Get Cooking with Cook Cook Book Cook by 6616 Creative House’s 9i99

Designer: 6616 Creative Hub
Scope: Publication

In the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, Jakarta-based 6616 Creative House announced the release of their new publication, Cook Cook Book Cook. Published under their new passion projects platform, 9i99 (read as ‘gig’), the zine celebrates culinary ventures and food as a way to bring people together. With recipes, essays, tips, recommendations, and heartfelt stories from the kitchen, Cook Cook Book Cook explores tantalizing tales around food from the year 2023.

As with many self-initiated, self-published projects, Cook Cook Book Cook gave 6616 the opportunity to undertake creative exploration at their own pace and to their own taste. "9i99 believes in the power of passion-based ideas, especially those that are personal 一 to spark creativity and foster meaningful connections," shares Cherry, Creative Director and Founder of 6616 Creative House. "With Cook Cook Book Cook, we aim to showcase the beauty of personal expression and its ability to bring people closer together."

Taking cues from the novelty of restaurant menus, the 6616 team imbued each page with quirky graphics and the imitation of a Padang restaurant receipt note adds to this sense of wit and playfulness. "We wanted Cook Cook Book Cook to feel like a warm embrace—a true reflection of everyday life," adds Nano Zantara, Graphic Designer at 6616 and the initiator of the zine. "By collaborating with 24 individual contributors, we hope to capture a diverse range of voices, passions, and flavors, making the content deeply personal and relatable."

Cook Cook Book Cook serves a solid and well-rounded concept from their selection of subject matter, to the way each contributor, members of the 6616 team, each have a dedicated spread, to using the gimmick of a menu and a receipt. The visual design of the book is very explorative and enjoyable but the overall experience design could have been pushed further through a few minor changes. The receipt could have been made more effective if the size of the slip was closer to that of a real receipt note rather than its current A5 size and using stitch binding rather than perfect binding could also help enhance the experience of each spread. 

From a visual perspective alone, however, it’s clear to see that Cook Cook Book Cook was well-designed. Each page showcases a playful take on design and the cover pulls attention by using photography rather than a vector illustration—arranging the shrimp and bok choy to form the numbers ‘6616’. The use of materials is also particularly enjoyable with the use of pearlescent blue paper in the middle pages of the zine. Each spread is a glimpse into each contributor's world. It’s a feast for the eyes and makes for an eclectic read.