Book Title: Accessible Fine Dining – The Art of Creating Exciting Food in Your Everyday Kitchen
by Noam Kostucki, with Chef Quentin Villers
Category: Adult Non-fiction , 128 pages
Genre: Creative Cookbook / Fine Dining
Publisher: Amazon
Release date: Dec 10, 2018
Tour dates: Jan 7 to 31, 2019
Content Rating: G
Book Description:
Six months after opening my first restaurant, one of my dishes was selected as “25 dishes to travel around the world”, featuring me next to culinary legend Heston Blumenthal.
Exciting and healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Over the years, I have seen some of the most exciting dishes come from the simplest kitchens and the most modest ingredients. The purpose of this book is to focus our attention away from the distractions of fancy kitchen equipment and luxury produce and instead focus our attention towards ingenuity in the kitchen and culinary innovation.
For some strange reason, cooking is taught in books as a series of mechanical steps to follow and repeat with precision. I see cooking as a creative art like painting or playing music: it is the freedom of expression that is most interesting to me. When we create from an artistic perspective, we give birth to something new and potentially magical.
The purpose of this book is not to teach you specific recipes, because the ingredients you will find in your local organic food market will likely not be the same as the ones we see here. Nor is the purpose to show you how to imitate us. The purpose of this book is to guide you into thinking about your dishes in a way that elevates them to a fine dining level, from ingredients which are easily accessible to you. Naturally, you will find a few recipes, but most importantly you will find a new way to look at food.
We will share how we think about food shopping, searching for unusual ingredients, the combinations of flavors, techniques, textures, nutritional value, and of course, plating. The purpose of this book is to guide you to become a more exciting, creative and adventurous version of yourself in the kitchen. What separates a craft from an art form is the story behind it; cooking is a craft, while fine dining is an art form.
If you want to create fine dining dishes, start to focus your attention on the different stories a dish can tell. Some stories can be told through your cooking, and others are told through words. Taking the time to present your dishes before people eat is crucial to creating anticipation for the food they will eat.
MY NAME IS NOAM KOSTUCKI AND I CREATE SPACES FOR MAGIC TO HAPPEN.
I was an awkward child, so I changed school 5 times. I spent most of my life trying to please others, and be the kind of person I believed everyone else wanted me to be. I wasn’t happy and I struggled to get what I want. Everything changed when I started changing.
I spent the last 12 years creating the life I dream of. I’ve had the privilege to be homeless twice, and to speak at Harvard about entrepreneurship. I have grown to be myself more fearlessly than ever before. I am now surrounded by people I love, and who love me.
I traveled over 40 countries, and I’ve helped over 25,000 people create magic. For example Patryk Wezowski who raised $500,000 in 8 weeks and Esther Perel who gave the 30th most viewed TED talk. Some less public successes include a blind eyed student who experienced his blind eye for the first time and a journalist who left an abusive relationship.
As a university drop out, I was surprised when my first book (personal branding) became required reading at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, as well as receiving the UK Business Speaker of the Year runner up award, and a honorary degree in Business from Hofstra University. As an artist, I was honored to exhibit my photography at the European Union’s Innovation Conference.
My most recent venture is HiR Fine Dining, a jungle culinary adventure. I create a discovery menu of 7 plates per person for groups of up to 12 people. HiR Fine Dining became #1 fine dining on TripAdvisor in Tamarindo within the first month. Within 6 months one of my plates was selected out of 40,000 restaurants by OpenTable as one of “25 dishes to travel around the world for”. I was invited to speak at Chateau 1525, Costa Rica’s most reputable cooking school and our guest chefs include a blind chef who traveled all the way the United Kingdom.
Quentin Villers
Quentin has been cooking in restaurant since the age of 18. He helped his brother build a restaurant for which they received a Michelin Star. Quentin moved to Costa Rica to consult for hotels and restaurants. He managed 3 of the 4 restaurants at Hotel Nayara in La Fortuna, for which he lead a team of over 20 people to be selected to enter Relais & Chateaux, a prestigious network of unique luxury hotels with exquisite cuisine. Quentin is a regular guest chef at HiR Fine Dining and consults for a number of fine dining restaurants in Costa Rica.
Little Culinary Triumphs by Pascale Pujol Translated by Alison Anderson Europa Editions
12/04/2018 Original French title: Petits plats de résistance Genre: Literary Fiction 224 pages Goodreads
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Little Culinary Triumphs is so French-weird that it’s hard to present. And consequently, my opinion about it is not that clear-cut either. But I’m French myself, so that makes sense, right? We have the reputation of never being happy about anything, of always complaining, lol.
A pocket guide to cuisine and understanding the menu by an author who’s passionate about food and fine dining.
Eating out is not only a ‘special event’ activity enjoyed by families and friends in our modern high speed world, but very often a necessity for the great work force whose long working day and often unsociable working hours allow little time for home food preparation. However, when eating out for whatever reason, it can be very confusing when presented with a menu of unfamiliar terms and dishes. This pocket guide will help diners to master the mysteries of the menu with ease!
After retiring from her career as a music teacher, Naomi Powell returned to Somerset with her husband, Maurice. She is an active member of the Ricard III Society, the Nelson Society and the Royal OverSeas League, as well as an enthusiastic gardener. From her home garden, she began Somerset Garden at the Limes, a business growing, harvesting and making her own preserves, which she operated for five years with retail outlets across North and South Somerset. This is her first book.
After attending a lecture at the Historical Society in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, I had a surprise invitation to go out for an evening meal. My expectations were not high since the army officer to whom I had only recently been introduced, and who appeared anxious to show me the night life of Muscat, had already arrived late at the lecture venue, and my expectations collapsed even further when the said gentleman suggested that we go out for a pizza. I was less than impressed, in fact quite indignant that he should consider such a humble snack as a noteworthy meal for a celebration. The guy in question persisted with his plan and we enjoyed a rather superior pizza with salad – from the very first and just opened, pizza restaurant in the country. We were married in Sri Lanka just 3 years later. It could be said that it is difficult to put a value on a pizza!
LISBON.
Whilst on holiday several years ago, our cruise ship called into Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, passing beneath the wonderful ‘25th April bridge,’ with little headroom to spare. We had the day free; so decided to take the tram from the city square all around the old town. It was a truly enjoyable, carefree experience of careering around sharp bends and squeezing past ancient buildings in our open carriage, greeting locals at their open windows with the closeness of almost being in their homes. As the tram headed for its return journey, it was boarded by several young people, possibly students, dressed in local costume, who dispensed the most delicious traditional Portuguese custard tarts; the flavour was perfect and the custard cream was encased in a beautiful light pastry cup. Madera wine was generously served with this mid-morning snack, and I recall thinking, ‘What an excellent dessert course this would make for any elegant dinner party.’ The warmth and tradition of Portugal was encased in this simple but elegant confectionery. A memorable trip endorsed by a simple treat.
INDIA.
Express Service.
Travelling around India on various occasions with my husband, we explored and enjoyed the wonders of the complex railway network of this vast, populous and amazing country. The people are great, the countryside vivid and everything in between colourful scented and vibrant. Travelling by rail introduces one to all the usual comforts and considerations offered by dedicated railway staff. We boarded the Agra/Delhi train on the final leg of the Golden Triangle trip. The familiar call from the lean and efficient platform vendors of “Chai, chai, coffee, chai” and the ‘chip-chipping together’ of the little clay cups suddenly approached our open carriage window. There is never enough time to be too specific with one’s order, as trains run on time in India, and vendors need to catch as large a percentage of any potential trade as possible whilst the train rests. The vendor often assumes one’s needs rather than waiting for travellers to place an order. Because of time restrictions and many orders to fulfil, dozens of cups of liquid refreshment are served with enormous speed and exchange of small coins, amidst constant bustle and human passage. As I settled into my seat and the final preparations for departure were nearing completion, the disposable clay cup of indeterminate liquid – I had ordered coffee – was thrust into my hand and money exchanged. I sipped and contemplated and sipped again at the unfamiliar ‘coffee’ taste. Time only allowed me to ask hurriedly, “What is this please? Is it coffee or tea?” “Soup Madam.” Came the polite reply, and the voice vanished with the vendor as swiftly as the train pulled out of the station.
Little Culinary Triumphs
About the author
Words And Peace 