Fig Tree acquires Jay Rayner’s Nights Out in the Kitchen

Fig Tree has acquired Nights Out in the Kitchen: More Recipes and Stories from a Restaurant Critic’s Life by Jay Rayner, the follow up to his bestselling cookbook Nights Out at Home.

Helen Garnons-Williams, publishing director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Jonny Geller and Sabhbh Curran at Curtis Brown. Fig Tree will publish the book as a lead title in September 2026.

In Nights Out at Home, Rayner "reflected on his quarter-century as a restaurant critic and outed himself as not only a professional eater, but someone with a profound understanding of how the very best meals are crafted", the publisher says, adding that it "offered inspiration and permission to roll up our sleeves and start cooking our favourite restaurant dishes at home".

“Now, in Nights Out in the Kitchen, readers will encounter Jay in his kitchen, with another 40 cleverly reverse-engineered recipes, taking inspiration from restaurants and chefs across the UK, alongside 20 of his very own recipes, including meatballs with braised spaghetti, shaved fennel and lemon zest salad, tartiflette tart and slow-cooked tandoori lamb shoulder," the publisher continues. "With each dish, readers will discover how he cooks these family favourites, and the dynamic mix of restaurants, chefs and cookbooks – as well as Jay’s own creative flair – that inspired them.”

Garnons-Williams said: “We are so excited that readers can come back for a hearty second helping of Jay’s delicious recipes and compellingly told stories. Nights Out in the Kitchen is a book fuelled by Jay’s inimitable combination of curiosity about, and affection for great cooking at home and away, and we know it will inspire and delight his many fans as well as enticing in countless new ones.”

Rayner said: “I am thrilled to be back in my kitchen, experimenting once more with recipes inspired by my favourite restaurant dishes over the years, but also working on my own creations, both those that have long been family favourites or which are designed for special occasions. And all of them come with stories, anecdotes and musings from a life focused on what’s for dinner, and lunch. And breakfast.”