Culinary Artistry

It's very difficult to read considering they have typos like crazy. They reference Italian fish by the wrong name, so you're really getting a lot of misinformation. Overall, the title is misleading. It's more a series of small interviews and insights into some professional chefs, with a general theme that runs throughout the pages that "less is more." There are a few ideas on how some of the chefs construct their menus, and ingredients that go together.

Not what I expected at all. Very few pictures, and the few that are in it are black and white. If I had ordered a novel I would expect that, but a book about culinary artistry needs to have many vibrant colorful pictures to show plating techniques.

Regarding physical quality, the printer of this book should be tarred and feathered. And the publisher should be crucified for allowing such poor quality to be shipped. The pages are cut unevenly and the whole thing looks like it was put together by a third grader. I only regret not having sent this book back immediately. It does not deserve a place on my bookshelf no matter how interesting the content may be.

I very much admire the authors' other book, "The Flavor Bible". But this hack job has no reason for its existence other than to make some more money for those authors at the readers' expense. With some 8 or 9 cooking-related books out there, it stands to reason that they've largely already said everything about food that they have to say. Everything after that is kind of like a "greatest hits" album.

And that's one of the problems with this book... most of it far better presented in "The Flavor Bible". It seems those who reviewed this book favorably have never seen the authors' other books, to realize this is a just an earlier edition of stuff published in their other volumes.

I fully agree with the other low-star reviewers who complain that it is a clumsily-laid out disorganized mess, for that it surely is. To the point that, if you have any kind of life, it is largely unreadable.

And what utterly idiotic, useless content! Much of it is simply a list of menus that some chef somewhere did for some event. Or the daily specials some restaurant had on May 15, 1984, and who the hell cares? And, oh, we have more filler-junk ... a bunch of cooks responding to some questionnaire detailing what 10 ingredients would they most want to have with them if they were marooned on a desert island. (Surprise! Salt is at the top of the list! Aren't you glad you paid money for this book so you were able to read and fathom that fascinating tidbit?) And oh, what are these chefs' three favorite cooking techniques? (Surprise! grilling/sauteeing/braising).

Last but not least, the book is cheesily printed with uneven outer edges, so you can't easily thumb through the book without skipping through whole chapters. Which, come to think of it, was probably the publisher's intent, recognizing that this is the very best thing to do with this book. In fact, skip the whole thing. I'm not sure I've ever seen a cookbook so full of phonily-presented pseudo-enlightening information.

I concur with the negative reviews given to this book, but will even go one step further and claim that this is a fraudulent effort. There is nothing, I repeat, nothing of value in this book for the cook. It is a series of desultory reflections about food and flavor by famous chefs, none of which are helpful or interesting. And those wonderful tables - lots and lots of them with such valuable insights like bananas are sweet and anchovies are salty. Or that we eat asparagus in the spring. There is no organization to the book (probably because there's no real content), and anything that might be of interest is lost in a sea of tedious irrelvancy. Shame on these two authors. I felt horribly taken advantage of, and this is the only (non) cookbook which I ever threw into the garbage can.

I was very disappointed in this book because I was expecting a book called Culinary Artistry would be a book on "presentation of the food" in an artistic way. It's is not. In fact there are virtually no pictures or illustrations. Although some chefs might find this book useful, I did not.

Culinary Artistry explains - paradoxically - why people can't learn excellence in cooking from a book. It stays carefully grounded, defining the goal of excellence in culinary art as ultimately pleasing the diners' palates. No matter the skill of the chef, they start the task the same way we all do: What's in the fridge, and what's available at the store?

Dornenberg and Page cover each aspect of the culinary skills that can set the best chefs apart. They work to develop themes in the food, considering many aspects of the ingredients: Aromas: faint-strong, Colors: varied, Consistency: fatty-astringent, Density: heavy-light,e Familiarity: common-exotic, Flavors: sweet/sour/salty/bitter, Flavor strength: sharp-bland, Moistness: wet-dry, Temperatures: hot-cold, Textures: crispy-soft. They consider many of the diners' sensory sensitivities: seasonal freshness, geographic/cultural relationships, traditional event relationships (eg Thanksgiving turkey), aromas, textures, emotions (by evoking traditions), flavor pals and flavor enemies. Culinary Artistry explains the choices available and often gives good examples of their use.

This book can help good cooks learn to get better at what they do. It can help food critics get better, like a book about the philosophy of art can help art critics. It may even help great chefs explain what they do. But ultimately this will be like helping Picasso explain why one of his paintings was particularly good. When we've learned, the rest of us may be much better artists than we were before, but we're not going to paint Picasso's next painting.

Some flavors and "signature dishes" are associated with particular kitchens. Famous restaurants earn their stripes with their flavor patterns. So to get good, you have to find out what about the food makes excellent restaurants excellent. Go out and taste greatness. Practice to learn what you can make of it yourself. Reread this book on Culinary Artistry before each of your forays. There are so many aspects of excellence to consider that few if any of us can consider them all at the same time. Great chefs probably accomplish most of their tasks with unconscious habits of excellence. They concentrate on the aspects of the meal that need the most specific attention. That's why they call it art.

Dornenberg and Page's Culinary Artistry belongs on the bookshelf of an adventurous cook.

Culinary Artistry is a book some may passover or leaf through in the bookstore for the likes of the Joy of Cooking or a Martha Stewart volume 20 cookbook. But look closer, the charts and the what-goes-well-with-what sections of this book alone are worth the price if only to give the food lover an inspired moment to create a dish with ingredients he or she may love. If you find yourself saying, "gee, I'd really love to have salmon tonight but I don't know what to put with it", pick up this book, find Salmon and refer to the extensive list of items that the interviewed chefs prefer with it and an idea is born. After that, all it takes is a little know-how in the kitchen and you've created your very own gourmet meal. If you choose to read from front to back you'll also discover page after page of insightful information from some of the nation's top chef's. Take your time, it's not a novel but it can be read like one and used as reference even after you've reached the last page. For the money, this is a book that will stay on your shelf for years to come and still manage to provide a new idea each time. So put down the Martha Stewart Haloween cookie issue and give Culinary Artistry a try, "It's a good thing". Sorry about that last one, she's infectious.

I really enjoyed reading these set of books. I am a graduate of The Culinary School of Kendall College and i know for a fact that it sits on the shelf of their bookstore. Becoming a chef really tells the tale of what it is like to be in the throes of the fast and exciting world of culinary arts. It tries to give the reader a first hand look at what the experience will be like when they get out there into the field. For the culinary artistry book, i think that whoever came up with this idea is a genius! There is an ultra helpful section in there that gives you a nice and pretty comprehensive table of ingredients and all of the possible things that will accompany them or compliment them; for instance they will have rosemary as the header and then under that, an extensive list of what goes well or what foods can be paired with that (like lamb, chicken. brown sauces etc.)... There are a good number of items also, ranging from herbs, spices, vegetables, and fruits to actual meats. And hey, Don't be afraid that your certain ingredient wont be represented because i can pretty much assure you that it will. I think that this book is invaluable to those dinner party throwers/ culinary adventurians that like to use spices but need a new idea or fresh perspective! (pardon the pun!) i must say that i especially like that feature. If you are a culinary artisan (beginner or experienced) you will find that this table-index will spice up your ideas in no time at all! I highly recommend this book (or should i say cross referencing dictionary for cooking) it is well worth your money, extremely reader friendly, it assists you whether you are an expert, a novice or a beginner! so get it and have a good time with it. It also makes a great gift to any foodie that you know out there! Buon appetit! did i mention that both books offer recipes as well??? YEA!

Painters have the color wheel to identify what colors match others. Now chefs, and lovers of food everywhere, have one too.
"Culinary Artistry" is not a "cookbook." Rather, it is a culinary chemistry textbook. Hundreds of pages are dedicated to the "Food matches made in heaven." That is to say, what food goes with what food/herb/spice.
Anyone who loves cooking will love it even more with the wealth of knowledge that this book imparts to the reader. It will take every aspiring chef, or home cook to a higher level.
No matter how many "cookbooks" you have, "Culinary Artistry" is an invaluable reference in your cooking library!

This book has not only recipes, but suggested pairings of ingredients….ingredients that compliment each other when cooking them together, as well as what pairs nicely with the entree or side dish you're making. There are cooking techniques with instructions from big-name chefs, that range from simple to slightly more involved…all of which are doable by even the most inexperienced of cooks. (myself included!)
I would recommend it for ANYONE, experienced & inexperienced cooks alike.

The book will be helpful to anyone wanting to become a better cook (or Chef). It's easy to read and understand. It helps you pair up foods that go well together or gives you ideas you may never have thought of otherwise. I especially liked the part in the back of the book where different chefs tell what 10 items they would have with them if they were on a deserted island and why. They were also limited to 3 cooking methods and why they choose those methods. Book is easy to read and well worth the money.

Culinary Artistry is an excellent reference book that every culinary arts student and chef should have. This is one of the books that I have used the most and recommend to every single person that takes a class at my school - it has a section that lists the most important food products and the ingredients they match with - useful for creating recipes and menus that have sense. I would recommend it also for anyone that loves to cook at home but with advanced knowledge of culinary techniques.

As a chef and graduate from a prestigious culinary school I feel that my praise is very meaningful. In a business that is ever changing and constant competing Culinary Artistry has always been there for me. The book covers a wide range of topics that were not always covered in school. I'll even go as far as calling it a companion to the real life culinary experience. From the insightful testimonies to the multitude of helpful information contained in its charts and lists it continues to give to the reader. I am not saying that you need to be a graduate from culinary school or even have to be working in the industry to benefit from Culinary Artistry. Anyone from the every day home cook to the passionate gourmet will fall under the spell held within the bindings of this wonderful guide. Yes a guide. Where other books are just cook books, Culinary Artistry opens our minds to the creative side of the restaurant industry. All this, and recipes from some of the best chefs in the industry, not only a good read but one thing I would definitely place on my deserted island list.

I initially bought this book, because it was the sequel to Becoming a Chef. Since I have graduated from culinary school, this book has not left my side. The charts of seasonality and flavor combinations are essential for any chef or apprentice chef. There are recipes which can be chenged and manipulated any way the cook sees fit. Culinary Artistry is unbiased view of what some chefs deem important need to know information about certain types of food. This book makes me want to write a cook book. Any home gourmande will also love this book, it holds ingredients in the best light possible. Telling how and why to buy seasonally, to shop at local markets within your area, to support local businesses and people. If you are passionate about food and cooking food, you WILL love this book.

I am not professionally trained. But I love to cook, and have for years. But this book opened up a world of flavors I had never considered. Beautiful book, very helpful, and I think anyone who likes to cook will get something out of this book!

If the experience of an entire career can be written down, then Culinary Artistry is it! The heart of the book is the ingredient match tables, but there is so much more. Only one reading is not enough. Consider it a workbook and have your pencil or post-its ready. Each reading, something else pops out and improves my cooking!

After 12 years of having this indispensible "bible" in my kitchen, it finally bit the dust, so I'm buying another copy on the store today. Besides Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child and The Joy of Cooking by Irma Bromback, it's the only other book in my kitchen. My mother taught me how to cook at a very early age and I served as a line cook during college, but this reference, even back then, would have been invaluable. Thank you Karen and Andrew!

This book is pretty good for a reference concerning matching different food, although many of the combinations are pretty standard, and any chef knows (should know) what goes with what. On the other hand, it can be a good place to find ideas, or to remember food combinations, and the tables are very clear.
There are useless parts such as
- interviews, that shows some US inferiority complex masked as superiority one. For instance, when it says that in the United States the ingredients are better than in France: what about Foie Gras? fleur du sel? poulet de Bresse? and, adding Italy, olive oil? San Daniele ham? Parmigiano Reggiano? etc etc etc. I cannot recall one single ingredient from US superior to what is produced in Europe.
- As well, at the beginning of the book the "chefs" are divided into three categories, the artists being the highest (and the one, obviously, to whom this book is targeted). But then there are plenty of places where chefs do this or that to please customers. An artist does not please anybody but himself. Picasso didn't paint Guernica so and so because of the customers.
- over-simplistic menu schemes. Being Italian, I learned that in Italy we have salad/main course like the US. How am I going to tell my 60 millions compatriotes that starters / first course (pasta or rice) / second course (meat or fish) / cheese / dessert / fruit is not what we always had?
Nice book to have, won't be on top of my list, neither at the bottom.

I discovered Culinary Artistry through a business associate. What a treasure!! You get the tools you need to think about and create your own style of cooking -- plus a lot of eye-opening information. Many, many thanks!

Whenever I find a new ingredient, or got bored with an old one, I will just flip to the "Food Matches" section, look it up and find tons of inspiration. If I am feeling lacklustre or uninspired I can re-read any section of this book. If you are creative, but sometimes need a push, this is a wonderful tool. It helps keep the seasons in perspective, and freshness & quality on your mind. I highly reccomend this book! (and perhaps a sturdy plastic cover for it!)

As a culinary student and aspiring chef, this book has shown me which flavors and ingredients to combine successfully. Using this book, I developed a glaze that finished in the top 3 of a food competition. Better than any cookbook with recipes.

I cannot think of a better reference in my kitchen. When I plan to cook venison, what flavors go with it? I grab Culinary Artistry and find out, now what kind of side should I cook? I have never found another book that is such a great reference.

I was very impressed with this book. Not only does it include food that pairs well together, put it also has a recipes and ideas. I've enjoyed reading through it, and use it when I have ingredients in the fridge/pantry that I'm not sure what to do with. I would recommend buying this book if you're new to the kitchen or want to learn more.

This is an interesting and thought provoking text about the culinary arts. It is a very inciteful and fresh perspective about food and its care and presentation. I recommend it for anyone who loves to cook and likes to read.

While the first few chapters are a heavy read ... think culinary text book -- the majority of chapters are a fabulous blueprint for flavor profiles. What goes with what... what compliments what. And I mean spice to vegetable, vegetable to protein, garnish to herb.... it's all here. Worth the time to study it and make it part of your repertoire. Every addition you make to your skill set will elevate your cooking.

I liked the opening comments on art, although I felt that the practical content was a bit obvious. My biggest complaint is that the book has rough uncut irregular edges making it impossible to flip through the pages, in desperation I cut a quarter inch off with my band saw. Additionally the cover flaps fold open, so I cut them off as well. Should have returned the book but I'm too lazy to do so. It feels like they tried to be too "artistic" with the book design. A great subject that could be taken to a much higher level.

This book is filled with all sorts of information about food prep and techniques and flavor blending. However, where are the pictures? The title makes it sound as though the book will be filled with all sorts of beautiful images, but the cover is all you really get. Food art is more than simply taste, but it is also presentation. This book lacks presentation.