Daniel

Starred review from July 15, 2013
Boulud (New York City restaurateur and French Legion of Honor chef) offers Michelin-style cuisine in a cookbook that Chef of the Century Paul Bocuse calls the “future bible of tomorrow’s chefs.” With an impressive level of modern culinary sophistication, Boulud presents 87 recipes including classic French cuisine from his restaurants as well as regional cook-at-home favorites from his beloved Lyon. Buford’s essays describe the history of signature French dishes, and dazzling images of plated dishes reflect the contemporary energy behind Boulud’s artistry. Preparation of these recipes is not for the casual cook; grandiose multilayered dishes are works of art requiring technical skill. Oils, foams, gelées, purées, creams, and confits are basic to many dishes, and descriptions for each laborious preparation are meticulous. A banquet-worthy game bird confection molded in a casing of sliced root vegetables and a lobster biryani-filled samosa with hearts of palm topped with spicy sheep’s yogurt and coconut chutney make for “vibrant dishes.” A Szechuan pepper–laced strawberry granité is served with a sablé cookie and strawberry sauces. There’s a “How to Use This Book” guide, lists of sources for tools and ingredients, and a glossary of culinary terms. Part memoir, part instruction manual, and a superb choice for coffee tables, Boulud’s book for serious aspiring chefs captures the “very soul of what makes him a French cook in America.” Agent: Kim Witherspoon, Inkwell Management.

September 15, 2013

Did you know that world-renowned chef Boulud lives above his eponymous New York City restaurant? This and other personal details unfold in Boulud's massive cookbook, which presents 75 signature recipes from his three-star Michelin restaurant as well as 12 simpler regional French recipes. In a middle section entitled "Iconic Sessions," author and editor Bill Buford (Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany) recounts working with Boulud to prepare extreme French classics such as canard a la presse (pressed duck) and poulet en vessie (chicken cooked in a pork bladder). VERDICT Only serious foodies and professionals should attempt Boulud's exacting recipes, but many readers will enjoy his and Buford's essays, which reveal the creativity and skill that distinguish the world's best chefs.

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