Looks good on the surface
I bought this for my wife who is a very good cook. I thought there was a good mix of simple and more difficult recipes for her to try. So far she has tried two.

The Liquorice poached pears (p210) - trying to get liquorice essence has been a nightmare and it seems that the only place to get it is the Internet (possibly easier in London). 3 teaspoons seems a lot of essence too and an experienced chef (with 1 Michelin star) seemed to think it was over the top. If an item is hard to source tell us where we can get it.

The Infusion of summer berries (p170) was the second attempt at a recipe. The Infusion, following the recipe tasted like vinegar. Luckily my wife is experienced enough to sort it out.

Gordon Ramsey's books are always excellent and I'm surprised that, as a Ramsey chef, Jason has not had these recipes checked before publishing the book.

I guess it's not safe to judge a book by it's cover.


both for the home and the professional cook
If the other reviewers read the preface to the book, they would see and understand that there are 30 professional recipes from Maze and 60 more domestic recipes. The 60 easier recipes (2 for each professional one) are based on "leftovers" or the same ingredients/flavors as the 30 professional recipes aimed towards the home cook.

It is a nice balance between the professional chef and the average chef.
The photography is beautiful and book flows well.
A solid addition to any cookbook collection. Jason Atherton is London's rising star.


Work yourself up to the main event.
I was a bit unsure about purchasing this book having read previous reviews but being a big fan of Jason Atherton's cooking and Maze restaurant I decided to give it a go.

This is an unusual book in that it presents you with both detailed restaurant style recipes such as those included in Thomas Keller's French Laundry book or Gordon Ramsay's 3 Star Chef book and also recipes geared towards something you can throw together for a midweek meal but using the same ingredients or leftovers from the main recipe.

The restaurant style recipes of which there are 30 are well laid out, several of them recognisable from the Maze menu and suitably adjusted for the home kitchen, most of them require plenty of time and serious effort however after trying a few of them, they work and have impressed friends and family. The easier recipes are then provided as two options from the main recipe. It's a good approach, I've found myself either preparing an easier recipe in advance where for example the main recipe requires a pre-made component such as a sorbet or a confit that can be stored for the main event or alternatively using up leftovers in easier meals.

For anyone who has tried to step up their home-cooking with the likes of Essence, The French Laundry Cookbook etc. and found them a little daunting this book is a good stepping stone for building confidence.

clever marketing again from ramsay holdings
This book is for the home cook, I doubt there is one single dish from his restaurant here, if there is how does he have a star??. Very poor expected more from this guy, they must have paid ferran adria to write the introduction. if any professional is considering buying this DONT!! you will be sorry as I am. Again ramsay holdings have marketed this book so well, just like they do with marketing the michelin guide probably the only reason ramsay maintains so many starred restaurants at once. Michelin have to sell books too you know.

Simply Delicious!
This book is brilliant! The dishes included are very wide-ranging with something to suit all occassions and moods. All the recipes I have tried have been very easy to follow and, most importantly, delicious to eat...

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