Synopses & Reviews
James Beard Award-winning chef John Besh shares the lessons he learned from his mentors through 140 accessible recipes and cooking lessons. Featuring lush photography, inspiring personal stories, and a rich expanse of culinary knowledge,
Cooking from the Heart is the next best thing to having an apprenticeship with Chef Besh.
Cooking from the Heart, Chef John Besh’s third cookbook, revisits the locations, lessons, and mentors that shaped his culinary journey. From Germany’s Black Forest to the mountains of Provence, each chapter highlights heartfelt memories and delicious recipes—the framework for his love of food.
The all-new, easy-to-follow recipes, complete with regional substitution suggestions, make creating upscale farm-to-table dishes accessible for any at-home chef. The rich production values and personal narrative make this cookbook an equally engaging read.
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"Another palatable journey is John Besh's "Cooking From the Heart: My Favorite Lessons Learned Along the Way," which includes exquisite photography (360 West Magazine)
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"a lavish and handsome picture book that's more or less a biography of where Besh, the charismatic former Marine, trained and traveled before establishing his several restaurants in New Orleans, particularly the German Black Forest and Provence." (Corby Kummer, The Atlantic)
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"By turning to Cooking From the Heart the adventurous among us will be encouraged to cook like a pro-and learn a few things along the way too!" (Diane Hodges, Cookbook Digest)
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"There's a gorgeous rusticity and lustiness to recipes ... that speak to his Cajun sensibilities."
"behind each dish there are also well-honed haute techniques, which Besh passes on in carefully photographed step-by-steps for making classics..."
"...the book is a sophisticated crowd-pleaser"new york time (Betsy Andrews, Saveur)
About the Author
John Besh is a chef and a native son dedicated to the culinary riches of southern Louisiana. In his restaurants, entrepreneurial pursuits, and public activities, he preserves and promotes ingredients, techniques, and heritage one mouthwatering dish at a time. Besh grew up in southern Louisiana and has set the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans. Each of his eight acclaimed restaurants (August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, American Sector, The Soda Shop, Domenica and Lüke San Antonio) celebrates the bounty and traditions of the region.
From the outset of his career, Besh's talent and drive have earned kudos: Food & Wine magazine named him one of the "Top 10 Best New Chefs in America," and his flagship restaurant, August, was featured in Gourmet magazine's "Guide to America's Best Restaurants" and "America's Top 50 Restaurants." Besh won the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast in 2006 and received Food Arts' Silver Spoon Award in 2009 for revitalizing the culinary legacy of New Orleans.
Besh's devotion to local ingredients and cuisine also extends to his entrepreneurial projects, including the creation of Besh Restaurant Group Catering; a line of gourmet products; the publication of his first cookbook, My New Orleans (Andrews McMeel Publishing, October 2009); and a follow-up cookbook, My Family Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, November 2011).
Besh is a frequent guest chef on NBC's Today Show and has appeared on top programs on The Food Network and the Sundance Channel.