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Le Gavroche Cookbook
by Michel Roux Jr

For nearly thirty-five years Le Gavroche has been one of the finest restaurants in London, serving exquisitely balanced food in the classic French tradition. Founded by Michel and Albert Roux, and now run by chef Michel Roux Jr, its pre-eminence is celebrated in Le Gavroche Cookbook, a superb collection of two hundred dishes from the restaurant's recipe books.

The book is organised seasonally, with an emphasis on the freshest and finest ingredients (if you are going to try to cook this type food, you have to buy the best - there is no point otherwise). Gulls' Eggs with Caviar, Roast Black Leg Chicken with Fresh Pasta, Foie Gras and Truffles from the Spring section; Stuffed Sea Bass with Fennel from Summer; Lobster Soufflé with Quail's Egg and Brandy and Rich Braised Stuffed Hare from Winter: this is luxurious and expensive cooking. Challenging, too.

Michel Roux Jr does not give much in the way of guidance for the inexperienced but for ambitious cooks: the instructions are plain to the point of austerity but assume a considerable degree of skill and familiarity with the procedures of classic French cuisine. The results, though complex, are beautifully balanced. Of its kind, this food is perfect, representing an ideal of sophistication to which cooks can aspire. The book is elegantly (and robustly) produced and amply illustrated, adding to the pleasure of using it.

Robin Davidson

Book Jacket:
The creation of Albert and Michel Roux, Le Gavroche opened in 1967. At the time it was the only restaurant of its kind - serving classical French food with the highest standards of cooking and service - in London. Now run by Michel Roux Jr, Le Gavroche continues to preserve the high standards for which it has always been famous. Michel Roux Jr's style is 'modern French', or classical French cooking with a lighter and less rich approach, and subtly influenced by Mediterranean and Asian flavours.

Le Gavroche Cookbook (13 April 2005)
Reviewer: Margarita Herzka (Peru)

Excellent book but why are the measurements given in cups and not by weight. Mesuring flour by cups can ruin a recipe because it varies dependending of how the cups are measured. I would have expected that this book being so well written, all the ingredients would be given by weight.

Le Gavroche Cookbook is definitely about pleasure! (3 June 2001)
Reviewer: Paula Jonvik from Seattle, WA U.S.A.

There are cookbooks by celebrity chefs, and then there are lessons in culinary pleasures by professional chefs who enjoy well-deserved notoriety. Le Gavroche Cookbook is definitely about pleasure! Whether simple or extravagant. Chef Michel Roux Jr. continues the Roux legacy of culinary guidance to readers worldwide, with the long anticipated release of his first book.

His restaurant and its renowned staff have, this spring earned two of the top awards for London Restaurants. Dispelling the mysteries of Michelin Star cooking, he stresses the need for advanced planning as the key to any success in the kitchen or dining room. The recipes are neither long nor pedantic. They are in an easy to read format, and select dishes include wine recommendations and exquisite color photos that illustrate his eye for details of color, texture, form and balance of flavor. From restaurant style plating, to 'in the pot' shots, they provide the reader with an image of the finished dish.

These are not trendy, experimental recipes. Chef Michel's straightforward approach demonstrates his personal and professional passion for food of all types and for all four seasons.

Beginning with a short history of Le Gavroche, planning and prep for a dinner party, and a chapter on wine selection, he moves to the 'jewels' of the evening, Canapes and Petits Fours. There are no instructions on how to mince a shallot, for example, because he goes straight to the 'meat' of the matter - straight to the recipes. He does include tips on acheiving results for garnishes and other timesaving methods. But if you possess a modicum of culinary knowledge and a few extra quid, you'll be creating these works of genius in no time flat!

His unadulterated philosophy is as fresh and wholesome as the ingredients he encourages readers to take pleasure in selecting - not "whacking gobs" of ultra expensive ingredients, just enough to elevate the base ingredients to the next level of excellence - because THAT is where it all begins!

A simply decadent spring dish of 'Brie Stuffed with Truffles', accompanied by a lightly dressed salad of Mache and toasted slices of Pain de Campagne to a Pacific Rim influenced 'Seared Peppered Tuna with Caviar Vinaigrette', garnished with potato galettes, dried tomato and fresh lightly dressed spinach leaves, becomes a plate of symmetrical perfection and an explosion of color. Recipes include meats, game, poultry (preferably free range and organic),fish, shellfish, sides, salads, soups, terrines, stocks, pastries and sauces - sweet and savory and more - to stunning desserts for every taste and menu.

He covers all methods and techniques of cooking, with an eye for lighter fare, peppered with hearty cold weather dishes meant to warm and satisfy. Le Gavroche Cookbook is a glimpse into the creative mind of one of London's finest chefs, who puts a radiant smile into everything he undertakes, as we all should! So pour yourself a flute of your favorite champagne, and delve into the world of Le Gavroche. Celebrate Nature's bounty! For those occasions when you want to feel really accomplished . . . Roux Jr is your perfect guide!

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