Take an aetheryte once more through the expanded and rich culinary world of Etheirys from the beloved game Final Fantasy XIV, traveling beyond Eorzea to the realms introduced in the award-winning Shadowbringers, Endwalker, and Dawntrail expansions.
You don’t need to be stuck with the one and only café in Sharlayan. Dive into cuisine beyond the Last Stand with this deluxe, lore-rich cookbook inspired by the massively multiplayer online game Final Fantasy XIV. This follow-up to The Ultimate Final Fantasy XIV Cookbook takes readers into the expansive, beloved regions captured in the award-winning Shadowbringers and Endwalker expansions, and features an exclusive foreword written by game director Naoki Yoshida.
Featuring incredible flavors from across Tuliyollal, Garlemald, Thavnair, Sharlayan, the First, Elpis, and even the far edges of Ultima Thule, this cookbook is a must-have for any culinarian. With easy-to-follow instructions and gorgeous photography, you’ll hit the level cap in no time. Share an Ala Mhigan broth with an old friend, savor a hot buuz after a long, cold day, enjoy history and community with a plate of xibruq pibil, or dare to eat Zero’s spicy curry in the heart of Radz-at-Han. It’s the little things that make life worth living, after all.
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Publisher: Insight Editions
Game Publisher: Square Enix
Co-Author: Jeff Rosenthal
Number of Pages: 192
Number of Recipes: 72
Where to buy: Your Favorite Local Bookstore, Amazon
My Contributions: Recipe Selection, Recipe Development, and Photography
My Process
How exciting to have the chance to expand on a previous project that I’ve worked on before! After finishing the first volume, I was extremely hopeful that one day I’d get the opportunity to create more recipes inspired by Final Fantasy XIV. Final Fantasy XIV is the game I find myself playing on a regular basis. Since writing the last book, I’ve dived deep into big fishing, achievement hunting, casual mahjong games, and attempting whatever content I can get a group of friends to attempt (just never an Ultimate). There are many achievements out there for me to work on so I keep logging in and working on them. I still really enjoy playing the game and it is a great way for me to chill with my friends.
Since the first book was released, we’ve seen two expansions come out, Endwalker and Dawntrail. Both expansions added many new recipes for our Warrior of Lights to enjoy. Final Fantasy XIV has an extremely large list of recipes and continues to grow it with each update, which makes coming up with what to include in this cookbook easy. The hardest part of making the recipe list is deciding what items not to include. One item I did have on the list and then decided against was the Mervynbread. I kept looking at the ingredients used in-game and how miraculous it was described and decided that a real recipe just wouldn’t do it justice. I also know a few people have asked for recipes for Meol and Archon Loaf, but I avoid recipes for food that just won’t taste good, so making an Archon Loaf is just asking for disappointment. And the ingredients for Meol are too hard to find (and morally wrong as well as illegal!), so that’s an obvious pass as well.
There were many recipes from the previous expansions that I didn’t get a chance to add and was happy to add them in this collection. Of course, the main recipe focus this time around was from Endwalker and Dawntrail. The development team did an amazing job adding more food moments during the main story quest. It was nice to see items like Buuz and Archon Burgers being enjoyed during general conversation in the game. Many of those iconic items can be found in the book.
As with the previous book, Jeff had a very heavy hand in helping put things together. I’m very happy that this time around he was willing to put his name in the book giving him proper credit! Gyohan, Mogria, and Tastingway are all his clever writing. He did such a wonderful job expanding the lore of the game through each of the recipes. I did have a few curveballs with the recipe but we found a way to tie it all together. In the previous book, we had just Gyohan and Mogria. It felt right for the second volume, with so many new areas to focus on, to include a third character with a little more familiarity with the great beyond. Tastingway is a delightful addition to the cast, bringing their expertise in taste testing and a bit of wonderment to the journey. I hope you enjoy their perspectives on this cookbook adventure as much as we enjoyed writing their experiences.
Are there Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, etc recipes in the book?
Yes, each recipe lists any dietary notes that might apply to those items. There is also a note about adjusting the recipes in the book to adapt them to your dietary needs. As I always say, feel free to adapt recipes to make them work for you.
My Favorite Recipes
I am really excited with the recipe list in this book. There are a ton that I’ve been making over and over again since I’ve finished the project. I’m really happy and I hope you all enjoy the recipes as much as I do!
I like to keep a large variety of options for Jeff and I to enjoy for breakfast. The Skyr and Grape Parfait (pg 26) is one that has made the rotation. When I know I’m going to have a busy work week, this is a nice easy breakfast option for me to put together! I love making it because I can prepare the granola all at once and we can enjoy these parfaits throughout the week.
One of Jeff’s favorite snacks to request are pretzels. I love experimenting with different ways to put them together and the Dark Pretzel (pg 56) recipe is one that we both enjoy. The honey mustard dipping sauce pairs so well with the rye flavored pretzels.
When Jeff and I are feeling really cheeky or have a reason to celebrate, Doman Sukiyaki (pg 80) has become one of our go-tos. There is a lot of set up beforehand but the eating experience is so fun. The basic idea is you set up the broth in a hot pot with your vegetables and let them cook. Once they are ready to eat, you can enjoy the meal and cook your beef as you eat. It is a really nice social meal to enjoy with others.
Zurek (pg 92) was a recipe I knew was going to be in the book. Growing up, Zurek was a common cold weather meal for myself. My family kept it pretty simple and would use some store bought bases to put it all together. It was fun to finally do some research and figure out how to make this from scratch. I am really proud of the end result. One warning with this recipe – you do have to plan ahead with this one. The starter base does need about 4 days to come together before you can cook this recipe.
Oh the iconic Archon Burger (pg 96)! This recipe has become my burger of choice when I’m making them at home. The onion jam is something I make a lot. Letting onions cook slowly and caramelize is just so satisfying. They add a wonderful savory sweetness that you can’t get from anything else. Don’t skip on the dark brown sugar and balsamic vinegar because that is what takes the onion jam to the next level. I do hope I made G’raha Tia proud with this burger!
The most popular one at our house is the Chicken Fettuccine (pg 106), I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve made this recipe. Overall, it is really easy to put together and packs a punch of flavor. Just talking about it makes me want to make a batch this week!
Xibruq Pibil (pg 120), the dish of Dawntrail. I love how much detail the quest line had for this recipe because it gave me so much direction when putting this recipe together. In the game and traditionally for this dish you would cook it in a pit with hot coals. For many, myself included, that would be an extremely difficult task, so we use an oven to get the job done. I adore the flavors from the pibil and really enjoy making this dish.
The Peppered Popotoes (pg 134) was honestly just another excuse to use kielbasa in a recipe! If you liked the Farmer’s Breakfast from the first book you’ll love this one. This can be enjoyed as a side, as breakfast, or even just as a dinner meal itself.
Puddingway and I are on the same wavelength. I love eating and making pudding. There is something I find so relaxing about the whole process. The images of the Carrot Pudding (pg 140) in-game always reminded me of a creme brulee. I also really enjoy carrot flavored desserts so this was an easy one to put together.
I LOVE chocolate. It is my favorite type of dessert. When looking at dessert menus I always gravitate towards the item with chocolate in it. If it has dark chocolate I’m even more in. The Gâteau au Chocolat (pg 142) is one of those chocolate desserts that I just love. I could easily make a mistake and eat this whole cake in one sitting. I would regret it immediately but I would be in dark chocolate bliss while enjoying it.
Most Difficult Recipe
In the first book I created two versions of the Almond Croissants, an easy version that used premade croissants, and an extreme version that required you to make the croissants from scratch. When work on volume 2 began I knew that we needed to do something similar and highlight the end game content in the game. One of the more iconic moments since the first book came out was the release of the Dragonsong’s Reprise Ultimate. I have never attempted an ultimate but I love watching the world races that Mogtalk has hosted over the years.
The Knight’s Bread Reprise (Ultimate) (pg 60) is a recipe that takes a lot of preparation in order to get right. This is a sourdough recipe that takes some time to set up before you can get your first loaf. Once you’ve passed making your sourdough starter, you’ll be able to start working on your loaves.
One of the most difficult parts with this recipe is how sticky the dough is. I know the first time I dived into the world of sourdough baking I had so much dough on my hands that I almost gave up. This recipe is for sure one that once you get into the rhythm and if you keep repeating it you’ll become better and better at it.
Beginners: Where to Start?
What if you are just starting your culinary adventure? Which recipes are beginner friendly? Well, I got you and will list a few options. I do think most of the recipes are approachable but some are for sure a bit more technical than others. So where should beginners start?
The Skyr and Grape Parfait (pg 26) and Royal Toast (pg 24) are a perfect place for beginners to start their day. As I mentioned above, the parfait is a recipe that you can prepare the granola ahead of time and then put the parfait together the day you are eating it. The Royal Toast does require a bit more work but I do think putting it together isn’t too bad. As always when working with hot oil, make sure to be careful and make sure to keep an eye on the temperature to not burn things.
For appetizers, most of them are pretty beginner friendly recipes. I highly recommend the Baba Ghanoush (pg 34), Piennolo Tomato Salad (pg 40), and Stuffed Peppers (pg 46) as a great starting point. These all will help improve your cutting skills and roasting skills.
The Last Stand Dark Rye Buns (pg 64) and Lemon Muffins (pg 66) are great options from the bread section. These will both teach you basic baking skills that will help you improve your confidence with breads.
For the heartier dishes, I’d recommend the Classic Voeburtite Cuisine (pg 76), Pumpkin Potage (pg 86), Chicken Fettuccine (pg 106), and Salmon Meuniere (pg 114). These all will teach you something new and with enough patience and prepping you can get these recipes down. My biggest advice with all of these is to make sure to prepare all the ingredients before you get to cooking. The Voeburite Cuisine is a great stew which most of the work is done as it slowly cooks in the oven. Stews in general are always my go to recommendation when someone is first starting in the kitchen and this one is perfect for new cooks.
Of course the Cornservant would want to make sure you keep yourself sustained and the Grilled Corn (pg 126) recipe is very beginner friendly. This recipe has two methods for you to prepare this dish. If you do not have access to an outdoor grill you can use the broiler on your oven. Another great side dish is the Isleworks Runner Bean Saute (pg 130)
The desserts are always the most tricky section in any of my cookbooks. I think the Navel Orange Cookies (pg 144) and Ore Fruitcake (pg 147) are very beginner friendly. Both recipes mostly require you to mix everything together, set it up, and then bake.
As always, any of the drinks are a great way to start learning some basic cooking skills from chopping up fruit and to balancing out flavors in a blended drink.
Thank You
Thank you to Insight Editions and Square Enix for giving me another opportunity to work on expanding on the delicious recipes inspired by the incredible world of Final Fantasy XIV. Sadie, thank you for managing this project and making sure we created the best product we could. Talking about our adventures in the game while we figured out what to include in this book was something I really enjoyed.
Thank you to my husband, Jeff, for all the help you provide with these projects. You have always been so amazing at helping out and I’m so happy that you got credit for the work on this project with your name being included! The characters Gyohan, Mogria, and Tastingway wouldn’t be as amazing as they are without you. I’m happy that we got to add your name to this project because the work you do is just as important as the recipes!
If you missed the unfortunate news, Kanji passed away in late July of 2025. Kanji, I will be forever thankful for all the love and support you gave me during every project I have worked on. Kanji was always there watching me as I cooked a storm in the kitchen. He was always such a supportive boy during these projects and I will greatly miss my little sous chef. He will always be with me both in spirit and while FFXIV adventuring as my little minion buddy. Thank you for being such a good boy!
Thank you to my agent, Kate McKean. You continue to make my life so much easier with each of these projects and I appreciate all the work you do! Without you, I would be getting confused reading all the contract legal speak. Also, huge congrats to her and her future book release that she is currently working on.
Big thank you to my friends Nick and Kevin that helped make sure all the information we were putting into the book was accurate. There is so much content in Final Fantasy XIV and both of your excellent memories of the game’s story and locations helped a ton. Thank you to my dear friend Sydney for the beautiful art she created of my Warrior of Light and Kanji. Isn’t this art just adorable!
Another shout out to all my friends that play the game with me and were always patient with me taking notes of food. This time around I’m sure some of you were able to figure out why I was taking extra pictures and talking about the food more than usual right before Dawntrail released. I appreciate your silence about the project and all the time we spend together playing.
Big thank you to all my fellow Warrior of Lights that picked up the first book. There was so much support for the first book and because of that I got the opportunity to continue expanding on the recipes of the game. If you ever see me in game feel free to say hi and tell me what recipes you’ve been making.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me as I’ve been working on all these projects. I’m grateful that my family is always so excited to see what I’m cooking up, my friends for grabbing extra leftovers I demand they take off my hands, and for everyone who cooks any of the recipes I have written. It really means a lot to me and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Here’s to many more delicious meals!
Review and Coverage
Coming Soon
Errata
Between the quick timelines and large amount of writing and content, errors in the cookbooks can sneak through to print. I’ve started compiling a list for those that have been pointed out to me so far. If you find any other errors in any book, please feel free to reach out to me so they can be added to these lists and adjusted in future prints.
Spicy Shakshouka (Pg 29) – The cooked lamb was not added back into the recipe. Step 4 should read “Add the crushed tomatoes, kashmiri pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, nutmeg, and sugar. Mix until well combined. Add the ground lamb, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it thickens. Make sure to mix together a few times to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.”
Broccoli and Spinach Saute (Pg 126) – The cook time should read 20 minutes.
Isleworks Sweet Popoto (pg 133) – Has a few edits listed below:
- For the ingredients list, the section titled “Filling” should read “Crumble.”
- Step 3 should read “Once the boniato potatoes have cooled, remove and discard the skin and place the sweet potato in a medium bowl. Mash until smooth. Add honey, sugar, salt, pepper, sage flavored butter, and coconut cream. Mix until smooth. Transfer to an oval baking dish.”
- Step 4 should read “Prepare the crumble by combining the walnuts, brown sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Cover the top of the potato mixture with the crumble mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.”
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