A mother’s recipes and her daughter’s first kitchen adventures away from home.

Dear Grace is a warm, wise cookbook written by chef and food writer Claire Thomson for her daughter as she leaves home for university. Claire began addressing Instagram posts to Grace, each pairing heartfelt advice and reminiscences with a recipe to nurture and comfort. This struck a chord with parents everywhere experiencing similar emotional highs and lows as they prepared to send their children off into adult life.

Each recipe begins with a note to Grace — advice about surviving deadlines, sharing meals, cooking for one, or navigating heartbreak — followed by an easy dish designed for small kitchens, tight budgets and busy schedules.

Through memories and stories of family and food, Claire perfectly captures the bittersweet moment of watching your child begin their independent life — and the comfort of knowing they can feed themselves and their friends with confidence, creativity and care.