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My choice for THE cook of the season is Michel Richard’s Happy In the Kitchen. When I saw page proofs of this book (I worked with Keller to write Keller’s forward to the book), I wrote to the publisher, my friend (and when I’m working with her, my terror) Ann Bramson at Artisan. I said I couldn’t remember being more excited about a forthcoming cookbook. This is a “chef” cookbook, a category I’m usually very skeptical about. Too often these books are vanity projects that add nothing new to the world of the kitchen or to our understanding of cooking; they’re yet another collection of recipes, which we need about as much as we need a case of shingles. (I wish we could call a moratorium on new recipes and spend the next decade working on the ones we have.)
But Richard’s book is loaded, packed, sparkling with original ideas and techniques that are so cool you can’t wait to try them—whether basic (easy lemon curd in the microwave) to more intricate (making your own tater tots—secret is pulsing potatoes in a processor filled with water) to numerous all-purpose craft techniques using basic cutting and shaping material (plastic mandolin, plastic wrap, gelatin).
Michel Richard, chef-owner of Citronelle in DC, is revered in the chef world; he ought to be better known outside it. His book Happy in the Kitchen is not only a lavish and gorgeous cookbook, it’s practical, too, one of the most compelling cookbooks I’ve seen.
David Leite, at Leite’s Culinaria, an elegant and smart site (won the Beard award last spring), has chosen my last chef book, The Reach of a Chef, among 20 best of the year, for which I’m grateful. Other books include the most recent compilation of bits from our favorite Television Personality (vintage Bourdain), Molly O’Neill’s very elegant memoir, Mostly True, the book by that guy Berford or Boford, can’t seem to remember the title, as well as cookbooks by Marcus Samuelsson, and (I must say this is a bit of a surprise) Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italy. Hm. Top honor, and who wouldn’t second it, went to Omnivore’s Dilemma.
The Richard book though. That’s my cookbook pick. Best by a mile.
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Welcome to Ruhlman.com where I write about food, cooking, recipes and technique, because the world is better when we cook for ourselves. Thanks for visiting—hope you’ll join the conversation.
The book you’re referring to is Heat by Bill Buford.
A friend of mine, a well-respected pastry chef, who worked with Michel Richard said “He’s a genius.” She worked with a lot of very famous chefs and never was very effusive about any of them. So that was a real feather in his toque, to me.
I share your plight about chef’s cookbooks. Few of them interest me unless they have something to add that’s either ground-breaking, or is the authority on something (like Judy Rodgers on anything, or a treatise on sausage-making), or is the ultimate recipe for something or another. (Say what you want, that Red Wine Vinegar & Feta salad dressing in the previous Joy of Cooking is a winner.)
That book by that Bofard guy was okay, but he should have stayed in New York, where all the action was. He kinda lost me after he split…
that’s the thing about michel richard, who I’ve met a couple of times and is an enormously sweet guy and a huge spirit. He’s so highly respected in the chef community, not least because he made the unusual leap from pastry to savory and brings a pastry chef’s precision to the savory kitchen, but he’s little known by the celebrity-adoring foodie throngs. i hope more people learn about him through his book which is a great reflection of personality and mechanical wizardry.
sold. How can i possibly ignore such a heartfelt and enthusiastic review.
heading to amazon now…
Ditto, Sam. I’ve got a book list a mile long already, but I certainly know of Richard and Citronelle, and Michael’s word is good enough for me. And Michael, congratulations on being in the top 20 picks of a Beard award-winning site. The Reach of a Chef had some terrific reach of its own, and deserved every bit of buzz it got (and is still getting). (My sentimental favorite is still The Making . . ., though. I still haven’t shaken off Pardus and Skills 1!) But wasn’t Making (or Reach) a Beard nominee for best book itself?
I’ve heard other great things about the Richard’s book and really must buy it, but can heartily recommend Essence by David Everitt-Matthias as a decent cheffy book.
I also love Giorgio Locatelli’s Made in Italy: Food and Stories. Less of a chefs book, but great nonetheless, even if it is enormous.
Well, as long as the book’s not by Michael Richards.
Ew.
(Sam! Avoid Amazon. Not “blue.”)
Thanks for the insight, Ruhlman. I went shopping for the fifth printing of Charcuterie yesterday but came up short. Still looking. Probly add this book to my list too.
I, too, am on the trail for Ruhlman the Fifth (!) – it’s putting my guanciale plans in abeyance . . . for the moment. Good luck, Cookie!
Oh wow! I ate at Citronelle a number of years ago. I remember the food being fantastic!Think I am going to have to go get this book!
Whoa Davide, nice web site. You look like you are living large mon frere. Would that I could.
So I was reading the description of Charcuterie, and apparently the pig is Michael’ muse. Hey Michael, does your wife know this? Had to admit I found that funny. Anyone know if that is the fifth addition?
Forgot to mention that I was looking at Amazon.
Let me agree on the choice of Leite’s Culinaria as a site worthy of attention.
Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” was picked by the NY Times as one of “The 10 Best Books of 2006″ taking one of the five nonfiction places. It was the only food book to place on that list.
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/books/review/20061210tenbestbooks.html
The Times also published Corby Kummer’s review of cookbook choices which proves as much as anything else, that such choices are as subjective as tastes in food and restaurants, at least after one removes the poorly written, poorly edited and uninformative or misleading cookbooks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/books/review/Cookbooks.t.html
I shouldn’t forget “Now We’re Cookin’,” a list of “20 noteworthy cookbooks published in 2006 compiled for the web as an addendum to” Kummer’s print review.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/books/review/cookbook-extra.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
On your recommendation, I pulled this book off the shelf yesterday at Three Lives book store and sat enchanted for 30 minutes flipping through it: it’s beautiful. I remember watching Richard on Mark Bittman’s PBS show and thinking he was really funny and humble and extremely patient with Bittman’s antics. I’ll definitely be adding this book to my list for Hanukkah Harry (Or Chanukah Charo.)
I vote no on the recipe moratorium and yes on the shingles ban.
Its funny that I would vote as such because I just can not stick to a recipe, period. I dont hate or loathe them, they are just snapshots of an idea to me.
But for others, recipes are dogma and I think there are not a few people who really appreciate new recipes on a constant basis. Why deprive them of such
My favorite “cook book” is the CIA Prof Chef (7 ed in our house) because its about foundations.
For that reason I am thinking I will like “Happy in the Kitchen”.. hope Amazon gives a peek inside the cover.
Thanks for the heads up.
Our friends from DC recommended Citronelle as one ofthe best,I’m definitely heading up there soon…
right now I’m heading over to Amazon to add to my cookbook collection…
This is not good. I ended up buying four books from Amazon instead of one. One cookbook led to another…
The Pro Chef is a great cookbook. my favorite is the 5th edition
Got Happy in the Kitchen. What a beautiful book. I look for certain things in a cookbook, primarily is it functional i.e. does it have recipes that I would make? Can I make these recipes and are they too hard for me to make? Yes I go into the bookstore and stare longingly at French Laundry Cookbook, but to me that is more of a book you look at because it is so beautiful and the recipes so classy. Bouchon, on the other hand has recipes that I actually can and do make. In otherwords, they are recipes that are at my ability level as a cook. Same with Happy in the Kitchen. These are recipes that I know I will be able to make, and will enjoy making, much like I do with recipes from Bouchon Cookbook. And like Bouchon it will go on a counter opposite of where I am working so I do not mess up those gorgeous pictures.
I’m actually hoping that this book ends up under our Christmas tree this year…i guess if my boyfriend found that out it wouldn’t be a bad thing…mainly because the very talented line cooks in this incredible kitchen i happen to work at have been raving about it. But what do they know anyway…they’re just line cooks after all….
I will have to add this to my Xmas list. The idea of making my own tater-tots is too exquisite not to try. “Tater-tots?” Ah, yes, “They’re homemade.”
Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the recommendation of Richard’s book – I’m adding it to my wish list.
I work as a checker at a grocery store (Rehoboth Beach, DE), where I’m indulged in my eccentric stashing of a book next to my register, where all the customers can see what I’m reading. The book is always a cookbook, or about cooking. Lately, Omnivore’s Dilemma has been occupying the spot, and gets comments from the customers at least three times a day. They’ve either read/are reading it, or they’ve heard of it, or want to know what it’s about. Amazing, the enthusiasm this book is generating!
I got my book and settled down to flick through it yesterday.
My first impression is it looks difficult, my second is that I can’t wait to try those toasted cheese sandwiches with mushroom.
I didn’t get all the way through, looking forward to the next flick through…
Hey Michael! Great to have finally visited your blog! I agree – I love “Happy in the Kitchen.” I actually attended Richard’s dinner here in Kansas City. I blogged about it here: http://ulteriorepicure.wordpress.com/2006/12/06/happy-in-the-kitchen/“. I’ve made Le Kit Cat a couple of times already and plan on making them this weekend for a dinner party I’m catering.
Speaking of cookbooks, I have a few questions for you about Charcuterie. I’ll email you sometime!