The issue is not the software. The industry standard is InDesign. All my clients (I spend most of my time designing books) insist on it. That and so far, it is the best thing out there. I good second is Affinity Publisher. Far cheaper, but yet not as feature-rich. All that said, fundamentally, for a cookbook, what you need is a good understanding of typography, hierarchy, legibility, etc. It is never about the software. It is about the designer. That is like asking, what is the best hammer to make a boat with. First you need to know how to make a boat.
After that, you need a good understanding of the print-process. I think if you have only just got into design, I’d look at getting a designer to help you. A book is a pretty ambitious project for a first try. There are so many (expensive) pitfalls you can make if you don’t know what you are doing.
Finally, if you want to be a pro graphic designer. First stop is a university education, then 4-5 years studio experience. Despite popular belief, it is not a ‘cool’ career that’s easy to get into. It requires dedication, talent and a lot of years before you can call yourself a pro.
