Chef House’s Top 5 Cookbooks:
1. Le Repertoire de la Cuisine (English version)
(barrons educational series, 1976)
Le Repertoire as its known is a basic reference guide to the cuisine of George Auguste Escoffier whom many consider to be the father of modern cuisine.
2. Larousse Gastronomique
(larousse editions, 2001)
Larousse Gastronomique is considered by chef’s to be one of the great food encyclopaedias of our time and is a definite must in any food lover’s library.
3. Food Lover’s Companion
(barrons educational series,2007)
Have you ever come across an ingredient and not known what it was? The Food Lover’s Companion in my opinion is the Webster’s Dictionary of the culinary world. With nearly 6000 definitions it is a complete reference. It also has a twin sister called the Wine Lover’s Companion, which is a great accompaniment.
4. The Professional Chef
(john wiley and sons, 2007)
The Professional Chef from the CIA (No, not the Central Intelligence Agency, the Culinary Institute of America) is now in its 8th edition. Great instructions, drawings, photos and recipes fill the pages of this book/
5. Culinary Artistry
(john wiley and sons, 1996)
Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page is an instant classic. It’s actually one of those types of books that you can just sit down and read. It takes you through the seasons explaining what’s seasonal and putting groups of food into flavour pairings that are definitely incredible. It’s truly a book of inspiration. A sister book called Becoming a Chef is also a real life look at what it takes for those of you considering Chef as a career choice.
Your Collection
Thinking about how much we use the internet these days and how much we can’t live without it, sparked thoughts of how we ever got information prior to it’s existence and the answer was simply…books.
Over the years many chefs amass quite a library of cookbooks. Most chefs pride themselves on their cookbook collection. They provide a level of comfort, give them inspiration and are just entertaining to read. Some of them are invaluable sources of information and inspiration while some are good for not much but the pictures and a couple have only been good for lighting the BBQ. But all in all they are really nice to have. Although cookbooks get neglected sometimes They are still an indispensable tool for any chef, home gourmand or student.
Choosing books is not all that difficult. Although there are thousands of cookbook titles you should always consider the following;
- What style are you looking for?
- Are you more interested in recipes, pictures or information?
- Be sure to consider the source. Is the author notable? Previously published?
- Am I getting my money's worth? Price is a big factor.
Book stores that allow you to check out the title in the store for a bit before you decide to purchase are a good way to assess a book’s merit and don’t forget about the bargain bin. The library, used book stores and the internet are also good places to find inexpensive copies of the titles you want at fire sale prices.
So take your time and enjoy building your culinary library, someday you just might decide to contribute your own brand of Tastitude to the menu on the world’s market.
