We love T.G.I. Friday’s and Chili’s and all of those terrible chain
restaurants as much as the next man. But despite all of the Olive Gardens and Red Lobsters
out there, locavore eating is probably the biggest food movement right now. Farm-to-table
restaurants have popped up seemingly everywhere, so much so that Portlandia took
a swipe at them. In 2012, local is the name of the game. At the same time,
every joint in town seems to be putting out its own cookbook, from Montreal’s Joe Beef to
London’s St. John. So, with that in mind, here are our picks for the best cookbooks from
guys not named Fieri or Ramsay.
MONTREAL
Au Pied de Cochon: The Album by Martin PicardAs much as Jay-Z is about all-black
everything, Martin Picard is about all-foie-gras everything. The king of gastronomy has
gives us 55 over-indulgent recipes from Au Pied de Cochon in this stunning book that features over 600 photos.
Now you can finally make foie gras pizza at home.
The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts by David McMillan and Fred MorinThe guys behind Montreal’s Joe
Beef have been part of the locavore movement since day one with the beautiful garden
located behind their restaurant. But veggies obviously aren’t the name of the game here.
Besides their recipes, these crazy Montrealers include meditations on everything from
welding to train travel.
NEW YORK
Momofuku by David ChangDavid Chang is a boss.
His Momofuku restaurants have
revolutionized American cooking with his ramen noodle and pork obsession. The pork bun
recipe alone is worth the price of this book. If you can’t get to NYC, look for his new
restaurants in Sydney and Toronto.
Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook by Daniel Humm
Eleven Madison Park, one
of the most popular fine-dining restaurants in NYC, has released its own book on adapting
classic French cuisine to your home. If you whip up a few dishes from here, The New
York Times might not give you four stars, but your girlfriend certainly
will.
GEORGIA
A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your
Kitchen by Hugh Acheson
Chef Hugh Acheson has collected 120 recipes from his three Athens
restaurants here. You’ll find Southern food with a refined twist, from fried chicken
with stewed pickled green tomatoes to yellow grits with sautéed
shitakes.
CHICAGO
Alinea by Grant AchatzAt the
forefront of the molecular gastronomy movement is chef Grant Achatz and his
Michelin-star-awared restaurant Alinea. Here he brings you over 100 dishes to make at home and
includes access to a website featuring video demonstrations and more.
LOS ANGELES
Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles and Snacks by Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless, owner of Red O,
has a margarita recipe for every occasion. Rick also serves up a guacamole recipe for
every month of the year alongside delicious nut and vegetable
snacks.
NOCAL
Mission Street Food: Recipes and Ideas from an Improbable
Restaurant by Anthony Myint & Karen
LeibowitzSome of the best restaurants in the world these days are in the Bay
Area, and Mission Street
Food is no exception. As is the style these days, MSF’s book is about more than just
recipes; It features brilliant photography, smart commentary and also breaks down San
Francisco’s food scene.
Bottega: Bold Italian Flavors from the Heart of California’s Wine
Country by Michael ChiarelloCeleb chef Michael Chiarello brings us this cookbook inspired by his Southern Italian
menu at Bottega
in Napa Valley.
The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas KellerRecreate The French
Laundry‘s exciting and innovative dishes at home with chef Thomas Keller’s acclaimed
cookbook. The recipes are intricate yet simple, so you shouldn’t have a problem cooking
Napa’s take on French cuisine.
And here are a few quick local options from across the pond.
ENGLAND
Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi
Israel-born London chef Yotam Ottolenghi, the founder of an eponymous chain
of restaurants, gives you 120 vegetarian recipes inspired by his Middle Eastern
background.
The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus HendersonA
foodie classic, the St.
John cookbook is an innovative yet traditional guide to how to make delicious
meals using entire beasts. The roast bone marrow and parsley salad and pig’s trotter
stuffed with potato are must-trys.
The Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal
Enter the world of maverick restaurateur Heston Blumenthal. With sections
detailing Blumenthal’s rise to fame and the science behind his alchemical dishes, this
book is a gorgeous celebration of The Fat Duck’s cuisine.