In her first solo project as a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle has launched her support for Together: Our Community Cookbook, a cookbook supporting the Hubb Community Kitchen and local community members affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. The Duchess of Sussex penned a heartfelt foreword for the book, in which she praises the space for:
“… providing comfort in [its] simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy.”
You can read the full foreword penned by Meghan (which reads incredibly closely to her work on the Tig, which was a delightful throwback) by, clicking here.
The cookbook was written by the community members who gather at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London. The neighborhood was gravely affected last year by the tragic Grenfell Tower fire. In January 2018, Meghan Markle began making private visits to the community centre and its Hubb Community Kitchen to meet with the local women and hear their stories. During their meetings, Meghan asked why the communal kitchen, which Meghan was particularly fond of, was not open 7-days a week. The short answer – funding – inspired Meghan to propose the cookbook idea. The Duchess of Sussex connected the women with an agent and publisher. 50 women shared their family recipes, and a cookbook was born.
Proceeds from the cookbook will go directly to the Hubb Community Kitchen, allowing the space to be open 7-days a week. The cookbook needs to sell 50,000 copies to reach this goal, which is why the Duchess’ support is so important. This project, her first project as a royal, reflects Meghan Markle’s passion for diversity and culture within a community. Community kitchens are a long-standing passion and focus for Meghan in her charity work – she volunteered in an LA soup kitchen as a teenager and, more recently, offered her time while filming Suits to a Toronto soup kitchen.
Throughout the book, we see Meghan Markle on her many visits to the Hubb Community Kitchen. She could often be found, hair tied, sleeves rolled up, helping cook or prepare foods in the kitchen, and then sharing those meals with the women whose recipes comprise this cookbook. In the few photographs of the Duchess that are featured in the cookbook, we catch a rare glimpse of Meghan in her casual, comfortable, everyday style.
Picture by Jenny Zarins/WPA Pool via Backgrid
Casual favourites like jeans and her favorite shirts, which she owns in multiple colors. A delicate necklace. A cozy pullover sweater. We also see her fearlessness in the kitchen, as she mixes and stirs green and red dishes without fear of stains. These photographs seem like an intimate reflection of her true style – in the kitchen, comfortable and casual, just like any other woman in London. We loved seeing Meghan’s down-to-earth casual style, featuring easy button-down shirts, jeans, and her favorite simple pieces of jewelry. Here are all of the pieces Meghan wore throughout the cookbook:
If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of the cookbook, it is available for pre-order on Amazon (where it remains the #1 best-seller!). It will be released September 20th in the UK and on September 25th in the United States & Canada.
This is so exciting! What a perfect solo project, fusing her passions for women and cooking. It couldn’t be more Meghan. On a style note, I LOVE to see Meghan back in her button downs and jeans! And I’d love to wear all those outfits. She is so down to earth.
I’d love to pre-order and want to make sure to use the correct link – MM team, are you able to re-input the Amazon US hyperlink?
Apologies for the oversight – we were obviously too excited! It’s been updated now. xo
You gals are SO great and detailed!!
I’ve ordered this cook book and can’t wait to read it and try some of the recipes!! The video that captured the creation of this cook book brought tears to my eyes, the kindness, laughter and compassion that these women have shown in the face of overwhelming tragedy is so inspiring.
While Meghan narrated this video and was shown a few times she seems to be glad to take a back seat to the women shown in this video, I love seeing humility in this day and age when it’s in such short supply.
Kudos to Meghan on her first solo project, it makes me very excited to see what the future holds for the Duchess and thank you to all the lovely women of the Hubb Community Kitchen you’ve given me faith in humanity again!
what about her striped shirt + apron?
Hi Baylee,
We’re still working on it, will let you know if we can figure them out!
– A&C
The first sweater that came to mind was her Banana Republic boatneck, but that also photographer a bit darker than this crisp white.
photographed* 🙂 Woops, we need an edit button!
Yes, it would be convenient if it were the same (we were hoping!) but it’s new. It’s very hard to confirm with the neckline not visible. We’re hoping the book has a couple of additional photos we haven’t seen yet so we can confirm!
HRH the Duchess of Sussex is unique as a royalty young woman: brilliant, intelligent, dutiful, inspiring, creative, lovely, relatable, hard working, stylist, beautiful, elegant, and down- to- earth. She is 1 million talents in one. We all understand why the Queen is very happy to welcome her into the British royal family and loves her so much like her own grand-daughter. She doesn’t only have compassion for victims, but she also inspires, acting for good to find solutions to help people in needs without spotlights. She is amazing, naturally hard working and dutiful. She is the real Princess we were waiting for. God bless you, your Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex and your Prince! God protect both of you every time. We love you.
I absolutely love hearing about the Duchess of Sussex’s latest project! This made me smile all day yesterday when I first read the news. It’s a perfect platform for her – bringing together her love for food and entertaining with her previous experience with humanitarian work around the world.
I also love her simple chic look for the cookbook photos with the simple tops, delicate jewelry and (slightly messy) “Megan Ponytail” that I love as well as the natural beauty look.
I do plan on ordering the cookbook to help with the Hubb Community Kitchen, but taking a look at some of these recipes, they are not quick and easy and do require a lot of ingredients- but I will make the effort with a few of the simpler ones! 🙂
This is so exciting! As much as I love following all things Meghan, it was nice to wake up to news of what she’s been DOING, rather than what she’s WEARING. This project suits her perfectly. I’ve already ordered my copy and can’t wait for it to arrive. And how refreshing to see her looking like herself in her casual everyday attire. I’ve missed seeing that….. 🙂