Institut Paul Bocuse Gastronomique

I’m a bit of a sucker for cookery books. I have a Larousse encyclopaedia which I treasure. It’s a joy to browse and I find something new every time I dip into it. Bocuse Gastronomique is similar, except I picked this version for an astonishing 99p. The hard copy is near £40 so this is a whopping bargain. I think if you enjoy food and cooking, even as just a home cook, you’ll find this book an inspiration. It’s some 720pp and it’s packed with techniques, step by step, with literally hundreds of easy to follow photos. Boning fish, preparing meat joints, breadmaking and more it’s a real cooks bible. I’ve downloaded to an iPad and it works really well in tablet format. It’s also clear and easy to use on an iPhone. I think it would be less appealing on a grey format Kindle. It’s very easy to dip into, with an extensive index, helpful hyperlinks and whether you want to prepare something simple for two or a banquet for dinner guests, you’ll find help here. There are numerous cookery terms and methodologies that I’m less familiar with so I’ve learned a lot just from dipping in. For novices or experienced cooks; a real joy.

As a kid I remember my mother had a book from readers digest called the Cookery year, not only did it have recipes but also has descriptions of different cuts of meat and information about fish and veg as well as techniques and a lot of kitchen skills, I enjoyed looking through it, even though a few of the recipes are a little naff these days. I have been cooking for a while now and always end up in the same rut, I have cookbooks but they are all the same, to a degree. So it was time for a change, and a step up. Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to eat at a couple of michelin starred restaurants and although I am pretty certain I will never produce food to that level and absolutely positive that I will never produce anything that looks that good I wanted to learn. This is great, it has everything, all the stuff you hear on masterchef and wondered what it was, the techniques and instructions are exceptionally well written and east to follow. The book is well laid out, the text is clear and easy to read and the images sharp and clear. This is a big book, its chock full of information and it really does take it from a beginners level up to the recipes in the back of the book that wouldn't look out of place in the michelin starred restaurants I mentioned earlier. This is a must for anyone interested in cooking, I can see this becoming a much used and referenced volume for a lot of years to come.

This book is so well put together, with clear step by step instructions and some really good and well thought out recipes. I suspect most people will find some of the guides a little superfluous ( I can already make an omelette.. although did sneak a quick look to see if there was anything I need to do differently). Likewise I am less sure I will need to know how to devein foie gras. 90% of the book is worth its (considerable) weight in gold

This is not a book, it is a lethal weapon. About the weight of a housebrick, and as lethal as a kitchen knife if dropped on your foot, this "book" is not something you really want to keep in your kitchen. It is far too beautiful for that, and you would not want to ruin the high quality glossy pages with raw ingredients. Written very much from the discipline of classic French cookery, this is not really a cookbook. While there are quite a few recipes, the majority of this volume focuses on technique. This is immediately clear as the opening chapter starts with the classic mother sauces and more besides. As you go through the book, you progress to more and more complex tasks, including filleting fish, jointing meat etc. through to laying a table and pouring wine. Visually, the photography and layout is stunning, and it is obvious the author is a passionate chef. The writing style is clear but authoritative, and inspires confidence in the reader. Tasks are graded with a difficulty rating which is a great touch for those on a learning curve. If you are after a book that teaches you everything you need to know in the kitchen, albeit from a French rather than an International perspective, look no further. You will treasure this book the more you use it.

Really good book ideal if you want to up your cooking game

Absolutely amazing thank you

This is my favourite cooking book. Not due to any recipes but the educational part of the book. The majority of this book is full of how to’s and simple structured steps so anyone can follow. You will learn so much more then any chef or school can teach you. Seriously, this is a must for chefs. Make yourself proud of the knowledge you will acquire with this book. Been a chef for 4 years and i have learned more in this book then in my 4 years with all the chefs above me. Do you want to be kitchen ready? I suggest you get this book and start educating yourself as this will make you a better chef.

Utterly fantastic. This is not a recipe book. This is a book that explains how to cook. How to do the zillion things that are involved in cooking. Everything you could think of (nearly) from boiling an egg to cleaning and poaching brains. All with really clear instructions and step by step photos (and explanations, not just rote instructions). There are some recipes (lovely ones), but these are just 100 or so of the 720 pages of the book. I wish I had had this 40 years ago (I'm 57).

this book was beyond my expectations. So much information so many pictures and yet so simple to use and follow. Whether you are a beginner or someone advanced. You absolutely need this book. If I could give it 10 stars, I would.

Wonderful book and pure culinary knowledge.All traditional recipe by great chefs and explained well. Good for all categories of chefs.

A massive brick from one of my favvo chefs. I’ll add a coupple of stars beside the 5 if I could. It IS large and heavy, but I wouldn’t liked it any other way.

Çok değerli bir kaynak,mutfak sanatları ile ilgilenen herkeskesin kitaplığında olmalı bence...

La migliore guida di cucina finora scritta al momento se le tecniche sono ciò che cercate. Questo libro vi aiuterà nel perfezionare la vostra manualità in un immensa varietà di fotografie che vi insegneranno a processare qualunque ingrediente. Vale ciò che costa senza alcun dubbio