All the Cookbook Clubs We've Hosted in 2025

Last December, as we set our goals for the new year, one thing felt especially important to us: building deeper community, and doing it with people beyond our usual circles.

Before starting Vancouver Cookbook Club, Cynthia and I had already been hosting for years. We regularly cooked for church friends and family, hosted monthly socials, and opened our home weekly for  young adult church small groups. These gatherings were an excuse for us to share food, try new recipes, and create space for connection.

But we felt a nudge to do more. We wanted to create intentional community that was open to anyone who loved food and gathering.

So we asked ourselves a simple question: what if we started a cookbook club?

We had been seeing cookbook clubs grow in popularity around the world as people came together over shared meals and a love of cooking. With our backgrounds in food and hospitality, it felt like the perfect way to blend our passions while inviting new people into community.

Fast forward to today, and we’re incredibly grateful. In 2025, we hosted 11 cookbook club events, launched our first Vancouver Cookbook Club tote bag, and introduced our Social House events to explore community beyond the table. It has been a full, joyful, and meaningful year.

Here’s a recap of every cookbook club we hosted in 2025.

January: Rustic Winter

Our very first Vancouver Cookbook Club began as a private gathering with friends. We wanted to test the idea, so we invited 12 friends into our small Yaletown apartment.

We cooked from Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Table, enjoying cozy dishes like Mexican rice, enchiladas, and other winter comfort foods. The decor was simple and thoughtful, including custom name card menus.

After sharing the experience on Instagram and TikTok, we were overwhelmed by how many people wanted to join. What started as a spreadsheet quickly turned into a website and an interest form. That momentum led us straight into our first public cookbook club.

February: Home Cafe

This cozy afternoon quickly became a favourite for many of our regulars and remains one of our most engaged events online on Instagram.

We cooked from Justine Doiron’s cookbook, featuring balanced salads and not-too-sweet desserts like the Green Tea Coffee Cake from Amy Ho of Constellation Inspiration. Cynthia designed a coffee-shop-inspired human bingo game, complete with personalized animal stamps, to help guests connect with one another. The afternoon wrapped up with a DIY photobooth that captured so many sweet moments.

March: Pie Day

March’s Vancouver Cookbook Club celebrated Pi Day with pies of every kind. From banana cream pie to shepherd’s pie, we had over 40+ savoury and sweet pies made from cookbooks of each guest’s choice. The event was hosted at Dalina and was a joyful, carb-filled feast.

For our icebreaker, we created mini paper pies with everyone’s names. Guests exchanged their pie slices as they met new people, symbolizing the sharing of stories and connection. It remains one of our most loved activities.

April: Farm to Table

To welcome spring, we hosted a Farm to Table cookbook club using Two Chefs in the Garden, once again at Dalina. Cynthia transformed the space with a handmade paper garden that brought the room to life.

After the previous month of pie indulgence, this event featured plant-forward recipes, with dishes like Amanda’s sesame cucumber salad served on her handmade ceramic platter. Each guest left with a small pouch of seeds as a reminder of the memories long after the event.

May: Cafe Picnic Turned Home Cafe 2.0

May taught us the importance of flexibility. We originally planned an outdoor cafe picnic, but rain had other plans. We pivoted indoors and hosted Home Cafe 2.0 instead.

Using Joanne Chang’s Pastry Love cookbook, guests brought beautiful pastries like Penny’s garlicky monkey bread. With our background in coffee shops, we pulled out the espresso machine and served drinks inspired by the weather shift, including Raincouver Cold Brew and a Matcha Yuzu Soda. The last-minute change led to an unexpectedly cozy and memorable afternoon.

June: Gather

Our June cookbook club felt like the heart of what a cookbook club can be. Long tables, shared dishes, and thoughtful details came together at The Dirty Apron using Chef David Robertson’s Gather.

Guests enjoyed dishes like Cindy’s grilled peach and heirloom tomato salad and Penny’s Thai chicken curry. Each place setting included a booklet Cynthia designed that shared the story of Vancouver Cookbook Club, listed every guest and their dish, and left space for a printed photobooth photo. It was a keepsake from a truly special gathering.

July: Summer Cake Garden

One of our most popular events of the year, and conveniently during my birthday month, was our Cake Garden. Hosted outdoors at The Chapel at Minoru Park, this Vancouver Cookbook Club featured over 50 cakes, including Susie’s unforgettable sweet corn cheesecake.

We were joined by live music from Jaenna Cali and live painting by Lynden Chan of pageuntitled. Guests received cake passports designed by Cynthia to encourage conversation and connection. It was a beautiful and delicious way to welcome summer.

September: Chop Chop

September marked our first cookbook author event with Ozoz Sokoh and her cookbook Chop Chop, hosted at Coastal Eden Cafe. It was an honour to host Ozoz, especially as Chop Chop was later named one of the New York Times’ best cookbooks of 2025.

From Samantha’s jollof rice to Luna’s Nigerian classic stew, the flavours were bold and unforgettable. Ozoz led a spice demonstration, giving guests a chance to learn directly from the author. Cynthia created personalized bookmarks as a keepsake for the day.

October: Fall Cake Garden

After the success of our summer event, we brought Cake Garden back for fall at Garden Strathcona. This time, with higher stakes.

With over 50 cakes including Hadeel Elmadhoon's Chocolate Cake with Passionfruit Curd, we invited Tessa Huff to judge aesthetics, alongside a People’s Choice Award and a Host’s Choice selected by us. Live piano by our friend Ann and live sketching by Sophia of Jane Doodle rounded out the morning. Winners received Vancouver Cookbook Club tote bags, sketches, and handmade keychains by Cynthia. It was a sweet celebration of creativity and community.

November: Dual Cookbook Club Collab

Community is the heart of why we do this, and in November we partnered with Rebekah of No Pressure Cookbook Club for a dual cookbook club at FUNK Coffee.

We also hosted award-winning local chefs and cookbook authors Chef Betty Hung and Chef Vikram Vij, cooking from their books. The pairing of Indian savoury dishes and French desserts worked beautifully, and guests from both clubs made new friends. Everyone received chef-coat-inspired sugar cookies from Butter and Botanicals, along with amazing raffle prizes!

December: Cookies & Cheer

We closed the year with a festive cookie exchange at Pallet HQ, featuring nearly 2,000 cookies from Edd Kimber’s Small Batch Cookies. Check out Amy's beautiful photos from the event here!

With live music, raffle prizes from community partners, a grazing board by Gather Vancouver, and our most elaborate DIY photobooth yet, the room was full of warmth and joy. It was the perfect way to celebrate the season together.

What’s Happening in 2026?

Hosting a cookbook club takes a lot of care, planning, and heart. While we love creating these experiences, we also want to honour our time with each other and our families.

In 2026, Vancouver Cookbook Club will continue, but at a slower and more intentional pace. Events may be bi-monthly or quarterly, depending on capacity. Our goal is to focus on quality, connection, and sustainability rather than routine.

We’ll continue partnering with local small businesses and social clubs, and we’re planning to take January off. Our next cookbook club will be in February, with an exciting themed event inspired by an iconic food and lifestyle figure coming in early spring.

Thank you for supporting Vancouver Cookbook Club this year and for being part of our community. Keep an eye on Instagram and our stories for updates. It’s been an incredible year, and we can’t wait to cook, gather, and connect with you again in the year ahead.

Interested in joining our Vancouver Cookbook Club? Make sure to sign up for our Interest Form or discover more events through The Social House.

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