Melissa Clark (1)

Melissa Clark | The Big Book of Dinner

The Author Events Series presents Melissa Clark | The Big Book of Dinner

Working with a chef’s creativity for flavor and a home cook’s sensibility for ease, Melissa Clark has been one of America’s favorite recipe creators for decades, helping millions make stunningly great food with flair and no fuss.

And now, with The Big Book of Dinner she gives you her ultimate treasure trove: all the recipes you need, the ways to riff off of them, and lessons you learn from them along the way to make you a great cook. She shares the building blocks that make these recipes work, so you’ll know exactly how to follow them to perfection, or how to go off-script if you want and to make it your own.

With Melissa’s friendly instructions guiding the way, you can take classic Italian-American Meatballs, and switch them up with aromatic spices reminiscent of Middle Eastern kibbe, or use them in an easy sheet-pan dinner with roasted vegetables. Super-quick Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Cumin and Honey can be transformed with ginger and marmalade for a fresh punch, or honey mustard and lemon for a different spin.

Throughout, there are signature Melissa favorites like Creamy Corn Pasta with Tomatoes and Chile Flakes, lessons on cooking the perfect steak or nailing a braise every time, plenty of vegetables and plant-based dishes, a baker’s dozen (and then some) of perfect desserts, and beautiful photographs for every recipe.

Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or a longtime cook, a devotee of Melissa’s or just getting to know her, The Big Book of Dinner will be your cooking companion for a lifetime. 

Melissa Clark is the New York Times bestselling author of Dinner in One, as well as Dinner: Changing the Game, Dinner in an Instant, Comfort in an Instant, Kid in the Kitchen, and Dinner in French. She is a staff writer for The New York Times Food section, where she writes their wildly popular food column, “A Good Appetite.” The winner of multiple James Beard and IACP awards, Melissa earned an MFA in writing from Columbia, and her work has been selected for The Best American Food Writing. 

Because you love Author Events, please make a donation when you register for this event to ensure that this series continues to inspire Philadelphians.

Books will be available for purchase at the library on event night!

All tickets are non-refundable.

The views expressed by the authors and moderators are strictly their own and do not represent the opinions of the Free Library of Philadelphia or its employees.

Event Time Wednesday, November 18, 2026 7:00pm-8:00pm

Melissa Clark | The Big Book of Dinner
Event Location
Parkway Central Library

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