Cookbooks don’t just provide instructions for recipes; they connect food with storytelling, both visual and narrative, and are your kitchen guides to help create delicious memories with family and friends. Join LAist and the James Beard Foundation for these nights of culinary connection and exploration.
Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill — the life and business partners behind La Copine, the cult-favorite High Desert restaurant near Joshua Tree — have just released their debut cookbook, La Copine: New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert. Beloved for its come-as-you-are hospitality, thoughtful yet indulgent style of California cooking, and devoted following of locals, road-trippers, and celebrity fans alike (including Patti Smith, Cara Delevingne, Natasha Lyonne, Robert Plant, Laurence Fishburne, Olivia Wilde, Susan Sarandon, Courtney Barnett, and Kate Moss), La Copine has become one of California’s most singular dining destinations. Claire and Nikke will join LAist’s food and culture writer Gab Chabrán to talk about the cookbook and life, together, in the desert. They’ll also demonstrate one of their signature recipes live onstage. You can pre-order the cookbook with your ticket purchase or onsite from our bookseller partner Now Serving. Guests will enjoy a savory pre-show snack and a sweet post-show treat!
This series is presented in partnership with The James Beard Foundation
About The Authors
Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill opened La Copine in 2015, shortly after getting married, to re-create the night they first met. What began as an eclectic, “IYKYK” restaurant has grown into a destination beloved by California locals, travelers and celebrities alike, and is a pillar of the California queer scene.
The book is written in collaboration with Ben Mims, a James Beard Award–nominated cookbook author and food writer. Mims has worked as a food columnist, editor, and recipe developer for the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Lucky Peach, and BuzzFeed’s Tasty. He has written three cookbooks, and his work has appeared in the annual anthology Best Food Writing.
La Copine: New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert is available wherever books are sold. For more information, follow La Copine on Instagram @lacopinekitchen.
About Gab Chabrán
I write about all things food and drink, from the latest pop-ups to restaurant trends, and explore how food tells the region's story and connects us to the complex social fabric of Southern California. A lifelong resident of Southern California, my work has been featured on programs like Splendid Table and Good Food, and I've contributed to publications including L.A. Taco, Eater LA, Thrillist, Los Angeleno, KCET Artbound and The New York Times. In 2024, I was recognized as a James Beard semifinalist for audio reporting. I aim to provide a current and up-to-date portrait of what’s happening in the Southern California food ecosystem by speaking with chefs, cooks, business owners — and you.
Everyone in attendance will get a full-size sample from our friends at Graza Olive Oil.
Thank you to our partner bookstore.
