Cookbooks date back to the 3rd century, the first known cookbook being The Art of Cooking by Apicius, a gourmet during the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberius. While it is based on the 1st Century chef, it was published two centuries later and is more of a compilation of recipes from many chefs from the ancient world.

While there have been many more cookbooks published over the centuries, they are mostly collections compiled by royal chefs and gourmets. The modern concept of the cookbook began with the Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer in 1931. It is considered one of the bibles of the American kitchen.

In the 1960s Julia Child became famous in the cookbook arena with her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking written with Frenchwomen Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. This book launched Child’s career onto television and was followed by three more books, including a follow up to Mastering.

In recent years the cookbook has become a tool of the super-chef, a new phenomena of celebrity chefs, to make their recipes and techniques available to the public. They are currently more focused on experimental and unique flavors and styles as opposed to the basic cooking techniques of cookbooks produced at the beginning of the 20th century.