Nach Waxman, the heart and soul of Manhattan’s culinary bookstore Kitchen Arts & Letters, passed away today. The hearts of the food world and food lovers are heavy.

Nach Waxman, owner of Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore

Beloved cookbook expert and food historian, Nach Waxman, passed away suddenly on August 4 in New York City, and much of the world, culinary and beyond, is at a loss. 

Waxman founded Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore in 1983, at a time when it was the only one of its kind in Manhattan. He was a leader among those who valued cookbooks and the knowledge of culture, society, and history they offered. Having worked in publishing for years, Waxman knew the importance of culinary history and the stories of those who shaped the evolution of food.

After growing up in southern New Jersey, Waxman studied anthropology at Cornell University and did graduate work at the University of Chicago before transferring to the Ph.D. program in anthropology at Harvard University. While there, he specialized in South Asian studies. After three years, he decided against a life in academia and chose book publishing, working as an editor. 

But he didn’t completely leave that life behind. His role in the Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was still that of a teacher and reference for every volume under that roof. “He was the dean of food letters,” says Leite’s Culinaria founder David Leite, acknowledging just how much passion and enthusiasm Nach Waxman had for the culinary arts. “I remember sitting with him at a conference, and he was reiterating the need for more, and more diversified, Portuguese cookbooks, which played a role in my writing The New Portuguese Table.” He was a gatekeeper and a guide for many, from people who just wanted to read cookbooks to those who were seeking a specific, hard-to-find gastronomic work.

Waxman’s passion for food and everything related made him, and his bookstore, a bastion for like-minded souls who had culinary questions, were hungrily searching for something new, or just wanted to talk to a like-minded person. In a 1995 New York Times interview, Waxman recounted as a particularly grateful customer leaves the store, “The nice thing about this business is you don’t have to be adored. Just useful.” 

Nothing could be further from the truth. Nach Waxman was adored. He was always excited about the books he curated and the work he did and easily spread his infectious enthusiasm. He’ll be remembered for his steadfast encouragement of excellent writing and his never-ending respect of cooks and readers–of all levels. His intellectual depth and curiosity never excluded others; rather he encouraged people to search out new ideas and, especially, new ways to connect to food. 

Nach Waxman in Kitchen Arts & Letters
: Eater

For someone who loved cookbooks as much as he did, he was quite vocal about rarely following a recipe. However, he was, and always will be, linked to a brisket recipe that bears his name. A brisket recipe that uses the traditions of both his mother and grandmother and was first made famous in “The New Basics Cookbook” by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. Waxman knew food culture and he knew brisket.

Waxman felt that recipes weren’t the whole story. How food connects us–to our culture, to our family, to our community, and to the world–is an important issue. He will be remembered for many things, among them enthusiasm, curiosity, suspenders, and his championing of food writing.

We extend our sincerest condolences to Nach’s family, friends, and business partner, Matt Sartwell.




About Jenny Latreille

Growing up in Northern Ontario, Jenny was always curious about the food that wasn’t available in her small hometown. As the city expanded, so did her desire to taste everything and learn all she could about cultures around the world. 40-something years later, she’s amassed an enormous collection of spices and recipes for making many regional cuisines. This hunger for cultural knowledge also led to an education in literature and linguistics, with a Master’s Degree in Globalization and Culture. She lives in an indoor urban jungle with a pack of cats known as The Adorables.


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8 Comments

  1. Nach was my grandfather. To us, he was Papi. Your kind and moving words mean a lot to me, so thank you. I’m lucky to have stumbled across this post and this little corner of the internet where you have created a space for my grandfather’s legacy to live on. I hope he will always be remembered for his love of food, culture, and people which ran deep. I miss him dearly, thank you for your words. <3

    1. Thank you so much for reaching out, Yael. It means the world to me that this piece found you and that it brought you some joy. Keep Nach in your heart, always. Take care.