Think Like a Chef

Chef, restaurateur, and television personality Tom Colicchio celebrates the 25th anniversary of his first cookbook with a stunning anniversary edition featuring a new author’s note

A groundbreaking volume when it was first published in 2000, Think Like a Chef is the perfect manual for a new generation of culinary professionals and passionate cooks everywhere. In this beloved classic, Tom uses simple steps to deconstruct a chef’s creative process, making restaurant-style meals easily accessible to any home cook.

Think Like a Chef starts with the essential techniques that form the basis of any chef’s repertoire: roasting, braising, sautéing, and making stocks and sauces. Tom introduces building-block ingredients, like roasted tomatoes and braised artichokes, and shows how to use them in a variety of ways, from an easy vinaigrette to a caramelized tomato tart. In a section called Trilogies, Tom combines three basic ingredients to present several recipes, with one dish that’s quick and other dishes that are increasingly more involved. As he says, “Juxtaposed in interesting ways, these ingredients prove that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts,” and you’ll agree once you’ve tasted the Ragout of Asparagus, Morels, and Ramps or the Baked Free-Form ‘Ravioli’—both dishes made with the same trilogy of ingredients. The final section of the book offers simple recipes—from Zucchini with Lemon Thyme to Roasted Endive with Whole Spices to Boulangerie Potatoes—for components that can be used in endless combinations.

Illustrated with glorious photographs, Think Like a Chef offers a master class from one of America’s most celebrated chefs.