One sentence summary:
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt is an essential guidebook for mastering fundamental techniques, understanding the science behind great cooking, and unlocking the deliciousness any home cook can achieve.
Book genre:
Nonfiction, Food Science, Cookbook, Culinary.
Main topic of the book:
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt is an award-winning entry into the culinary canon, an essential guidebook for mastering fundamental techniques, understanding the science behind great cooking, and unlocking the deliciousness any home cook can achieve.
Main ideas:
- Secrets of the kitchen revealed: The book delves into the science of cooking and how to use simple science to upgrade your kitchen experience. It explores the answers to the why’s and how’s of successful dishes, clarifying and demystifying the cooking process.
- Master great techniques: Readers are provided with step-by-step instructions on how to master virtually any cooking technique – from high-temperature cooking to low-and-slow smoking.
- From basics to flavors: The book provides in-depth lessons on the basics of charcoal grilling, roasting, baking, and other methods, as well as the science of flavor exploration.
Main parts of the book and a short summary:
- Part I: The Foundations introduces basic cooking fundamentals, providing insight on how heat affects different ingredients and how to set up a kitchen for success.
- Part II: The Fundamentals covers the most common cooking techniques, from baking to braising, searing to smoking.
- Part III: Practical Dishes includes 100 curated recipes, each of which is edited down to its fundamentals and teaches readers how to make classic dishes and understand why particular techniques are used.
- Part IV: Flavor Confidence encourages readers to explore the science of flavor, providing strategies to craft and customize recipes without memorizing long lists of ingredients.
Key takeaways:
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt presents a combination of science-based cooking techniques and simple to follow recipes. It helps readers to unlock the deliciousness that can be achieved through thoughtful preparation and home cooking. The book provides readers with an in-depth exploration of flavors, and how to master the techniques used to make the perfect dish.
Author’s background and qualifications:
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is a James Beard Award-winning food writer, editor, andrecipe-developer. He is the author of New York Times Best Seller The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science and the co-owner of thechain of Wursthall restaurants in California.
Target audience:
This book is suitable for beginner to advanced home cooks and aspiring chefs.
Publisher and first publication date:
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science was first published in 2015 by W. W. Norton & Company.