Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill at La Copine Photo: Gentl & Hyers

New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert

A recipe collection, love story, and blueprint for building a life on your own terms — set against the surreal beauty of the California desert.

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Claire Wadsworth & Nikki Hill
Abrams
April 28, 2026
ISBN 978-1-4197-7822-3
La Copine manages to serve the kind of seasonal, reassuringly confident food that appeals to both brunching families and retreat-seekers on a cleanse, in an inclusive dining room run with joy and exuberance.

— Tejal Rao, The New York Times

La Copine Cookbook Cover

About the Book

An Oasis in the Desert

Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill—the life and business partners behind La Copine, the cult-favorite High Desert restaurant near Joshua Tree—share their debut cookbook.

A recipe collection, love story, and blueprint for building a life on one's own terms, all set against the surreal beauty of the California desert. From late breakfasts with coffee and beignets, to sun-soaked salads, heartier mains, and simple sweets — this is cooking that is vegetable-forward but never virtue-signaling, comforting without being heavy, bold but balanced.

Abrams · April 28, 2026

Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill opened La Copine in 2015, shortly after getting married, to re-create the night they first met. What began as an eclectic, "IYKYK" restaurant has grown into a destination beloved by California locals, travelers and celebrities alike — and a pillar of the California queer scene.

The book is written in collaboration with Ben Mims, a James Beard Award–nominated cookbook author and food writer.

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On the Road

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Advance Praise

What People Are Saying

"Several people yelled at me for spreading the word about La Copine because it's truly a secret gem. Thank God they wrote a book so I can relive my perfectly yummy experience there."

— Olivia Wilde

"La Copine is my favorite neighborhood restaurant, despite the fact it is in the middle of the desert, far from where I live. Claire and Nikki’s food is beyond delicious, simple in the most sophisticated ways. This book is one you will want to cook from for years to come—a brilliant tome from two of my favorite humans who make magic with their restaurant every day."

— Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award-winning chef

"La Copine is a special place; anyone who passes through or lives in the neighborhood will tell you the same."

— Antonia Lofaso

"This place is a ten!"

— Natasha Lyonne

"I felt like a cartoon character in search of water coming across an oasis when I got to experience La Copine. The food they put together is beautiful and thoughtful, and with easy-to-follow recipes it can make your food at home that much more special."

— Kwame Onwuachi, James Beard Award–winning chef and restauranteur

"There’s a mystery that was born in the Mojave Desert. If you’re ready, it’s time to experience it. Because you ain’t never done nothing right in your life ’til you taste La Copine. And once you do, you will be different."

— Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell, contemporary artist, filmmaker, and ufologist

"I love Claire and Nikki! The plant-based options at La Copine are delicious."

— Tobey Maguire, Golden Globe–nominated actor and film producer

"…La Copine manages to serve the kind of seasonal, reassuringly confident food that appeals to both brunching families and retreat-seekers on a cleanse, in an inclusive dining room run with joy and exuberance."

— Tejal Rao, The New York Times

"After leaving LA, the chef couple has built what’s become a joyful queer oasis in the high desert with two-hour weekend waits. Their eponymous cookbook celebrates the recipes that have made La Copine worth the trek, from their famous beignets to creative sandwiches like the pastrami-spiced Pork Belly BLT."

— Bon Appétit, The Best New Cookbooks of Spring 2026