The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes for Everyday Luxury and Elevated Entertaining

by Meredith Hayden

Learn to cook, host, and eat like a private chef with 100 recipes from Meredith Hayden of Wishbone Kitchen.

Inspired by years working as a chef in New York City and the Hamptons, as well as her childhood summers on Nantucket, Meredith Hayden makes food that is both unfussy and elegant—often with a touch of whimsy. In The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, Meredith teaches you to cook like a professional hostess (and have fun while doing it). This is the kind of food to celebrate every season of life; the kind of cooking you don’t start until you’ve made yourself a drink first. Recipes range from 20-minute meals to show-stopping centerpieces, all fit for your next dinner party.

Here you’ll find big salads (Blueberry BBQ Grilled Chicken Salad) and sharable sammies (the Ultimate Italian); there are your starters, your grazers, your chatting-with-friends snackers like Hot Crab Dip and Really Good Guac. Serve the Pink Lemon Pasta when friends come over after work or pack up the Farro Broccoli Salad for lunch the next day. Snack on an Heirloom Tomato Galette and veg out on Asparagus Fries with Feta. Your authority on all things seafood, Meredith shows you the easiest way to break down a lobster so that you can use it in a number of recipes like the Lobster Avocado Salad and Wok Lobster. Or how to shuck oysters so you can enjoy them grilled or with a yuzu kosho mignonette. Throw your own Nantucket Clam Bake, why not?

With sharp, witty commentary, themed menus, and gorgeous imagery, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook will inspire you to rediscover the joy in cooking, romanticize your grocery hauls, and find any excuse to celebrate with friends and family.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Food and Drink, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

Published May 6, 2025

Reviews

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ]

Could not help thinking this is a Martha Stewart-wannabe cookbook and nothing here felt very original. Recipes are mostly very familiar ones and at times come across as a bit chi-chi (like with the 6 lobster recipes) but this should be expected given the title.

There is a vivaciousness to the headnotes and there are nicely styled colour photos of all the dishes. I was a little surprised by the looseness of the recipe instructions given the author did attend culinary school.

Like with the Bacon Bays, a take on bacon wrapped scallops, that calls for 2 dozen fresh sea scallops or Nantucket Bay scallops. Now the recipe title and headnote are all about bay scallops, which are much smaller than sea scallops. They aren't interchangeable 1:1 and you won't know this unless you read the hot tip off to the side. And that tip isn't very helpful as it says to just adjust the quantity of bay scallops as you see fit.

The author is a social media darling with all the followers so it seems that is the impetus behind the cookbook deal. Kudos to her for all her success but this is a book best suited for her online fans.

Rate 2.5 Stars rounded up

[Courtney H]

Too bougie for me. I’m not adding caviar potatoes to the dinner rotation anytime soon.

[Katie N]

tomato galette is insanely good but a lottttt of seafood and missing some popular recipes of hers/other recipes she posted saying would be published in her cookbook and she wasn’t going to post them online bc she was saving them but then didn’t publish!

[Cait]

This was a weird mix of very bougie & very basic (which to be fair, is probably perfect for a lot of people). There were very few recipes I actually thought I'd make, and a lot of them were really just versions of things I already make.
Would probably be a good option as a gift for someone who is up-skilling in the kitchen, or wants to expand their repertoire

[Virginia]

Not “for me” (I’m not a hostess nor have a history with Nantucket) but grew on me. Respect for Hayden leaning into her clear love of seafood, sauces and beverages. The dinner party plans at the back of the book are useful. I’ve only cooked the green garlic and ginger chicken soup so far, but it will go on the winter rotation.

[sarah]

Counting this as read since I have actually used some recipes and they were delightful

[Isabella Basile]

I make Meredith’s Greek salad every single week and my life is better for it (and yes, I did actually read the whole thing)

[Jackie Finlay]

I don’t know if this counts but I read every damn word. Genuinely can’t wait to make so many of these. 5 stars

[Stephanie]

Another blogger. Another cookbook. At least this one went to culinary school. The recipes are more on the upscale side - featuring lots of fresh seafood that isn’t available to everyone. Nothing is wrong with the recipes. None of them jumped off the page and appealed to me. It’s a cookbook that I’m passing on, but fans of the author might want to add it to their collections.

[Michelle Murdter]

I was very excited to get this cookbook. The recipes looked tasty and I was looking forward to making them. However, the more I make the more I realize she rarely adds spices other than salt and pepper….making everything extremely bland. I’ve never run into this issue with a cookbook before so I didn’t preemptively check the seasonings throughout before purchasing. Genuinely shocked to see she only uses salt for the majority of recipes, especially since she went to culinary school. How can you not add any seasoning???? No matter how “good” the meals are, they fall flat due to the literal NO seasoning. If you were creative enough to add onto the recipe then you could salvage it. But if you needed guidance on that (which is reasonable to expect in my opinion) SKIP this book.

[Lauren]

Rating is primarily because it’s a gorgeous cookbook with yummy-sounding recipes and incredibly cute illustrations. It’s really not a cookbook for ME and I don't want to reduce my rating for that reason. This is for the dinner party hosts and fancy people. There’s just a few food recipes (plus many of the drink ones actually!) that I could see my myself making. Maybe it’ll inspire me to actually host a party lol.

[Jennifer Smyth]

I love Meredith!!!
I've been following her on Instagram forever and love her Hamptons house, her dog and her vibe.
She's basically summer in a bottle.
I couldn't wait for this book to be released and now it has a permanent spot on my kitchen counter. The recipes in the book look amazing and I can't wait to dive in and start cooking.
Thank you queen!

[Kimberly]

Amazing cookbook I want to make almost every dish which never happens in a cookbook. I went shopping the day I read it to be able to cook a week of dinners from it!

[Laurel Getty]

Thank you Diana for my bday gift! 10/10 recommend the pork tacos with roasted peach salsa!

[Talor Bly]

Loved Meredith - she’s got some great recipes in this book but will say some of the ingredients aren’t as accessible. I did try the Greek salad and it’s was great!

[Anne]

The swamp soup is life changing, I fear.

[Claire Nolan]

Some good recipes, some silly recipes

[Kinnari Trivedi]

I make these recipes on repeat and they are very easy, delicious and feel elevated —> souvlaki chicken & salad, tomato baked cod, swamp soup. Love Meredith’s insta content/brand partnerships and girls from New Jersey!

[Josie]

I love the Wishbone Kitchen recipes I have made from TikTok so I was very excited for the cookbook and this is so disappointing. There are basically no directions or explanations for anything so it hardly feels like I’m reading a recipe and more just someone describing what they’ve cooked. Also the recipes themselves are underwhelming. When I read the potato recipe, I thought I was missing pages because I have a version saved from her TikTok that is way more interesting and impressive than the one that made the book.

[Libraryassistant]

Hmm, not sure what happened here. This book is recommended by someone I trust, Ms. Hayden has loads of personality, and there are lots of delicious looking pictures…it just didn’t speak to me. Well, to be clear, there are quite a few things I would like to eat in those pictures, but not many of the recipes made me want to run to the kitchen?
Caesar Crudités is a very clever idea, and I would probably try a couple of the pastas.

[Stephanie]

I loved flipping through this book because it was beautiful and had some great illustrations along with photographs of the food. I borrowed this from my library and would recommend doing that before buying. It’s very seafood heavy. I’m giving this three stars because I’d like to revisit these recipes in the summer.

[MD Arif]

★★★★★

The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook is a beautiful collection that makes everyday cooking feel a little more special. I really enjoyed the concept of bringing seasonal ingredients, simple pleasures, and elevated entertaining together in one place. The recipes feel sophisticated without making home cooking seem intimidating.

What stood out to me most was the balance between everyday meals and recipes that are perfect for hosting. There are plenty of ideas that can make an ordinary dinner feel more thoughtful, while the entertaining recipes provide wonderful inspiration when you want to cook for family or friends.

I also loved the seasonal approach. Cooking with ingredients that suit the time of year makes the recipes feel fresh and gives the book a natural rhythm. It encourages you to pay more attention to what is available and to make meals around ingredients at their best.

The presentation makes the cookbook especially enjoyable to browse. The recipes feel inviting, creative, and achievable, while still offering enough inspiration for anyone who enjoys experimenting in the kitchen. I can easily imagine returning to this book throughout the year for both casual meals and special gatherings.

Overall, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook is an inspiring and elegant cookbook with plenty of practical ideas for home cooks. It successfully combines approachable everyday cooking with the excitement of entertaining and seasonal food. A gorgeous five-star addition to any cookbook collection.

[Rachel]

so far this has been pretty good!

not my favorite overall cookbook, but i've enjoyed the recipes i've tried

VERY seafood heavy and as someone who lives in a landlocked state, i'm not going to attempt many of these recipes

i might end up buying this? TBD

• tomato butter baked cod // light, flavorful, a great summer recipe. pretty bare bones for a meal so i had to supplement with brussels sprouts + sourdough



• fish tacos // delish, wow. dalton and i were both floored. pretty basic setup, but it works. the cod was so crispy, fluffy, and i immediately wish i had made more



• heirloom tomato galette // this was the perfect recipe to use my garden tomatoes for and felt like the most luxurious treat to have for brunch at home on a saturday. i like that it's supposed to be eaten at room temp so would be a good hosting app.

[I want a croissant]

Girls, don’t walk, RUN to get a copy of this book. Before diving into the recipes, this book is a fabulous gift (and a MUST) for any host or food appreciator in your life. It is absolutely stunning, with hand drawn doodles, farmers market pics, luxury fonts, and pink and blue accents.

This book is simple to use, well organized, and of course gorgeous!! It’s like your Pinterest board COME TO LIFE. I desperately wish I could include pictures here… I would describe the beautiful sketches in here as loose, modern watercolor with a cozy, folksy editorial vibe (thank you chatgpt!).

This recipe book features fancy and fun appetizer ingredients from osyters, crab, and caviar to casual (but indulgent) lunchies like lobster rolls, duck fat potatoes, and butterflied branzino.

I did not save any of these recipes to make for myself, but I would definitely flip this one open to find recipes for a dinner party! She also includes menu tips and pairings at the end of the book, which is a great add on.

*Another thing to note, these recipes are not gluten/dairy/allergy friendly. More catered to a wider audience with no intolerances.

[Brianna Nitz]

First we had hot girl summer, and now we have Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook summer!

Meredith is truly our generation’s hostess queen, and this cookbook solidifies that. Her recipes are the elegance of Martha with the ease of Ina. The cookbook is the perfect balance of simple weeknight meals (she literally has a riff of a Shake n Bake Chicken) and dinner party stunners, like crab cakes and oysters parm. The book is full of tips for trickier things, like how to carve a chicken or shuck oysters in the oven. Some “fancy” cookbooks use insane ingredients that are hard to find, but there aren’t many of those here, and if something is, Queen Mere has a substitution listed.

To top it all off, she has a good section for party planning tips. Tons of cocktail recipes, tips for building a menu, and some example menus of her own for your next pasta party or country club inspired dinner party.

Oh, and did I mention it’s pretty? Now brb, going to start cooking my way through the book rn!

[Laura]

This book is well laid out, with a photo for every recipe, and clear instructions. I love the illustrations, too. But it's not a win for me. While I love the New England-focused tone, I found the recipes to be a little rarefied - there are lots of oyster, lobster and crab recipes. There is some useful info here (like the lobster breakdown tutorial, and learning the difference between ME and CT lobster rolls), but I don't see most of these making it into my everyday. The apps chapter (hot crab dip!), drinks and seafood were the standouts for me. These also aren't easy recipes - many go into two pages. However, for entertaining or on a weekend when you have more time to cook or may be looking to impress, these are solid.

[Md Al]

The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook is a beautiful and inspiring collection of seasonal recipes that makes everyday cooking feel a little more special. I love the balance between approachable dishes and elevated ideas that are perfect for entertaining. The recipes feel thoughtful without being intimidating, and the emphasis on seasonal ingredients makes the book especially enjoyable to cook from throughout the year. The presentation and overall style are inviting, making this a cookbook I would happily keep on the kitchen counter for inspiration. Whether you're planning a dinner with friends or simply want to bring a touch of luxury to an ordinary meal, this book offers plenty of ideas. A gorgeous cookbook with recipes that feel both achievable and impressive. Five stars!

[Abdullah Al]

★★★★★

The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook is a beautiful and inspiring cookbook that makes everyday cooking feel a little more special. The seasonal recipes are creative without feeling overwhelming, and the idea of bringing a touch of luxury to everyday meals is wonderfully done.

I love the balance between approachable recipes and elevated entertaining ideas. There’s plenty here for both casual weeknight cooking and those occasions when you want to impress your guests. The recipes feel thoughtful, fresh, and full of flavor, while the presentation makes the book a joy to browse.

A gorgeous addition to any home cook’s collection and a great source of inspiration for anyone who loves seasonal food and entertaining. Five stars!

[Maura]

As far as cookbooks go, this one is filled with simple recipes I’d cook again. The ceasar dip was a crowd pleaser at a party I attended in August. That being said, The one recipe that stands out in particular, that made me rate this cookbook as five stars is the tomato butter cod recipe. I made it with halibut instead, but really any white fish would do. The other alteration I made was to use an emersion blender to turn it into more of a thick sauce. The tomato butter sauce is amazing, even as tomato season dwindles I’ll be making this recipe again. I might even use that sauce as the base of a soup or chili recipe in late fall.

[Kelly]

My most prized possession. I LOVE this cookbook because it’s somehow accessible but elevated and different. The photos are beautiful and the pictures are adorable and aesthetic. The introduction literally brought tears to my eyes and I adore that you can hear Meredith’s voice throughout the intros of the recipes. I’ve made 3 recipes from it so far and they’ve been hits (Piri piri chicken sandwich is to die for). I highly recommend this cookbook for any level of cook and anyone who wants to try different ingredients and level up their cooking.