Welcome back, Michael Leventhal! Michael is the publisher of Green Bean Books and the editor of THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE COOKBOOK: RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (Green Bean Books, 2025), a collection of cheesecake recipes from esteemed contributors. Like Michael’s previous cookbook, BABKA, BOULOU AND BLINTZES, THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE COOKBOOK is not only an excellent cookbook with fantastic photography, but it also benefits a very worthy cause: Chai Cancer Care is a British Jewish charity that supports patients and families impacted by cancer.
I’m excited for the opportunity to learn more about the creation of this delicious book.
How did you develop your idea to create THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE BOOK?
I’ve never had any intention of publishing cookbooks! I have enough work on my plate and cookbooks are fiendishly difficult and time-consuming. But I’ve realised that I’m quite weak-willed and get seduced by too many projects I should probably reject. I can’t resist cookbooks.
In lockdown I published a fundraising collection of Jewish chocolate recipes from around the world and, thus far, it has raised almost £20,000 for the British Jewish charity Chai Cancer Care. I wanted to follow-up with a similar collection of recipes from well-known cooks and, over Shavuot, the idea of a cheesecake collection came to mind.
Can you tell me a bit about the charity Chai Cancer Care?
Over the last thirty years I’ve worked with various charities in the Jewish community and always found Chai to be extremely efficient and helpful. They provide enormously valuable and varied support to thousands of families whose lives are affected by cancer. The cheesecake book is dedicated to my late mum, who passed away in 2023, and also to the brother of my long-standing editor. Both their lives were cut short by cancer. My mother had great support from Chai, and I benefited from their counselling services after she passed away. I want to support them.
How were you able to gather recipes from so many amazing contributors from around the world?
Many moons ago I was the founder and director of a British Jewish charity named Gefiltefest. As a result of this work I was in touch with a lot of cooks and chefs from around the world. Fortunately, I’m still in touch with many of those talented people, some of whom have become good friends. Most people are happy to lend their support to a charity fundraiser like this and there’s a snowball effect – once you can say Joan Nathan, Claudia Roden and plenty more incredible and renowned people are participating, I guess it becomes a little tricky to say no!
The photographs in the book are gorgeous. What was the process for baking and photographing all the cheesecakes?
A few of the contributors took new photos and some of the recipes already appear in other books. So, fortunately, I didn’t have to take many photos – but I did have to bake (and also eat) a ridiculous number of cheesecakes over a short period of time.
Did you have any unexpected experiences in the process of creating and publishing THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE BOOK?
I organised a tasting of 13 cheesecakes with a panel of expert judges but I had to miss the grand event! I was able to swing past at the eleventh hour, by which time I was starving – I hoovered up a piece of all 13 cakes in less than 30 minutes and, after that, couldn’t look another cheesecake in the eye for at least a month.
Do you have a favorite recipe in the book?
I do, but if I told you then I’d be challenged to duels by all the other contributors. You could say there’s a cheesecake for every mood and every season. There isn’t a single cheesecake in the book that I didn’t enjoy.
Anything else you would like us to know about cheesecakes?
Did you know cheesecakes were served to athletes at the first Olympic games? I like the fact that we’re still able to eat cheesecakes with recipes that are hundreds of years old, but there are also a ridiculous number of modern iterations.
Thank you, Michael!
Michael Leventhal is the publisher of Greenhill Books (www.greenhillbooks.com), Green Bean Books (www.greenbeanbooks.com) and a freelance writer.
Michael was the founder of the Jewish food charity Gefiltefest. He was the co-author of Jews in Britain and compiled the fundraising chocolate cookbook Babka, Boulou & Blintzes, which includes delicious recipes from Honey & Co, Claudia Roden, Joan Nathan and more than fifty other Jewish cooks and food writers.
The Chocolate King is his first book for children and won a PJ Library Author Incentive Award. It has been translated into Spanish and Portuguese.
You can see more about Michael at www.michaelleventhal.co.uk
Baking and eating cheesecake? Sign me up! The cookbook looks lovely and the fact that it supports such a great cause is chef’s kiss! Keep up the great work!
A lovely book and a great cause! Thanks for stopping by, Doreen!