On March 17, 2025, The Knockturnal celebrated the debut of Peter Som’s first cookbook, Family Style, at Hong Kong-style diner ChaChaTang in the West Village the night before it hit the stands.
Fashion designer and culinary creator Peter Som debuted his first cookbook Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage, among collaborators, friends, fans, and even a FaceTime from mom. Som credits his culinary influences to three disparate origins: his Bay Area roots, the French cuisine his mother adores, and Cantonese flavor combinations he learned from his grandmother.
“This journey has not just been about a cookbook, it’s been about learning who I am, where I came from, and the people who made me who I am today.” — Peter Som
The Family Recipes
Guests sampled light bites of five recipes out of more than 100 featured in the cookbook while sipping signature Silent Pool Gin cocktails and Rombauer Vineyards’ luxury wines. “The PS Lychee Martini” packed a light citrus punch with lemon and simple syrup, and the “Gin & Bloom” fizzed and delighted with elderflower liqueur, cucumber, and tonic.
Passed hors d’oeuvres included:
- Deeply savory Crispy Deviled Tea Eggs, dusted with Som’s own “Feelin’ Snacky” blend, created with Burlap & Barrel
- Vegetarian Hong Kong French Toast Grilled Cheese (“not too sweet” is Som’s family gold standard)
- Rich and hearty Crab Fried Rice Arancini
- Delectable gluten- and dairy-free Hoisin Meatball with Gochujang Glaze
- Creamy Cardamom Mango Pudding
- ChaChaTang’s luxurious Caviar Canapé
The Family Tea
After sharing appreciation for ChaChaTang’s Wilson Tang and John McDonald for hosting us in “the best” Cantonese eatery, Som then thanked the event’s aforementioned partners, his team, publisher HarperCollins’ imprint Harvest, and his cookbook’s “dream team,” including photographer Linda Xiao, food stylist Sue Li, and prop stylist Sarah Smart.
Som dedicated Family Style to his mom and grandmother. “My mom is having major FOMO right now in California.” A friend in the crowd confirmed, “We got her, she’s waving!” from FaceTime to a chorus of cheers and aws. “My grandmother’s been gone for 20 years,” Som continued, “so this was a chance for me to get to know her all over again as an adult human being.”
Family Style is available now at HarperCollins, Bookshop.org, and wherever books are sold. Learn more at peterson.com.
Photos Courtesy: Deonté Lee for BFA
