Book Nook - The Ultimate Chick Flick Cookbook: Fall in love with over 60 mouthwatering recipes, each inspired by the iconic romantic comedies you adore

Introducing The Ultimate Chick Flick Cookbook: Fall in love with over 60 mouthwatering recipes, each inspired by the iconic romantic comedies you adore by Richard S. Sargent, a swoon-worthy new cookbook offering creative food and cocktail pairings for fan-favorite films like Bridget Jones’s Diary, When Harry Met Sally, The Devil Wears Prada, and more.

Richard—an award-winning actor, filmmaker, and culinary enthusiast—invites you to recreate the magic of your favorite rom-coms at home with more than 60 easy-to-make recipes and fun drinking games. In The Ultimate Chick Flick Cookbook, you’ll find irresistible appetizers, entrées, desserts, and cocktails, such as:

• Ah Ma’s Special Dumplings (Crazy Rich Asians)
• Slippery Little Suckers (Pretty Woman)
• Baby’s Leftover Pot Roast (Dirty Dancing)
• Nine Lives cocktail (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
• Black Tea Hot Toddy (Little Women)
• Cosmo Girl (Legally Blonde)
• Lonely Chicago Pie (Waitress)
• Brewski Beer Cheesecake (Barbie)
• Kalteen Bars (Mean Girls)
• And so much more!

“This book is my love letter to the romantic comedies I feel are universal,” Richard says. “I felt that by bringing the audience into the film through my love of cooking, it would make the films feel even more relatable.”

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

1. Why did you decide to create this cookbook? I had so much fun developing the Horror Movie Night Cookbook that I thought I should try my hand at another genre. I received a lot of positive feedback from fans that really wanted me to do romcoms. I thought that it might be a fun challenge and perhaps I would learn a little something new about the films many people just see as fluff. I have to admit it was incredible experience, and I learned that, if done right, there is a lot more to a great romcom than what we see on the glittery surface.
2. How did you choose the recipes to include? My process starts with picking the perfect films. Once I decide on the films, I study them to see if there are any important scenes that center around food or beverages. If there are - like Blue Soup from Bridget Jones’s Diary, for example - I try to recreate those recipes but with my own personal twist. If nothing food-related seems to be that important, then I’m usually inspired by other aspects of the film - the location, a character, the music, etc. Those recipes can be some of the most fun to develop because I can be creative with any and all ingredients at my disposal.
3. How can a fun themed menu make a dinner party even more engaging? Not only does it make you feel like you are a character in the film, but a fun themed menu ultimately elevates any dinner party by sparking conversation, especially when the meal preparation becomes a shared activity, potentially adding a new dimension to your relationship as you navigate the kitchen together. The anticipation of how the theme manifests in the food, particularly when paired with the drinking games, further enhances the playful atmosphere. These recipes transform a simple meal into a memorable and engaging event, which is perfect for a date night, as well. After all, the way to the heart is through the stomach.

Richard S. Sargent was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Some of his earliest memories are sitting in front of the TV and watching movies. While his friends were playing outside, you could often find him popping in a VHS tape or taking advantage of the free promotional HBO weekend. Today, he is an award-winning actor, director, producer, author and filmmaker. You can find his first well-received film cookbook, The Horror Movie Night Cookbook (Ulysses Press, 2023), online or at your local bookstore. A few of his short plays can be found on Amazon, published through Left Coast Publishing. With a lifelong interest in creative cooking, most of Richard’s day jobs were in restaurants or on food trucks. After taking some cooking classes in NYC, he decided doing it for a living would take all of the fun out of it. His film cookbook series is a way for him to keep it fun, not just for himself but for the audience as well. When he isn’t working on his next cookbook or upcoming feature film, he can be found rehearsing in the theatre or making tunes recording studio, or yes, on the couch watching movies. Check out his alt-rock band The Green Winter, which he formed with his husband, on Apple and Spotify. And find him on Facebook and Instagram (@moviecookbookseries).