Cookbook dishes up stars’ favorite recipes
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers GOOD EATS, GOOD WILL—Jackie Zabel, left, and Morgan Most pooled their talents to give birth to “The Hollywood Cookbook” which features the personal recipe favorites of 20 television and film stars. Proceeds from the book will benefit various charities.

Two Agoura Hills women mixed together celebrities, cooking and philanthropy, creating a coffee table-style cookbook that gives readers a look at some of their favorite stars and the foods they love to prepare.

“The Hollywood Cookbook: Cooking for Causes,” by Jackie Zabel and Morgan Most, debuted Nov. 19 at the Kitchen Academy, a professional culinary arts school in Hollywood. But while the spotlight may shine on the book’s celebrities, the real stars are the 20 highlighted charities. The sale of each book nets $5 for a nonprofit group or cause chosen by the celebrity chefs.

Zabel and Most said they hope the recipes bring families and friends together through the pleasures of cooking and eating, and raise much-needed funds for worthwhile causes.

The oversized book features photos and a short background on each celebrity, an explanation of their chosen charity, and recipes and photos of the finished creation. Many of the personalities included original recipes for a complete themed meal reflecting their backgrounds and culture. In addition to the 20 stars, wellknown chefs including Wolfgang Puck appear in the book.

“There’s something for everybody in this cookbook,” Zabel said. “We are pretty proud of it.”

There’s a Greek feast from Michael Chiklis, who portrayed the Thing in the film “Fantastic Four;” a backyard barbecue from Eric Close, star of “Without a Trace;” and southern comfort food from Tennessee native James Denton, who plays Mike Delfino on “Desperate Housewives.”

Greg Grunberg, who stars as Matt Parkman on “Heroes” and appeared in “Mission Impossible III,” shares six recipes from what his kids call “Daddy’s Mexican Fiesta,” featuring Grunberg’s mother’s “famous tamale pie.” Grunberg reveals a secret ingredient in his guacamole, but readers will have to read the book to find out what it is.

Most’s husband, Don, best known as “Ralph Malph” from “Happy Days,” contributes “Deck the Halls with Matzo Balls” recipes from the Most family’s annual holiday party.

The project took two years to complete, culminating in a threeday photo shoot at the Kitchen Academy. The women spent weeks at garage sales and stores searching for a variety of plates and bowls so the photos of each meal would be different. The biggest challenge was finding a publisher willing to donate a portion of the proceeds. They ended up with California-based Silverback Books, and corporate sponsors helped cover expenses. The women’s goal is to sell 1 million books.

“We wanted as much money as possible to go to the charities,” Most said.

The money is being portioned out to the 20 charities through the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a Los Angeles group that provides funding to various causes. Most of the cookbook’s featured causes are small and based in Southern California.

“A lot of these charities don’t have budgets for marketing,” Zabel said. “We hope this book will put them on the map.”

The charities, ranging from health support to arts and environmental awareness, include Cure Autism Now and Step Up Women’s Network, both in Los Angeles; Children’s Lifesaving Foundation, in Malibu; Hollywood Habitat for Humanity, in Gardena; TreePeople in Beverly Hills; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in West Hollywood.

Actor/director Ron Howard was the first celebrity the women approached. A family friend of the Mosts, Howard immediately said yes. The only two stars to decline said they did not cook and had no recipes to share.

“We call ourselves the little book that could,” Most said. “Everybody jumped on the train.”

The women met 12 years ago on the day their daughters started kindergarten at Willow Elementary in Agoura Hills. That night they saw each other again at a Hollywood function. They’ve been friends ever since, as have their five children. The families often traveled together.

“If you can get through camping together, you can get through anything,” Zabel said. “We’ve had a lot of history together.”

Zabel did much of the writing on the book, while Most handled the cooking.

“We have different strengths and balanced each other out,” Most said.

Zabel is an accomplished Hollywood screenwriter with film and TV credits. She is a principal in Stellar Productions in partnership with her husband, Bryce, a former Academy of Television Arts & Sciences chairman. Their latest project is “Pandemic,” a medical thriller miniseries scheduled for next year. The Zabels have three children.

Most is an actress who has appeared in television dramas and sitcoms including “Vegas,” “Dallas” and “Happy Days,” where she met her husband. The couple has two children.

“The Hollywood Cookbook” is not a onetime deal. Most and Zabel are planning another Hollywood Cookbook with other celebrities and causes.

The book is available online and in bookstores. For group orders or more information visit www.thehollywoodcookbook.com.