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Twenty years after his ground-breaking inaugural cookbook, US chef Thomas Keller is back with a brand new cookbook, The French Laundry, Per Se, which will inspire home-cooks, seasoned professionals and young chefs alike.
Focusing on the unique relationship between his two three-Michelin-star restaurants, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, and Per Se, in New York City, the legendary chef sets out over 100 beloved dishes, alongside tips on technique, back stories about his suppliers and farmers, and insight into his years of experience in the kitchen.
Fans will be able to recreate iconic dishes like “The Whole Bird,” Tomato Consommé and Peaches ’n’ Cream, as well as the best versions of beurre manié, béchamel and even a ramen broth (aka the Super Stock). They can also elevate their game with techniques to boost flavour and texture, like discovering how to use a dehydrator to intensify fruits and vegetables, how to ferment vegetable trimmings to add unexpected depth to sauces, and how to make the crunchiest coating with a cornstarch–egg white paste and potato flakes.
Cooking aside, readers can enjoy Keller's seasoned voice in revelatory essays such as The Lessons of a Dishwasher, Inspiration Versus Influence and Patience and Persistence, all of which will speak volumes to industry professionals.
The French Laundry, Per Se is now available for pre-order and publishes on 27 October 2020. Despite Keller working on the book for two years, it lands at a unique moment in the history of gastronomy, when fine dining is in peril due to the effects of the coronavirus, an issue which Keller tackles head on in an Instagram post: "While much has changed, what remains unaltered is our shared humanity, our need for community, and our capacity for generosity. Our new cookbook, like the two restaurants at its center, is meant as a tribute to these traits."
At the time of writing, The French Laundry is only open for outdoor dining, while Per Se remains temporarily closed.
During lockdown, Keller remained active offering cooking courses on Instagram, setting up the Feed it Forward Keller Restaurant Relief Fund, and suing his insurance company
