Part celebration, part secret-weapon manual, Dressed & Seasoned is the debut cookbook from Colette Maclennan – chef-owner of The General Store, a small but mighty café at the bottom of Bree Street in Cape Town that’s been feeding locals since 2015.

With recipes built on simplicity and flavour, this is unfussy food done well. From learning the secrets to making the juiciest grilled chicken to The General Store’s iconic chocolate brownies, this book promises café favourites and midweek winners alike. Delivered with the signature General Store flair: veg-forward, herb-heavy, seasonally inspired and deceptively simple but impressive.

Home cooks will learn the art of cooking the humble chicken breast to perfection (with half a dozen different flavours), how to make a salad you can’t wait to eat, and how to use an arsenal of sauces and dressings to turn everyday ingredients into crave-worthy meals. Whether you’re cooking for one, feeding your family or hosting friends, Dressed & Seasoned gives you the blueprint for good food – no overthinking required.

• Over 60 easy recipes, from weekday staples to crowd-pleasers
• Café-style food with bold, bright, veg-forward flavour
• The ultimate guide to sauces, dressings and finishing flourishes
• Baked goods, sweet treats and the famous TGS chocolate brownies
• All the pantry favourites, from granola and rusks to preserved lemons and dukkah
• Tips and formulas for salad-building, baking and meat-cooking basics
• Everyday food that’s easy to cook, beautiful to serve, and delicious to eat