Not Another Cookbook
Recipe Collection | 2025
Not Another Cookbook is a collection of simplified, day-to-day recipes by Anna Tatyana Koch, developed by AKA Studio. Blending satire with personal anecdotes and meaningful generational recipes, this project challenges the notion that great cooking requires precision and formal training. Instead, it embraces the spontaneity and performance of home cooking.
This is an ongoing project, with updates and refinements continuing through 2025. The case study will evolve throughout the design process.
Whisking Away Perfection – A Visual Manifesto for Imperfect Cooking
The spread design embraces structured chaos, balancing bold typography, playful illustrations, and conversational storytelling to reflect the book’s rebellious take on cooking. The oversized whisk illustration introduces movement and spontaneity, mirroring the fluid, hands-on nature of cooking without strict rules. A bold yet structured title font asserts confidence, while the soft blue color palette maintains an inviting, nostalgic warmth.
The deliberate use of white space allows the humor and personality of the text to stand out, though the contrast between the dense first page and airy second page creates an intentional asymmetry that reinforces the theme of embracing imperfections. The conversational tone and exaggerated frustrations in the text dismantle the idea that cooking requires mastery, instead celebrating the inevitable burned onions and happy accidents that come with learning.
Through a combination of playful design and unfiltered storytelling, this spread redefines what a cookbook can be—an honest, humorous, and empowering guide to cooking without the pressure of perfection.
#F7ABB0 – Playful Nostalgia & Soft Rebellion
This warm pastel pink evokes a sense of innocence, nostalgia, and lighthearted playfulness often associated with childhood and carefree creativity. Its softness makes it inviting and approachable, yet its vibrancy adds an element of energy and youthful curiosity. The hue feels reminiscent of vintage candy packaging, retro diner aesthetics, and childhood stationery, reinforcing the theme of breaking traditional rules in a lighthearted and rebellious way. By incorporating this shade, the design subtly nods to imperfection as charm, embracing spontaneity and an unpolished yet confident self-expression in cooking.
#5A92CD – Confident Exploration & Playful Maturity
This soft yet bold blue conveys a sense of trust, balance, and creative exploration, embodying the experimental and empowering aspects of the book’s theme. Unlike traditional deep blues, this shade carries an airy and youthful vibrancy, making it feel both playful and composed. It mirrors the natural evolution of creativity—transitioning from childlike curiosity to a more confident, unrestricted self-expression. The contrast against the pastel pink adds a dynamic push and pull between structure and spontaneity, reinforcing the idea that cooking, much like design, thrives in a space between precision and improvisation.