A Little Bit Extra: 100 Recipes That Serve Up Something Special

by Reilly Meehan

Overview

Chef Reilly Meehan is known on social media for giving you a behind-the-scenes look at his work as a private chef, sharing dishes that rely on flavor-boosting tricks and special touches. Now, he’s helping you make every meal A Little Bit Extra by letting you in on the secrets he relies on to impress his clients, meal after meal. These dishes lean on popular flavors and ingredients, but always feature a twist that enhances their color, flavor, or texture, taking them from really good to exceptionally awesome.

Sure, happy hour with Gruyère and Parm Cheese Puffs sounds great, but wait until you plop some pimento cheese dip on top. Everyone loves avocado on a Crab, Grilled Corn, and Butter Lettuce Salad with Avocado, but frying your avo wedges adds a pop of crispy, golden flair. Ever had pasta fresh from your own kitchen? Two Pork Beer Ragu with Papardelle is your chance. These chapters that serve up everything from cocktails including Reilly’s Instagram-famous Dill Vesper Martini to sides, salads to soups like Garlicky Bread Soup (because sometimes simple is best), and mains to sweet treats like a Black Sesame Tahini Swirl Cake with Sautéed Cherries.

A Little Bit Extra is the next best option when you don’t have a private chef in your kitchen, but want every meal to taste like you do!  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454957898
Publisher:	Union Square & Co.
Publication date:	03/31/2026
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256

About the Author

Reilly Meehan grew up in food, foraging blackberries on the California coast and learning the ropes in the kitchen of his father’s restaurant in beachy Santa Cruz. Following formal culinary training, Reilly honed his skills in the competitive cooking world, competing (and kicking butt) throughout the US and internationally. He was named the 2011 Chaine de Rôtisseurs “Best Young Chef in the World” Winner, 2019 American Culinary Federation’s Chef of the Year, and 2022 Americas Global Chef’s Challenge Winner.

After cooking his way through San Francisco and running his own bougie doughnut pop-up, he began private cheffing—and sharing a behind-the-scenes look at his work on social media. He spends summers in the Hamptons with his clients, but calls Phoenix home with his husband and pup. Reilly’s mantra is simple: bring as much good food to as many great people as possible.  

Table of Contents

Sample Table of Contents:
Happy Hour

• The Spicy Gardener
• ’Tini Thyme Olives

Salads and Greens

• Crunchy Celery and Peanut Salad
• Brocc Wedge Salad with Toasty Sunflower Seeds and Bacon

Soups and Stews

• Silky Gochujang Butternut Soup with Sesame Bean Sprouts
• Seabright Seafood Bisque

Pasta

• Melted Sungold and Saffron Orecchiette
• Two Pork Beer Ragu with Pappardelle

Sides and Veggies

• Broccoli Rabe with Crispy Garlic and Lemon Dressing
• Charred Green Beans with Ginger Tomato Jam

Hearty Vegetarian Dishes

• Lucy’s Tacos Dorados de Papa with Avocado Salsa
• Ricotta and Herb Crepes with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms

Seafood Mains

• Fried Calamari and Zucchini
• Whole Roasted Tamarind-Glazed Snapper with Sesame-Scallion Slaw

Meat and Poultry Dishes

• Roasted Chicken with “Under the Chicken” Onion Chutney
• Mango-Coconut Braised Chicken

Baked Goods, Breads, and Sweet Treats

• Queenie’s Whole Wheat Honey Rolls
• Seeded Flatbreads

 

Editorial Reviews

Reilly’s vibrant, approachable recipes make me want to grab some friends, run to the kitchen, and start cooking! This book will inspire you to live your best life: eating incredible food, laughing with the ones you love, and always adding a little extra twist to everything you cook. Reilly’s bright, beautiful recipes are inventive, inviting, and full of joy, and I cannot wait to cook every one!” —Danny Freeman, author of Danny Loves Pasta

“I’ve watched Reilly bring people together through food for years—online and in real life. Every recipe in this book is full of heart, flavor, and the effortless warmth he’s known for. His food always makes it feel like there’s a seat at his table, and now there’s one for all of us.”—Kate Norkeliunas, content creator

“Chef Reilly has created a stunning collection of culinary adventures that gives us all permission to be a little bit extra, both in and out of the kitchen!”—Beau Ciolino, co—creator of Probably This

“I’ve never been the kind of gal who runs to the kitchen to make a salad, but Chef Reilly and his recipes have me voluntarily washing lettuce. Being extra is a personality trait of mine, and apparently, so is being obsessed with wanting to host dinner parties now.”—Callie Gullickson, author of Mocktail Hour

“In his book, Reilly gently reminds us that we all deserve a little bit extra in life! His bright, inviting, and cozy recipes are my preferred form of self—care.” —Dan Pelosi (aka GrossyPelosi), New York Times bestselling author of Let’s Eat

“For all of us who eat with our imagination first, every page of this book is a sensory feast. Reilly gives comfort food a smart, gutsy glow—up, turning old favorites into new classics.” 

—Casey Elsass, author of What Can I Bring?

“This book is everything. Reilly brings his effortless charm and style to every page, with recipes that are approachable, yet refreshing and new, reminding us that life tastes better when you add just a little something extra. With cocktails, dinner, advice, tips, and tricks, this book is a love letter to good taste in every sense of the word.” —Venita Aspen, content creator and TV personality

A Little Bit Extra is exactly that, but also SO much more. Not only is the book filled with fun takes on classic dishes to make them even more special, but everything is also created through the point of view of a chef with the home cook in mind. You will learn cheffy tips and tricks along the way to help you cook the book and beyond!—Hailee Catalano, New York Times bestselling author of By Heart and content creator

From the Publisher