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I have been cooking for quite some time now, and I am always digging for newer and better recipes and even different variations. This book had much more than I had ever thought that it would. It has a chapter dedicated to nutrition, kitchen safety, equipment, and all sorts of examples as well as photo's for everything, including cuts of meats, fish, poultry, etc.
It also thoroughly covers all sorts of food preparation, and the recipes!!! The recipes look just wonderful. It covers everything from simple broths, breads, sandwiches to different types of pastry. It is a great book for the beginner, as well as the experienced cook.
I have already tried a few of the recipes, and they are truely wonderful, and have been well tested. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook and bake..
One word of caution... Most of the recipes are geared to cooking of large quantities, for 10 portions or better. Breads for 8-10 loaves, and so on, so be prepared to modify your quantities.

When you want to learn to cook in a style that will amaze your friends, turn to the professional chef. This book whick lays out the basics for all forms of cooking and food preparation will not turn you into a chef. Being a chef is all about creating good looking, well prepared and presented food with your own tastes. This book gives you all the basics in order to accomplish that and goes farther it gives you recipes in order to practice the skills that it teaches you.
Simply amazing photography shows you visually steps of different styles of cooking and gives you information on all sorts of cooking including converting from european measurements to U.S. Most people know the high standard that the Culinary Institue of America (CIA) shows and the high quality of graduate they turn out. This book, used at at the CIA, is an invaluable asset to those aspiring to be chef and those looking to turn out a perfectly cooked pleasing meal.
Try this book. There is no one I know who would be displeased at either recieving this book as a gift or purchasing it for oneself. The cost is truley small compared to the insight and wisdom that it gives you.

I received "The Professional Chef" as a gift from a valued friend; it certainly is a challenging source of inspiration and information (glossaries, diagrams) for aspiring as well as veteran cooks. The recipes are set up in three-column tables, with Ingredients, Quantity, and Methods (numbered) in separate columns. From the basics to ideas and photos of advanced plating and buffet set-ups, this book is worth its weight in gold to anyone who cooks for fun or profit.