COMP TITLES

Bento Picnic will engage readers who are drawn to genres including: Washoku cookbooks, bento cookbooks, holistic Asian cookbooks, menu-based cookbooks, “nerdy creative” cookbooks, and design-forward coffee table books.  

For as many niches as Bento Picnic fits into, it is a rare piece of work in that it exists at the nexus of so many intersections with a unique vantage point that has not previously been expressed. Even without any prior knowledge of Bento Picnic’s restaurant, this eponymous cookbook will spark joy, inspire culinary greatness, and potentially initiate a paradigm shift for all readers who are drawn to thumb through its colorful pages of intriguing design practices and delicious recipes. 

In addition to all the ways that Bento Picnic will stand out from all these comp titles detailed below, it will also be the first cookbook published in English to include sake pairings.  

For anyone looking to dive into the world of Japanese cuisine, ingredients and cooking techniques, authors like Elizabeth Andoh (the IACP-Award winning author of Washoku), Namiko Chen (prolific blogger and author of Just One Cookbook), and Rie McClenny (Star of BuzzFeed’s Tasty and author the newly-minted Make it Japanese) have done masterful work documenting traditional Washoku recipes following a familial, anthropological approach, and sharing classic homestyle recipes from their ancestors.  

Bento Picnic will also fit into the category of Homestyle Washoku Cookbooks, but it will take a differentiated approach from these traditional titles. Bento Picnic will focus on Washoku’s often unspoken rule of using 5 colors, 5 tastes, and 5 elements in every meal — so that readers can learn to apply Washoku broadly and use it no matter where they live, what ingredients they have access to, what their heritage is, or what their dietary preferences are.  Bento Picnic’s coverage of Washoku does not aim to encompass all of Japanese culinary tradition, but rather Valenti’s personalized account of the craft.

Bento Cookbooks

Most bento cookbooks are geared towards busy moms cooking for kids, but there are two recent bento cookbooks publications that are geared towards adult audiences, like Bento Picnic will be: Power Bento by Sara Kiyo Popowa and Bentos & Bowls by Tim Anderson. However, Bento Picnic will stand out from both of them in key ways — explained below.

Akin to Bento Picnic, the recipes in Bento Power draw inspiration from Washoku to teach readers how to make healthy & creative meals using all five colors, five elements, and five tastes. However, Bento Picnic is not exclusively plant-based nor does it reflect the same aspirational recipe orientation. Rather than focusing on vegan packed lunches, Bento Picnic is designed to empower home cooks with complete menus and plating suggestions so that they can successfully integrate Washoku principles into their omnivorous lives and social gatherings. Therefore, Bento Picnic will have wider appeal and be more accessible to a broader audience.

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The main reason readers would seek out Anderson’s cookbook is for novelty’s sake. It gives excellent guidance for readers who want to expand their current repertoire to learn how to make Japanese bento specialties. That being said, many of the recipes in JapanEasy Bowls & Bento can be found at Japanese restaurants, so potential readers may opt to go out to eat instead of buying the cookbook. Comparatively, Bento Picnic features more unique homestyle recipes that people cannot find in restaurants.

Also JapanEasy Bowls & Bento offers recipes that can be used interchangeably in a range of bentos. We feel this modular approach makes for a clunky user experience because readers have to flip between multiple sections of the book to create a single bento. In contrast, Bento Picnic is organized by menus that curate 3-5 specific recipes that compliment each other and correspond with 3 expertly-chosen sake pairings. By laying out a clear vision for each bento menu across the same centerfold, Bento Picnic will present readers with a more streamlined, stress-free cooking experience.

The aim of Bento Picnic extends beyond offering readers Eastern novelties to spice up their cooking routine. Our main objective is to empower readers to lead thriving lives, and we are on a mission to get Bento Picnic into the hands of people who are looking for guidance around natural pathways that they can take to reclaim their physical health and mental well-being.

We consider authors such as Zoey Xinyi Gong (Five Elements Cookbook), Remy Morimoto Park (Sesame, Soy, Spice), Sophia Nguyen Eng (The Nourishing Asian Kitchen), and Dan Buettner (Blue Zones Kitchen) as allies on the path toward modernizing and contemporizing ideas from Asia’s heritage of wholesome, healthy living. As we collectively raise our voices and share our unique perspectives on this path, we hope to add to this rich conversation that is presently coming into mainstream awareness.

Menu-Based Cookbooks

Tables & Spreads by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel and Wyatt Worcel and Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others by Amy Thielen are particularly masterful examples of recipes grouped by menus intended for entertaining guests. In a similar fashion to Bento Picnic, these books’ graphics and prep tips empower readers with the resources they need to host effectively without causing them to reach a state of overwhelm. Though an increasingly popular way to format cookbooks, there is little to no representation of English-language Asian cookbooks in this category. This is a niche that Bento Picnic strives to fill.

“Nerdy Artistic” Cookbooks

The kitchen increasingly became a creative outlet during COVID, and America alone is currently home to 32 million food bloggers — with 75% of them stating that they are merely for personal satisfaction. Cooks and chefs like Angie of Kitchenistics and One of Everything’s Abhi, Kim, and Nick are turning to resources like The Flavor Equation by Nik Sharma, The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit, and Cook Color by Maria Zizka to nerd out and get fresh inspo to fuel their culinary pursuits.

Similarly Bento Picnic will appeal to DIY’ers and professional chefs who want to use the framework of Washoku to tap into their own senses and compose balanced meals in an intuitive way.

Design-Forward Coffee Table Cookbooks

Some of the best selling cookbooks on the market today are escaping the kitchen and making their way onto coffee tables thanks to beautiful and intentional storytelling and visual design. With eye-popping typography, full-color photos and intriguing illustrations, Bento Picnic will animate the concept of Washoku in an interactive manner that has not previously been done. Similarly to Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu and Tokyo Local by Brendan and Caryn Liew, those who love Japan and appreciate works of art will seek out Bento Picnic as a design specimen to add to their collection and to keep out on their coffee tables.

Japanese Restaurant Cookbooks

Titles like Love Japan by Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel, Rintaro by Sylvan Mishima Brackett and Jessica Battilana, and Japanese Soul Cooking by by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat showcase the work of chefs and restaurateurs whose recipes are appealing to both restaurant clientele and readers who have never heard of their establishments. They build on bestselling recipes by offering a mix of achievable and aspirational dishes. 

Featuring recipes from its beloved Austin restaurant which Forbes called “an experience unlike any other in town, offering deliciously nourishing and balanced meals, a culturally rich environment, and a drive to provide the community with healthy refreshing meals without sacrificing flavor,” Bento Picnic will appeal to former patrons and broader audiences alike.