint Emilion and the three star Maison Troisgros in Roanne. Back in Britain he became a pastry chef at Chewton Glen in Hampshire, mastering the precision needed for patisserie.

In his early twenties he moved to Winchester to help open the Hotel du Vin. As head chef he was known for changing the menu daily while keeping standards high, and the bistro quickly developed long waiting lists and an enthusiastic following.

Television arrived soon after. In the mid nineteen nineties he began appearing on shows like Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast, then fronted his own programmes with a strong Yorkshire flavour. From 2006 to 2016 he presented the Saturday morning show Saturday Kitchen, which made him a familiar face in homes across the country.

Since then he has appeared on a long run of food programmes, including James Martin: Home Comforts, Operation Hospital Food, Food Map of Britain, and travel-led series such as James Martin's French Adventure, American Adventure and Saturday Morning with James Martin. Across them all he sticks to a friendly, unhurried style that invites viewers to cook along rather than just watch.

Alongside television work, Martin has written a shelf of cookbooks. Titles such as James Martin Desserts, Sweet, More Home Comforts, Slow Cooking and James Martin's French Adventure show his range, from intricate puddings and patisserie to slow roasts, one-pot suppers and relaxed bistro dishes. What links them is straightforward instruction, a love of seasonal British produce and the influence of French technique.

He has also run restaurants bearing his name, including The Leeds Kitchen in West Yorkshire, a restaurant at the Talbot Hotel in Malton and James Martin Manchester, as well as casual James Martin Kitchen outlets in travel hubs. Live tours and cookery demonstrations keep him regularly in front of audiences away from the camera.

Cars are the other constant in his life. In his autobiography Driven: Cooking in the Fast Lane - My Story and in his former motoring column for the Mail on Sunday he writes about everything from toy Ferraris and early tractors to vintage sports cars and racing. Today he divides his time between filming, writing, restaurant projects, charity work and time at home in the countryside, where food, engines and Yorkshire roots all stay close.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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All 18 James Martin Books in Order (Complete List 2026)