Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a novice cook, chances are, you have an arsenal of cookbooks. But between the number of chefs writing tomes — and the number of cuisines out there — wading through the literary waters can be daunting.
So, we asked some of our Chef-Instructors at our New York campus what lines their bookshelves and how they stay informed about the industry. Here’s what they had to say.
Celine Beitchman
Director of Nutrition
The “Larousse Gastronomique” was an early tome, and it’s how I learned about classic culinary concepts and the origins of the modern culinary system. But I have cookbooks at every level and read them voraciously.
For staying informed, I have my peers here at ICE, and some trusted voices I tap into like the esteemed Marion Nestle, the people at Center for Science in the Public Interest and the James Beard Foundation.
Joshua Resnick
Lead Chef, Operations Manager
When I first got into the industry someone recommended a book called "Culinary Artistry." In a way, it’s like a culinary reference book, but the thing I like about it is that not only does it have lots of recipes and different ingredients, but there’s literally a section in the middle that lists out ingredients and the season that they typically grow in, and items that each ingredient pairs well with.
So, when you, as a young chef, walk into your kitchen and think "I have apples and balsamic vinegar," you can go to the book to find elements that can help you expand on a dish.
Jamie Blatt
Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts
I like “Le Guide Culinaire,” “Patricia Wells at Home in Provence,” “Simply French by Patricia Wells & Joel Robuchon” and “The French Laundry Cookbook.” The National Restaurant Association, Foodindustry.com and Allrecipes are also great resources.
Ozmar Heredia
Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts
I love “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” “The Professional Chef,” “The Flavor Bible,” and “Peru, The Cookbook.” Following food media pages such as The Infatuation, Eater and the New York Times help us stay updated. YouTube is also a great platform to gather more information about dishes, techniques and what is happening around the world food-wise.
Mike Handal
Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts
Professional, specialty cookbooks used over the years would be too numerous to list. The amount of books entering the market each year is staggering. This also applies to journals and specialty magazines. Booksellers such as Kitchen Arts & Letters, as well as Now Serving LA are wonderful resources to use to preview books. The ICE Blog is also terrific online resource.
