The multifaceted career of Questlove (Ahmir Thompson), the musician and entertainer, includes food salons, where chefs cook for high-profile guests. With his new book “Mixtape Potluck,” he has turned things around and has guests do the cooking. Recipes, usually enough to feed a dozen or more, have been contributed by 57 of his friends. Zooey Deschanel’s bok choy and cucumber salad, JJ Johnson’s sticky ribs, Lilly Singh’s mother’s chicken curry, Eric Ripert’s salmon rillettes, Shep Gordon’s Maui onion and ginger soup, and Natalie Portman’s Greek spinach pie, using phyllo like a pie crust, are some worth serving. He has created a list of songs, inspired by the various contributors, for the cook to play while preparing each dish. Prince’s “Joint 2 Joint” is a suggestion for Ms. Deschanel. Questlove also shares party-hosting advice.
“Mixtape Potluck: A Dinner Party for Friends, Their Recipes, and the Songs They Inspire” by Questlove, with Ben Greenman and Lauren Schaefer, (Abrams Image, $29.99).
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