The best cookbook in the world is from Colombia. Cocina Palenquera para el Mundo (Palenque Cuisine to the World), created by women from the Afro-Colombian town of San Basilio de Palenque was awarded Best Cookbook in the World at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2014, the most prestigious awards in the gastronomic publishing industry. The recognition not only highlighted the quality of the recipes but also honored the cultural, historical, and symbolic value of a cuisine passed down from generation to generation by the wise women of Palenque, the first town founded by free slaves in the Americas.
Cocina Palenquera para el Mundo, the Best Cookbook in the World : more than traditional recipes
The book Cocina Palenquera para el Mundo also known in the Palenquero language as “Kumina ri Palenge pa tó paraje” is a gem of Colombian gastronomic literature that has transcended borders. It was published in 2014 by the Fundación Transformemos, with editorial direction by Rodolfo Ardila Cuesta and texts by Alfonso Cassiani Herrera and Cristian Mendoza Corredor.
This book not only compiles 38 traditional recipes from San Basilio de Palenque but also celebrates cultural resistance and Afro-Colombian heritage. Written in both Spanish and Palenquero, and translated into English and French, the book reinforces its universal appeal.
It received the award for Best Cookbook in the World at the 2014 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, surpassing over 15,000 entries from 184 countries, thanks to its unique approach: it is not just a cookbook, but a living testimony of a community that has preserved its African identity through food, music, and language.
The book is also the result of the educational project Son Ri Tambo, which helped more than 500 residents of Palenque become literate in both their languages. Thirty-eight of them directly contributed to the writing of the book.
Recipes that reflect an ancestral legacy
The cookbook includes iconic dishes that are now known around the world for their authenticity and flavor. Among the most notable is arroz con coco y jaiba (coconut rice with crab), a dish where the sweetness of fresh coconut blends with the savory taste of crab, creating an irresistible combination. Also featured is the traditional sancocho de gallina criolla (Creole hen stew), slow-cooked over wood and served with cassava, plantain, yam, and corn—a dish that evokes family celebrations and communal gatherings.
Another culinary jewel is mote de queso, a thick soup made with yam and coastal cheese that represents the essence of Colombian Caribbean cuisine. The sweet anise arepas also have their place in the book, with their delicate flavor and unmistakable aroma, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
The book doesn’t forget traditional drinks such as masato de arroz (fermented rice drink), enjoyed during festivals and celebrations, or corozo juice, a juice made from a wild fruit with a bold, distinctive flavor native to the region.
Each recipe is accompanied by stories and cultural context that help readers understand the deep significance of the ingredients and the wisdom of the women who preserve them.
The cuisine of San Basilio de Palenque: resistance, identity, and community
San Basilio de Palenque, located in the Bolivar department, is recognized as the first free town in the Americas, founded by Africans who escaped slavery in the 17th century. Its legacy of freedom and autonomy is also reflected in its cuisine a powerful blend of African, Indigenous, and Creole influences that has withstood the test of time as an expression of collective identity.
Palenquero cuisine is rich not only in flavor but in knowledge. It relies on local ingredients such as plantain, maize, coconut, root vegetables, and regional fish, prepared using traditional methods that remain alive today. The cooks, known as sabedoras, are the guardians of ancestral knowledge. Their role goes beyond the kitchen they are cultural leaders, keepers of the Palenquero language, and protectors of intangible heritage.
Every dish cooked in Palenque is an act of resistance. It keeps alive a story built with strength, joy, and dignity. It preserves the rituals, the flavors, and the shared moments around the fire.
Today, thanks to the international recognition of Cocina Palenquera para el Mundo, the gastronomy of San Basilio de Palenque has crossed borders, inspiring chefs, researchers, and travelers to discover one of the most authentic and moving cuisines in Latin America.