The 2015 Piglet has begun

The Piglet cookbook tournament from Food52 is back in its sixth year. The contest pits 16 of the previous year’s most notable cookbooks against each other in a head-to-head, bracket-style competition. We enjoy this three-week tournament for a number of reasons. First, it allows you to get to know the judges, many of them professional food writers plus chefs and others involved in the industry.

The variety of judges can lead to interesting outcomes as each judge approaches the cookbooks from his or her own perspective. Sometimes those decisions are controversial, and readers are encouraged to weigh in on the results. Finally, if you are on the fence about buying any of the books, this is a great way to get an in-depth review of it before you buy.

While many of this year’s contenders made our Best Cookbooks of 2014 list, there are a few lesser-known cookbooks. These include Green Kitchen Travels by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl, Lunch at the Shop by Peter Miller, and Smashing Plates by Maria Elia. 

The judges are all new for 2015, and include authors from the 2014 competition like Louisa Shafia, winner of the 2014 tourney for The New Persian Kitchen, and Edward Lee, author of Smoke & Pickles. Other notable judges are J. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats and Iron Chef and television personality Alexandra Guarnaschelli.