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So Good: 100 Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours
100 all-new recipes from the favorite Top Chef All-Stars winner and Top Chef judge and Food Network regular
Fans know Richard Blais best as the winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars , the first competitor to be invited back as a permanent judge on Top Chef , and now as a Food Network regular as well. On television, Blais is famous for his daring cooking, making use of science (think liquid nitrogen) to dazzle and impress. But how does he cook at home when the cameras are off? That's what this book will answer, with elevated homestyle recipes and personal stories which invite you behind the scenes and into his own kitchen for the first time. Some recipes might look familiar, like spaghetti and meatballs, but have a secret, flavor-boosting ingredient, and others feature clever but unexpected techniques, like his fried chicken which is first marinated in pickle juice. These are creative recipes that anyone can make and are sure to excite, from Seabass with Ginger Beer and Bok Choy to Jerked Spatchcock Chicken and Plantains, making this this the book Blais fans have been waiting for.
Fans know Richard Blais best as the winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars , the first competitor to be invited back as a permanent judge on Top Chef , and now as a Food Network regular as well. On television, Blais is famous for his daring cooking, making use of science (think liquid nitrogen) to dazzle and impress. But how does he cook at home when the cameras are off? That's what this book will answer, with elevated homestyle recipes and personal stories which invite you behind the scenes and into his own kitchen for the first time. Some recipes might look familiar, like spaghetti and meatballs, but have a secret, flavor-boosting ingredient, and others feature clever but unexpected techniques, like his fried chicken which is first marinated in pickle juice. These are creative recipes that anyone can make and are sure to excite, from Seabass with Ginger Beer and Bok Choy to Jerked Spatchcock Chicken and Plantains, making this this the book Blais fans have been waiting for.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published May 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 18, 2020
Pictures of recipes? Mostly.
Commentary on recipes? Yes.
Nutrition facts? No.
Recipe Style? Fancy home cooking with extravagant ingredients.
Any keepers? Nope.
This is the first cookbook I've seen aimed at home cooks that has MULTIPLE recipes calling for the use of liquid nitrogen. Are you kidding me?
Commentary on recipes? Yes.
Nutrition facts? No.
Recipe Style? Fancy home cooking with extravagant ingredients.
Any keepers? Nope.
This is the first cookbook I've seen aimed at home cooks that has MULTIPLE recipes calling for the use of liquid nitrogen. Are you kidding me?
September 13, 2017
Gorgeously photographed cook book with far too many photos of the author and many recipes with not one photo of the finished dish! Cheeky text, hipster ingredients and techniques (example: onion rings "require" seltzer and the use of a whip canister). I was patiently waiting for the recipe that seems to be photographed on pages 44-45, but NOTHING! (It's NOT on page 43 - too much flour, not enough/any cornmeal. So, what's with that?) I feel betrayed when styled photos are so removed from actuality... Anyway, the recipes here sound fabulous, some very simple (snap peas with feta and mint), some that sound simple are crazy time-intensive (ramen with leftovers). Luckily, Chef Blais provides substitutions for ingredients that may be difficult to find and go-arounds for techniques that are uncommon (Cryovac versus salt curing). I often use the index in cookbooks to quickly look up ingredients or techniques but this books' index was frustrating.
February 13, 2020
No matter what he says about this being about home cooking, not chef-y, and not needing weird ingredients, this is still Richard Blais. If you don't live in LA or NYC, good luck finding a lot of these ingredients. And if you're telling home cooks to use liquid nitrogen or a siphon gun, it's chef-y. But it was still a nice cookbook. Everything looked yummy, and there are some recipes that seem achievable.
July 17, 2017
Reprinted from review on
RecipesNow! Reviews and Recipes Magazine
.
In his cookbook “So Good – 100 Recipes From My Kitchen To Yours“, Richard Blais says “So here is a collection of recipes that work at home that you want to prepare time and again. They aren’t restaurant dishes with complicated cooking instructions and tons of garnishes.” Now while I agree that you won’t need a Michelin Star to whip up these recipes but they aren’t exactly entry level either. But who cares, they look like they are worth the effort!
When you flip through the recipes you will enjoy a lovely full page for color pictures and lots of little tips or comments about the recipes. The introduction is short and sweet, though I might have liked to find out how he transitioned from McDonalds to cooking school.
Categories For Every Need
Starters
Soups and Porridge
Pasta
Fish and Seafood
Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose, Squab (and Rabbit)
Beef, Pork, Lamb, and Goat
Vegetable
On the Side
Desserts
As previously mentioned, these are not recipes for the new cook. While the detailed instructions are excellent, make sure you read the recipes before you start. A few of the recipes require specialized tools or unusual ingredients not found in every kitchen so you might have to make accommodations.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book. Because I can’t resist a good chip, I have chosen the recipe for Triple-Cooked Fries. See the review and the recipe on RecipesNow! - So Good - Review .
(This review is based on a complimentary copy of the book sent from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
In his cookbook “So Good – 100 Recipes From My Kitchen To Yours“, Richard Blais says “So here is a collection of recipes that work at home that you want to prepare time and again. They aren’t restaurant dishes with complicated cooking instructions and tons of garnishes.” Now while I agree that you won’t need a Michelin Star to whip up these recipes but they aren’t exactly entry level either. But who cares, they look like they are worth the effort!
When you flip through the recipes you will enjoy a lovely full page for color pictures and lots of little tips or comments about the recipes. The introduction is short and sweet, though I might have liked to find out how he transitioned from McDonalds to cooking school.
Categories For Every Need
Starters
Soups and Porridge
Pasta
Fish and Seafood
Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose, Squab (and Rabbit)
Beef, Pork, Lamb, and Goat
Vegetable
On the Side
Desserts
As previously mentioned, these are not recipes for the new cook. While the detailed instructions are excellent, make sure you read the recipes before you start. A few of the recipes require specialized tools or unusual ingredients not found in every kitchen so you might have to make accommodations.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book. Because I can’t resist a good chip, I have chosen the recipe for Triple-Cooked Fries. See the review and the recipe on RecipesNow! - So Good - Review .
(This review is based on a complimentary copy of the book sent from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
February 5, 2023
Richard Blais is probably my all-time favorite Top Chef contestant (sorry Gregory) and we've eaten at his Crack Shack before so I was excited to see a Crack Shack recipe included in this recipe book!
I love that he's created a cookbook for home cooks who don't mind venturing outside of their comfort zones from time to time. If the ingredients get too challenging or obscure, he makes it easy to pivot and make substitutions.
The real test will probably be when we actually make the food but the recipes look easy yet interesting, the food pictures drool-worthy, and his adorable TV personality shines through.
I love that he's created a cookbook for home cooks who don't mind venturing outside of their comfort zones from time to time. If the ingredients get too challenging or obscure, he makes it easy to pivot and make substitutions.
The real test will probably be when we actually make the food but the recipes look easy yet interesting, the food pictures drool-worthy, and his adorable TV personality shines through.
February 27, 2021
So Good is a fantastic collection of recipes that, at first glance, may seem out of a home cook's league. However, Richard Blais has a way of turning beautiful restaurant-like dishes into approachable at-home recipes that will make you look like a rock star in the kitchen.
Emeril Lagasse
He brings recipes that aren't fussy, just delicious, no special training required. Many of these dishes will become your go-to meals because they are so accessible and SO GOOD!
Rachael Ray
(no mention of the liquid nitrogen though)
Emeril Lagasse
He brings recipes that aren't fussy, just delicious, no special training required. Many of these dishes will become your go-to meals because they are so accessible and SO GOOD!
Rachael Ray
(no mention of the liquid nitrogen though)
June 4, 2018
Blais has great recipes but some of the ingredients in this book are going to be difficult for me to obtain. I will say though that his vegetarian recipes in this book are out of this world. I did end up purchasing this one.
January 8, 2021
I personally wouldn’t be able to cook 99% of the recipes in this book. It is definitely for intermediate+ cooks - not something that suits people like myself. I gave 3 stars because he’s amusing and I liked looking at the pictures.
April 15, 2023
some amazing recipes if you are looking to up your kitchen game to fine dining. although I found many of the techniques and recipes out of the range of my humble kitchen. Some very interesting ideas that would be sure to impress.
June 17, 2017
Chef Blais' 2nd cookbook is filled with great ideas for family meals. Easy to execute, exciting twists on every day ingredients.
December 27, 2017
I thought this cook book was okay. Nothing jumped out at me to try but overall there were great pictures of food.
February 17, 2020
Intriguing but lots of hard to find ingredients and stranger cooking methods that I don't have room for in my home.
June 26, 2024
3.5⭐️
July 23, 2017
If you appreciate Richard Blais' culinary skill from Top Chef and Food Network shows and you are an omnivore you will enjoy this book. Although his chapter on vegetables is pretty great for vegetarians too.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews