A Chef for All Seasons

Gordon Ramsay, like Marco Pierre White before him, is the current holder of the position of Top Temperamental Chef in London and the embodiment of that paradox of haute cuisine, under which the most exquisite food emerges from the most furious white-hot hell of the professional kitchen. You wouldn't know it from A Chef for All Seasons, Ramsay's beautiful new collection. All is sweetness and light here. The word "pretty" is occasionally dropped. This may or may not be the result of the moderating influence of Ramsay's co-author, Roz Denny.

The theme of the collection is freshness and seasonality of ingredients, about which Ramsay is "passionate" (unlike, one must assume, all those other tin-opening top chefs). It is arranged by season, with Ramsay introducing each season by discussing his favourite foods, then showing his virtuosity in a set of recipes designed to show them at their best. The recipes are, as you would expect, supremely stylish, but cunningly designed to be simple enough in execution to tempt the home cook. Ramsay and Denny have, for once, actually achieved that rare balance between restaurant and domestic kitchen. Lots of fish recipes, the luxurious use of foie gras, the odd modish touch like crushed peas, desserts made with fashionably unfashionable fruits such as rhubarb and prunes, all make up a delectable set of recipes. --Robin Davidson

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It is good but, be careful ... - Rated
Good recipes. Great inspiration and very nice descriptions of the ingredients. I cannot add anything that was not already said in the previous reviews on this, but be careful. the recipes are most of the time wrong in timings. So far I found that cooking times should be twice as much as indicated in the book. For example, I just completed the orange and lemon tart and the cooking time is (obviously) at least 60 minutes and not 35 as written. Same errors on timing are everywhere on the book. So, if you are a beginner ... be prepared for a lot fo frustation because of this!

This is easy haute cuisine - well done Gordon! - Rated
This book is one of the best book gifts I have ever had, and I am working my way through it, delighting and surprising my family and friends. The spring chicken with pak choi is fast, easy, and brilliant. Easy to read and follow - hard to put down! Hats off to Gordon Ramsay

This book is bound to inspire and delight you. - Rated
When you cook with the finest of ingredients and you are no slave to fashion, preferring instead to pick the best each season has to offer, you can cook a feast fit for a king........ or Gordon Ramsey.

Ramsey; together with Roz Denny, and photographer Georgia Glynn Smith, have produced a beautiful book, bursting with expert culinary advice , full of mouthwatering recipes and stunning photographs.

An easy to cook and easy to read cook book. I could'nt put it down.

I love the moody, almost frantic style of Ramsey, always searching for the next great eating experience, passionate about his art.

A dedicated professional. Ramsey passes on his ideas of flavour combination, colours and textures, and leaves the rest up to you.

The recipes are simple to reproduce. Ramsey's secret: regional and seasonal buying of fresh ingredients. Recipes like "Sea trout with Crushed Fresh Peas", a Summer dish of superb fresh fish with the simplist of accompaniments, a crushed puree of delicous garden peas, bound with a vinaigrette, and enhanced with fresh marjoroum. , So delicous, so inviting, and thats just one recipe from Chef of the year 2000. Brilliant! A chef for all Seasons Denise@thefoodweb.com...

Good, but not as good as Alistair Little - Rated
This book approaches my favourite all time cook book, Keep it Simple by Alistair Little, in that it allows a home cook, with some skills to create dishes far above the ordinary...

Like the practical cookerys this is the ''must have book'' - Rated
Excellent throughout even A.A.MILNE Will give this 5*s This takes pride and place in my home with the great chefs like Anton Mosimann, Roux Brothers etc