What a beautiful book! As an avid collector of Filipino cookbooks, it is truly refreshing to see a cookbook that has a different take on traditional Filipino cuisine. The vegetable centered ulams are very clever. It is a cookbook that offers an alternative to the meat/fish centered Filipino food, without losing the essence and spirit of the cuisine but at the same time modernizing dishes so that Filipino food can be appreciated by a wider audience.

I absolutely love the different variations of Bibingka! I'm looking forward to try all of them! I can't wait to try the Lumpia series and Laing recipe!

I'd absolutely buy this book once it comes out!

"In the Kusina: My Seasonal Filipino Cooking" by Woldy Reyes is a vibrant celebration of Filipino cuisine reimagined for a modern audience. Featuring over 100 recipes, this cookbook seamlessly blends fresh, seasonal ingredients with traditional flavors, offering a unique, veggie-forward approach to Filipino classics. The stunning photography—both of the food and the people—beautifully captures the joy of cooking and sharing these dishes.

What sets this book apart is its blend of storytelling and recipes. Woldy’s personal anecdotes offer a heartfelt glimpse into his heritage and the role food plays in building connections. From Garlic Furikake Rice to Kabocha Squash Lumpia, the recipes are both creative and approachable, making it a must-have for food lovers and curious home cooks.

Whether you’re exploring Filipino food for the first time or seeking a fresh take on beloved flavors, this book is a delightful addition to your kitchen. Highly recommended—4.5 stars!

Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me with a copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I love cookbooks and like Filipino food - this should have been a home run, but it felt short. I don't think the author ever figured out who their audience was. The fusion was fun, and the book is uniquely vegetarian, but it didn't feel like a complete experience as I read the book from start to finish.

i requested this book primary by word of mouth...that this cookbook is really really good. i read it on my kindle mainly because of instant gratification, curiosity. never did I expect a cookbook would make me tearful and emotional.

omg those stories, so personal, sincere and heartwarming. Woldy takes you on a journey with him. every recipe generously shared to us holding special personal memories tied in from each story, it was such a treat.

All I can say is GET IT IN APRIL NEXT YEAR WHEN IT COMES OUT! the story was so good and the recipes was delectable!

thank you

In the kusina by woldy Reyes is an easy to follow, in depth collection of recipes that are mouth watering and delicious, I can't wait to try them all, they are perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit that I have very little experience with Filipino cooking. It's not easily found in my area of rural Oklahoma.

I'm very excited to be able to learn to cook it for myself, and also have even more vegetarian dishes to add to our meals.

The recipes are very easy to follow, and I also deeply appreciate seeing photos of the ingredients packaging so I know what to get the next time I visit my favorite Asian market. It can be very confusing when you are inexperienced with cooking a new to you cuisine with imported ingredients that might not be in English.


Unfortunately some ingredients are going to be hard to find if you don't have an Asian Market, or other store that caries a lot of Asian ingredients and vegetables. Thankfully most of the shelf stable ingredients can be purchased online, but they will be much more expensive.

I can't wait to start working my way through cooking the recipes in this book, and the flavors look so bright and refreshing. I think there will be quite a few recipes that will become part of my regular meal rotation!

This is a fantastic celebration of Filipino food, featuring over 100 colorful recipes that give a fresh, veggie-forward twist to classic dishes. As a first-generation Filipino American, Woldy used food to connect with his heritage and share his story, and this book reflects that journey.

You'll find seasonal recipes like Garlic Furikake Rice with Fried Egg, Pancit Salad, and Kabocha Squash Lumpia that are not only delicious but also easy to make. Woldy focuses on lighter, in-season ingredients, transforming traditional recipes into modern favorites.

With beautiful photos and a warm narrative, this book is more than just a cookbook; it’s a love letter to Filipino cuisine. It's perfect for anyone curious about Asian food, looking to try plant-based meals, or wanting a stylish gift for food lovers. You’re going to want to dive into these recipes!

This cookbook is so fun! Whenever I pick up a cookbook, I look for recipes that are a little out of my comfort zone or have ingredient inclusions that I am unfamiliar with. I try to explore and grow my palate even when not traveling, but I also try to spice things up in my kitchen. This cookbook gave me that! The only note I'd say is that the photo placement was sometimes confusing as it was always changing between the pages. I'm a big fan of a photo for every recipe and when the positioning changes or additional photos or added in, the layout can mess with the flow. Overall, the recipes are straightforward and I'm excited to make the dishes!

Oh so fun and oh so beautiful!! The lime cake was a hit as most of the dessert sections of this book were. I loved how everything was split up between seasons. That makes it so much easier to look for recipes if you want to stick to cooking with ingredients that are in season. The photos accompanying the recipes were gorgeous and I loved the color scheme. I can't wait to try more recipes.

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful cookbook, full of delicious looking recipes. There are so many that I can't wait to make!

Thank you Netgalley and Woldy Reyes for this ebook in exchange of an honest review

3.5 Stars

In the Kusina is a perfect combination of what it means to be Filipino-American. Woldy Reyes pays homage to his culture and the roots where it came from, but also simultaneously creating a fusion of traditional recipes that fit with his unique, American identity. Uniquely vegetarian takes with mixed flavors, I praise his creativity, especially with Chili Oil Lugaw, which is a staple that I also consume in my household.

I didn't know much about Filipino cooking before reading this book. I appreciated the background and the emphasis on plant-based recipes. I liked the formatting of the book by seasons. I am interested in trying some of the adobo recipes in the future.

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘢 is first-generation, Filipino-American chef Woldy Reyes’ take on the recipes from his family and cultural background. His Southern Californian roots and stylish New Yorker flair are evident in his choice to center a cookbook around the concept of “vegetable forward, seasonal cooking” and artful presentation.

As a Filipino-American myself, I was excited to see a contemporary, vegetarian take on familiar foods. After going over some of his personal history, his cooking principles, and key ingredients, Reyes presents recipes for various sauces and condiments and then dishes for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Recipes range from simple and straightforward to more modern and inventive, and all are accompanied by beautiful environmental images and appetizing food photography. I am most excited to try the blueberry bibingka recipe.

As cool and inspiring this cookbook is, I was very disappointed to see two of favorite Filipino flavors missing from its pages—mango and ube. (I realize ube may be difficult to locally source in the US, but it could have been interesting to see a recipe with perhaps yam as a substitute.) Nevertheless, 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘢 is still a remarkable work and I look forward to seeing more of Reyes in the culinary world. Thank you to Chronicle Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Filipino food and am always looking for new, creative recipes that capture the vibrant flavors of the food. While these are the traditional foods that I grew up eating, it is refreshing to see them all reimagined in a vegetable-forward way, something that is not prevalent for them in the traditional sense. The ingredients, for the most part, will be easy to find for any home cook that has access to an Asian market but some items, such as calamansi, might be more difficult, and I wish there had been a substitute (although it’s not a perfect science and there really is no substitute for this unique fruit) recommended so these recipes don’t have to be skipped. . Gorgeous photographs highlight the locally-sourced, seasonally selected vegetables that showcase the recipes.

As a Filipino/ American I’m so excited for this cookbook. I can’t wait to read more about the recipes in this book, and the whole section on Filipino sauces. I am so excited for this arc and I can’t wait to read more!

Full review to follow soon.