The age of television cooking shows has evolved since the days of Julia Child (The French Chef, 1963) and James Beard (yes, the one whose name is on the prestigious food awards: I Love to Eat, 1946).

The warm, bubbly, and ridiculously knowledgeable chef Samin Nosrat taught me how to cook. Her James Beard Award-winning book, Salt Fat Acid Heat, doesn't just list recipes but teaches readers the ...