A stack of cookbooks on a shelf

These Cookbooks Belong On Your Shelf

ICE New York Chef-Instructors share their required reads

Whether you鈥檙e a seasoned chef or a novice cook, chances are, you have an arsenal of cookbooks. But between the number of chefs writing tomes 鈥 and the number of cuisines out there 鈥 wading through the literary waters can be daunting. 

So, we asked some of our Chef-Instructors at our New York campus what lines their bookshelves and how they stay informed about the industry. Here鈥檚 what they had to say.

Celine Beitchman

Director of Nutrition

The 鈥淟arousse Gastronomique鈥 was an early tome, and it鈥檚 how I learned about classic culinary concepts and the origins of the modern culinary system. But I have cookbooks at every level and read them voraciously.

For staying informed, I have my peers here at ICE, and some trusted voices I tap into like the esteemed Marion Nestle, the people at Center for Science in the Public Interest and the James Beard Foundation.  

Joshua Resnick

Lead Chef, Operations Manager

When I first got into the industry someone recommended a book called "Culinary Artistry." In a way, it鈥檚 like a culinary reference book, but the thing I like about it is that not only does it have lots of recipes and different ingredients, but there鈥檚 literally a section in the middle that lists out ingredients and the season that they typically grow in, and items that each ingredient pairs well with.

So, when you, as a young chef, walk into your kitchen and think "I have apples and balsamic vinegar," you can go to the book to find elements that can help you expand on a dish.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Jamie Blatt

Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts

I like 鈥淟e Guide Culinaire,鈥 鈥淧atricia Wells at Home in Provence,鈥 鈥淪imply French by Patricia Wells & Joel Robuchon鈥 and 鈥淭he French Laundry Cookbook.鈥 ,  and are also great resources. 

Ozmar Heredia

Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts

I love 鈥淪alt, Fat, Acid, Heat,鈥 鈥淭he Professional Chef,鈥 鈥淭he Flavor Bible,鈥 and 鈥淧eru, The Cookbook.鈥 Following food media pages such as , and the help us stay updated. YouTube is also a great platform to gather more information about dishes, techniques and what is happening around the world food-wise. 

Mike Handal

Chef-Instructor, Culinary Arts

Professional, specialty cookbooks used over the years would be too numerous to list. The amount of books entering the market each year is staggering. This also applies to journals and specialty magazines. Booksellers such as , as well as are wonderful resources to use to preview books. The ICE Blog is also terrific online resource.

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