Tony’s Top 10
Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential and host of No Reservations has put together his personal list of the Top 10 foodie books of all time. Take a gander:
1. The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
The mad monk of Napa Valley’s unsurpassed cookery book - the ultimate in porno for chefs.
2. White Heat by Marco Pierre White
A chef who looks like a chef! A revelation to professional culinarians when it came out. Great food, recognizable worldview of the culinary perfectionist - and a ground-breaking shot of a chef smoking.
3. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
The first account of what it’s REALLY like in a professional kitchen, and as true today as it was when it was written.
4. Kitchen Book by Nicolas Freeling
Another seminal work on the business, from the point of view of the professional.
5. The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola
The Citizen Kane of foodie books: escaped convict becomes food inspector in 19th-century Paris marketplace Les Halles.
6. La Cuisine du Marche by Paul Bocuse
The Big Daddy of Nouvelle Cuisine’s widely imitated cookbook. Still useful, decades later.
7. The Epicurean by Charles Ranhofer
The turn-of-the-century Delmonico’s chef spills everything he knows about cooking. Ranhofer’s work was unprecedented - and was considered high treason by his peers at the time. A fascinating and imposing tome and an important piece of culinary history.
8. The Ivy by AA Gill
As fascinating for its account of a day in the life of a swanky restaurant as for its recipes.
9. Le Bernardin Cookbook by Eric Ripert
Modern, clean, impeccable, and austere recipes from New York’s brilliant seafood Dauphin.
10. Nose To Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson
Absolutely uncompromising ode to British cooking by the awesome chef of St John’s. A rare and unpretentious collection of recipes for the neglected (but often tastiest) parts of edible creatures. Who says British cooking isn’t great? This book ROCKS!
