Claire Wadsworth & Nikki Hill Author Talk • La Copine: New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert

Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill opened La Copine in 2015, shortly after getting married, to re-create the night they first met. What began as an eclectic, “IYKYK” restaurant has grown into a destination beloved by California locals, travelers and celebrities alike, and is a pillar of the California queer scene. 

Liz Prueitt is the cofounder of the San Francisco–based Tartine Bakery and Tartine Manufactory. She is also the author of three Tartine cookbooks, and is a James Beard Pastry Chef Award winner. Follow Liz on her Substack, Have Your Cake, for gluten-free recipes, and on Instagram @lizprueitt_tartine.

La Copine is a recipe collection, love story, and blueprint for building a life on one’s own terms, all set against the surreal beauty of the California desert. Each chapter reflects a slice of life at the restaurant, from late breakfasts with coffee and beignets, to sun-soaked salads, heartier mains, and simple sweets that close out a meal with comfort. 

Mindful that sourcing certain equipment and ingredients can be challenging in remote areas—and because inclusivity is central to La Copine’s ethos—the recipes in the book are designed to be flexible, whether shopping at a farmers market or a neighborhood grocery store, or adapting for plant-forward diets. The book also places special emphasis on the restaurant’s not-so-secret weapon: sauces, dressings, condiments, and components that transform simple everyday ingredients into something deeply satisfying. 

Throughout the book, readers will find recipes that capture La Copine’s signature approach: vegetable-forward but never virtue-signaling, comforting without being heavy, bold but balanced. More than a collection of recipes, La Copine is also an invitation into the community Claire and Nikki have built in the desert—the regulars, the travelers, the queer haven they’ve nurtured outside of Los Angeles.