Learn Korean cooking alongside social media star Sarah Ahn as her umma passes down 100+ family recipes and decades' worth of kitchen wisdom Sarah's online videos have captivated millions of viewers with their insightful behind-the-scenes peeks at Korean food, home cooking, and multigenerational home life.
The viral online kitchen collaboration of Sarah Ahn and her mother, Nam Soon, is now a must-have cookbook that blends the emotional intimacy of Crying in H Mart with practical cooking advice based on Nam Soon's decades of experience as a skilled home cook and restaurant owner, backed by the rigorous recipe-testing power of America's Test Kitchen.
More than 100 recipes are framed by mother-daughter conversations that are funny, touching, profound--and universally relatable. Inside you'll also find:
- Ingredient selection and produce guide: Get in-depth guidance on what to look for when shopping, whether at a Korean market, Costco, or Trader Joe's, or online, as well as how to select and prep produce and other essential ingredients.
- Technique how-to's: Nam Soon's decades worth of experience are invaluable in explaining how Korean cooking techniques adapt to the American kitchen.
- Heritage recipes plus Umma's original dishes: You'll learn to make everything from the simplest banchan (Marinated Avocado) or trendy midnight snack (Sandwich Hotteok) to lovingly swaddled, long-fermented whole-head cabbage kimchi to inventive desserts (Korean Lunchbox Cake). You'll even get the the secret recipe from Sarah's uncle (a professional baker) for Milk Cream Doughnuts.
- Kitchen wisdom direct from mother to daughter: Shared secrets and advice open a window onto a level of family intimacy rarely seen in cookbooks.
Pull up a seat at their kitchen table as mother and daughter share the secrets to fermenting Pogi Kimchi while confiding family revelations, debate the best way to simmer Galbitang while explaining how a great soup heals generational conflicts, trade insights on buying ingredients in between bites of Seoul-Style Bulgogi, and agree that using leftovers is always the best way to make Bibimbap.
Sarah Ahn understands that when generations come together in the kitchen, so much is shared: food and cooking techniques, but also wisdom, advice, family history, and love.
About the AuthorSarah Ahn is ATK's social media manager and the creator of the Ahnest Kitchen website. She records her experiences on Instagram and TikTok of living with her Korean immigrant parents, chronicling her mother's cooking, grocery shopping trips, and more. Many of Sarah's posts have gone viral with 10+ million views and they have sold grocery stores out of product. She has been featured on NBC News, ABC News, Yahoo News, and Good Morning America. Nam Soon Ahn learned to cook from her mother in Korea before immigrating to America in the 1990s. She owned and operated an Asian noodle restaurant for nearly a decade.
Industry Reviews
"Umma offers a jaw-dropping master class on Korean home cooking brought to you by a mother and daughter duo whose passion for Korean cuisine comes second only to their devotion to each other. You will love this book and fall in love with the women who made it."
—Joanne Molinaro, creator of The Korean Vegan
“This book is a joyous, technique-driven tribute to the food of Korea. It is packed with intimate vignettes of tradition, wisdom, and loving recipes passed down from mother to daughter. Though some of the dishes come with a long list of ingredients and steps, the recipes are never overwhelming. In fact, it feels as if Umma is right there, guiding you every step of the way.”
—Clarissa Wei, author of Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories of the Island Nation
“It's as if Sarah and Nam Soon (who feel like my cousin and auntie) came over to our house bearing the most precious gift: a brilliant torch, lit by generations of Korean culinary tradition, hard work, and wisdom. Because of the Ahns’ passion and dedication, now all of us have the opportunity to spread the love and warmth of Korean culture and to learn how to keep the torches lit in our homes for generations to come.”
—Randy Lau, creator of Made with Lau
"Umma is more than just a cookbook—it’s a beautifully woven tapestry of love, tradition, and cultural heritage. Sarah Ahn brings her mother’s warmth and wisdom to life through recipes that are as much about family and connection as they are about food. This book is a must-have for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the heart and soul of Korean cooking."
—Brendan Pang, cookbook author and two-time MasterChef Australia contestant
