Stews are colourful, flavourful, they can transport you anywhere – from France to India, Brazil to Japan, or to the nostalgic smells of the kitchen you grew up in. But stews don’t get celebrated enough. In over 100 recipes from around the world, discover how the oldest style of cooking (in one big pot over a heat source) can be the most joyous way to feed family and friends. From classic French beef bourguignon to Portuguese feijoada, Caribbean Sancocho to Swedish Fiskgryta, this is a truly global exploration of one-pot cooking that offers home cooks the opportunity to travel from their very own kitchen table.

Organised by main ingredient (from Beans to Veg and Beef to Seafood), you’ll find everyday dishes where familiar and affordable ingredients are transformed on the stovetop, weekend winners containing recipes that use a few more ingredients and call for a little more mindful preparation, and a stew extravaganza with more celebratory dishes for when you want to seek out exciting new ingredients or perhaps more expensive cuts of meat.

Xav’s expert guidance will help you to understand how each dish can feed you well and feed your soul. There’s a stew for every mood and every day of the week. All of them are easy to do with no special techniques required.

Xavier Bramble is a self-taught home cook. His journey started in 2020 where he taught himself how to cook in his halls of residence at university. Within 6 months of cooking, Xav launched his own student run takeaway service in Nottingham. In March 2022 Xav’s TikTok account exploded and has now reached over 600K followers on TikTok and over 830K followers on Instagram. A contestant on the BBC’s Young Masterchef in 2023, his brand partnerships to date include Coca Cola, Sainsbury’s, Buzzfeed, Itsu, JustEat and BBCFood. Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @xavskitchen.