Menus Inspired by Chef-authored Cookbooks - part 1

Ever felt the excitement to discover, or for the first time become aware of, something of significance, in a new field of personal interest, and then realize the entire world already knows about it? Welcome to Culinary Education.

Someplace in California there's a wonderful restaurant named the French Laundry whose chef, Thomas Keller, is well-known and well regarded in the culinary world. Keller is considered a celebrity-chef, like it or not, a term that has become very in vogue in the past few years. He also has an other restaurant, the namesake of his beautiful cookbook; entitled 'Ad Hoc at Home.'

Some folks are not enthralled by the entire celebrity-chef trend, fad, business or what have you. But I should think anyone interested in the culinary world can learn from, and become inspired by, exploring chef-authored cookbooks and by reading the biographies of successful chefs.

Recently, the chefs of cuisine at New England Culinary Institute, inspired by Thomas Keller's cookbook 'Ad Hoc at Home,' introduced a new celebrity chef-inspired menu series at the school's casual fine-dinning outlet, NECI on Main, serving contemporary New World Farm-to-Table fare. Professionally staffed, the restaurant also serves as a production class for the students working in the kitchen under the direction of instructor/chefs.

The photograph above illustrates the February 2012 Thomas Keller celebrity chef cookbook inspired menu, served at NECI on Main and prepared by instructor/chef Jeffrey Andre and his students in the Farm-to-Table class. The menu of slow roasted pork loin and cream of celery soup was selected by NECI chef Paul Sorgule.

Books courtesy of Rivendell Books in Montpelier, Vt.