Eat Small Plates x Cookbook Photography

The dynamic couple behind @BenGingi share their favorite mix-and-match-ready recipes for effortless everyday dining and easy hosting.

From a serendipitous meeting on a street corner in a tiny town in the Italian Alps to their food studio at the heart of the East Village in New York City, Ben and Zikki have been on a culinary adventure since the very moment they met. Ben’s first gift to Zikki? A half loaf of beetroot sourdough. And their first date? Zikki taught Ben to make potato varenyky, secretly prepping him to help her make 1,000 for an event the following week!

These days, with not a moment to spare, they happily host friends and family and run a sought-after catering business in New York City. Their debut cookbook, Eat Small Plates, is an ode to a style of eating at the heart of their lived experiences together: traveling, creating a family, and building beautiful lasting friendships wherever a meal can be shared. Here, they offer their favorite small plate recipes for greater joy and connection every day.