Since becoming the chef at Young Space, Mafruha Ahmed—who has cooked for the likes of Grace Wales Bonner, Sampha and Jamie xx—has come to understand that lunch is more than just a midday refuel. Instead, when approached with care, it becomes a space for creativity, nourishment, and connection beyond what's on the plate.

Extended Lunch, Mafruha’s debut cookbook, began in early 2024 as a newsletter where she shared recipes developed at Young Space with friends, family, and the wider creative community. From there, stories unfolded from the kitchens of loved ones and acolytes, shaping the 60 versatile and accessible recipes found in these pages. Split into two comprehensive sections—lunch / dinner, and dessert—Extended Lunch embraces an intuitive approach to cooking, where ingredients take precedence over strict measurements, and seasonality is celebrated.