Hardie Grant snaps up vegan Jamaican cookbook by musician and chef Moore 

Hardie Grant has acquired Plentiful: Vegan Jamaican Recipes to Repeat by British-Jamaican musician and chef Denai Moore, described as “a creative cookbook celebrating Jamaica’s vibrant and diverse cuisine".

Publishing director Kajal Mistry acquired world all-language rights from Silé Edwards while at Mushens Entertainment. It will be published in April 2023.

Moore launched her pop-up Dee’s Table in 2017 after a trip to Jamaica, bringing her vision of modern Jamaican plant-based food to life, and she was listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Entertainment list in 2022.

In what Hardie Grant describes as “the first book of its kind”, Plentiful showcases Moore’s “authentic view of Jamaican flavours, debunking any myths of this cuisine being meat-heavy". Denai’s vegan recipes are "bursting with Jamaican flavour to satisfy every craving, mood and occasion" the publisher said. 

Moore said: “Curiosity is what drives me the most. I started writing Plentiful in the middle of the pandemic, when food was the only present thing that I could control. Writing recipes that reminded me of home & also recipes that explored my never ending ’What if?’ questions. When I started Dee’s Table, it was all about telling my story and connecting with people. Cooking very intimate and personal dishes for strangers, some of which made it into the book. Jamaican food is so flavoursome & rich in its complexities. I tried to honour my favourite food memories and reimagine some classic Jamaican flavours.

“Plentiful feels like an extension of me. Hardie Grant felt like the perfect home for this book, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better team to make it with. I’m so grateful to Kajal for giving me this tremendous opportunity to make the book of my dreams.”

Mistry added: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be publishing Denai’s debut cookbook. It’s a refreshing look at the ways we eat and the emotions we have around food, and every single recipe is bursting with flavour and energy. Denai is a very exciting new voice in food, we’re delighted to be championing her and her delicious vegan Jamaican dishes here at Hardie Grant.”