The French Laundry, Per Se: The Art of Finesse

The cookbook mold is about to be broken again with a new book (the first since 2012) from America’s most celebrated chef, Thomas Keller―this time focusing on his legendary American fine dining institutions, the French Laundry and Per Se.

When The French Laundry Cookbook was published in 1999 (five years after the opening of the French Laundry restaurant), it broke the mold of all previous cookbooks; it has since come to be considered by many to be the most important restaurant cookbook ever published. With more than 600,000 copies in print, the book has been an education for thousands, from home cooks to aspiring professionals, selling in bookstores, wineries, department stores, grocery stores, and even airports throughout the world. Now, 20 years later, The French Laundry, Per Se is set to break the mold anew.

Keller opened Per Se in New York City in 2004, and since that time, the French Laundry and Per Se have become inextricably linked, influencing each other’s evolution through the exchange of chefs and ideas. A lot has changed in 20 years, and the recipes and techniques featured in The French Laundry, Per Se will delight and inspire professional and home cooks as only those in Keller’s books can. Here, he and his chefs offer meticulous, in-depth recipes for both beloved and iconic dishes―Salmon Cornet, “Peas and Carrots,” and Butter-Poached Lobster, for example―as well as essays of reflection, notes on the restaurants’ daily operations, information about farmers and purveyors, and lessons for young chefs the world over. In addition to more than 100 recipes, a basics chapter featuring such revelations as Parmesan mouse, tomato water, and a variety of stocks not only give readers insight into the foundations of these groundbreaking recipes but can also be used to elevate the food of any home cook. The French Laundry, Per Se is sure to be the year’s most anticipated cookbook.