"Thug Kitchen" writers hold meet and greet

Chances are most published cookbooks will tell readers something about preparing food. Not all of them will tell readers to “eat like you give a f*ck.”

Whether the point is comedic vulgarity or helping people adopt a healthier lifestyle, the Thug Kitchen food blog abrasively persuades — or, according to its website, verbally abuses — its readers into adopting a more nutritious, vegetable-oriented diet.

With a devoted online following and over half a million ‘likes’ on Facebook, the Thug Kitchen blog recently published its first cookbook, “Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give A F*ck,” Oct. 7.

Tonight, Chapel Hill’s The Root Cellar Cafe will host several of the book’s writers and will provide samples of different recipes as part of a meet and greet event facilitated by Flyleaf Books.

“It’s not every day you get a book reading that drops the f-bomb every five seconds,” said Flyleaf spokeswoman Linnie Greene. “The ethos of this cookbook is, safe to say, different than the run of the mill.”

Greene said Thug Kitchen’s accessible writing style and inexpensive recipes have not only led to its success as a blog, but helped created a cookbook for the proletariat.

“Their tone is irreverent and somewhat provocative,” she said. “They’re somewhat dismantling the ‘snobbish foodie’ stereotype and just looking at what makes cooking fun.”

The cookbook contains over 100 different recipes for meals and snacks, ranging from roasted beer to lime cauliflower tacos.

Greene said many of the foodies in the area, including several at Flyleaf, have expressed excitement about meeting the writers in person.

“I think they have an interesting hook,” said Jamie Fiocco, owner of Flyleaf. “It really attracts people who wouldn’t consider living a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle to consider it.”

Fiocco said the attending Thug Kitchen writers are mostly anonymous, and that she only learned who they were earlier in the week. Despite keeping a low profile, she said a big part of the event is allowing the group to talk with the audience.

“Talking (with the writers) gives an insight into technique,” she said. “It’s a great way to learn when you’ve got the food in front of you and the person who designed the recipes walking you through it.”

Though the acerbic nature of the blog may not appeal to everyone, UNC junior and Chapel Hill Eats Well blog co-editor Adele Bernard said the vulgarity of the blog can add something unique.

“It’s pretty blunt, which really sets them apart,” she said. “I typically like a story when I read recipes, but these guys are really just about the food.”

The meet and greet is open to anyone comfortable with obscenities. Bernard said the group’s writing style can have a surprising range of appeal.

“I have a friend who’s really into food, but totally wouldn’t read a blog about it,” she said. “But he reads that blog. Probably because it’s fun.”

arts@dailytarheel.com