Since making their name with the beloved Bar Tartine in San Francisco, Cortney Burns and Nick Balla have not rested on their laurels. This week the duo transformed their experimental Japanese restaurant, Motze, into Duna, a Central European restaurant in the city’s Mission district. Loyal to local produce and to made-by-hand techniques, Burns and Balla infuse their culinary craft with global influences picked up from their travels. Balla lived in and traveled extensively throughout Hungary and Japan, Burns in Nepal and India. Lucky for San Franciscans, the wound up back in the U.S.. They received a James Beard Award for Cooking from a Professional Point of View for their 2014 book, “Bar Tartine: Techniques & Recipes.”

Below are Cortney Burns and Nick Balla’s favorite books, available to purchase individually or as a set.