Jake Cohen

AKE COHEN’S FIRST COOKBOOK,(HARVEST, 2021)WAS A PERFECT intro to the Instagram-famous cook. How to top it? It “was this mashup of everything I’ve done up to that point. The second book was starting from scratch.” That’s exactly what Cohen did with his (Harvest, September), turning to family recipes for ideas. It’s “this jumping-off point for inspiration of the way that the matriarchs of our family fed everyone they love.” But to Cohen, just owning the book isn’t enough. “To me, the book is not successful if everyone buys it, the book is successful if everyone buys itcooks from it.” This month, Cohen will team up with other influencers and Food Network stars for Foodie Con, part of the New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Instagram, a first-of-its kind event. But Cohen’s star status at Foodie Con is secondary for the self-described “clown,” saying “when you can be part of anyone’s journey, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care if you are a celebrity, an everyday person, anyone in between, I just want to help you cook.”