In 2014, the restaurant Osteria 16 opened in Vesterbro, Copenhagen. It was founded by friends – the chef Morten Kaltoft and the artist Emil Alsbo. There are no snobbish waiters or crisply folded napkins here, but honest Italian food served family-style, so the whole table shares. Osteria 16 represents a modern Italian kitchen where everyone is welcome.

Osteria 16, Cookbook 1 is the first cookbook by Morten Kaltoft and Emil Alsbo. It contains 80 simple and original Italian dishes – covering antipasti, polenta, pasta, risotto, pizza, bread, desserts, and classic Italian base recipes. The foundation is a small number of high-quality ingredients and seasonal produce. In the Osteria 16 kitchen, every ingredient can be tasted. The book's many small dishes are simple and unpretentious, yet confident and full of flavor. It is food that is easy to approach and appeals to the senses.

The photographs in Osteria 16, Cookbook 1 are taken by Emil Alsbo and depict both the dishes, the restaurant, and the atmosphere of classic Italian markets. The result is an accessible cookbook and a visual diary from one of Copenhagen's most successful restaurants in recent years.