This Is Not a Cookbook: Cork World Book Fest 2026

Roxana Manouchehri in conversation with Grace Neville

This Is Not a Cookbook uniquely blends memoir with food writing alongside evocative lithographic artwork. The vignettes in the book chronicle Manouchehri’s childhood growing up in Tehran in the ‘80s following the Iranian Revolution, the profound influence of the women who surrounded her, and the legacy of memories handed down during wartime. Weaving moving personal anecdotes with the comfort of traditional recipes, Manouchehri offers us a glimpse of a rich but fraught culture seen through the eyes of a young girl seeking to reconcile her roots through the shared intimacy of food.

‘Within minutes of opening Roxana’s beautiful book, I feel the urge to cook my first Shami. Roxana has a magical way of making her memory of her childhood home come to life. […] If ever a cookbook weaved its cuisine, ingredients and sense of place together, it’s this one. Just beautiful.’ (Chef Gary Hanlon, The K Club.)

‘This is not a Cookbook is not a cookbook: it’s a work of art that makes something brand new from recipes handed down through generations.’ (Sarah Gilmartin)