Synopses & Reviews
The wildly popular basics course at Berkeleys famed Kitchen on Fire! culinary school teaches students ultimate confidence in the kitchen. In this new book, Chefs Olivier Said and MikeC. combine their many years of experience cooking in professional kitchens and classrooms to present all the basic techniques necessary to create great foodcomplete with full-color illustrations and step-by-step photos throughout. Youll explore the underlying methodology and alchemy of cooking, from ingredients to prep to heat. Youll get all the skills to navigate your kitchen with ease and the knowledge to put that cookbook back on the shelf and create your own recipes with whatever ingredients you have on hand.
Beginners will find the information easy to digest, and seasoned cooks will discover the secrets of professional chefssuch as the rarely discussed importance of surface area and density in gauging cooking time. Blending the precision of a professional culinary textbook with the authors fun and irreverent attitudes, Kitchen on Fire! makes it easy for anyone to cook like a chef.
Review
Publishers Weekly, 11/7/11
“Said and MikeC…have extensive West Coast culinary credits, a strong visual sensibility and an impressive knowledge of the science behind their art…A step-by-step guide for those who learn best by reading, and safe harbor for those who prefer not to be taught knife skills in person…A fascinating section on cooking chemistry explores everything from the polarity of water to the properties of starch.”
Review
Publishers Weekly, 11/7/11
“Said and MikeC…have extensive West Coast culinary credits, a strong visual sensibility and an impressive knowledge of the science behind their art…A step-by-step guide for those who learn best by reading, and safe harbor for those who prefer not to be taught knife skills in person…A fascinating section on cooking chemistry explores everything from the polarity of water to the properties of starch.”Library Journal, 11/15/11
“A book meant to free home cooks from rote recipe following by imparting the essentials of cooking technique and science. Individual chapters are packed with pictorial instructions, easy-to-read text, and exercises or recipes that readers can use to test their skills. This is a streamlined crash course for novices.”
BizIndia.net, 12/12/11“If you want to equip yourself with the right knowledge, skills and most important of all, the techniques to cook creatively, this is the book you need.”
Synopsis
From the owners of Berkeleys famed Kitchen on Fire! cooking schoolthe Hooked on Phonics” for cookingan illustrated, step-by-step guide to becoming an excellent home chef
About the Author
Chef Olivier Said is one of the most respected culinary personalities in the Bay Area, where he is the former co-owner of César Tapas Bar and author of their award-winning cookbook.
Chef MikeC. is an honors graduate from the California Culinary Academy and was the most recent host of the long-running TV series Organic Living with the Hippy Gourmet. They are co-founders of Kitchen on Fire! culinary school in Berkeley, California. Visit: KitchenOnFire.com