Argentine-born food writer Juana Pepa caught our eye both for her inviting recipes (a mix of time spent in both Buenos Aires and Madrid) and for the relaxed nonchalant style that she brings to hosting. As it turns out, Juana—who now lives in the UK with her family—has four cookbooks under her belt, including the newest, The Good Host, which just came out this month.

Keen to develop a cookbook that spoke to how people gather and host today, she teamed up with her dear Argentine friend and photographer Michigan Rabbit to whip up meals that reflect how she’s living and entertaining. “Every dinner [featured in the cookbook] was a real dinner from my everyday life,” she says. She applies her hosting philosophy—“my door is always open for friends”—to how she approaches menu design, often serving cheese for dessert with a little green salad and bread in the center of the table so everyone can serve themselves at their leisure. Below, Juana shares a window into what an afternoon in the kitchen looks like lately.