Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats and Drinks

by Stephanie Izard, Heather Shouse (Collaborator), Dan Goldberg (Photographer)

Stephanie Izard knows how to inspire, captivate, and cook up a storm. Fan favorite and the first and only woman to win on TV's Top Chef, she's also the chef and owner of the acclaimed Girl & the Goat restaurant in Chicago. The Girl in the Kitchen collects more than 100 of Izard's best recipes, from innovative appetizers like Asian-Spiced English Peas to luscious desserts like Quince and Fig Cobbler with Vanilla Mascarpone. Beautifully photographed and bursting with flavor, personality, and insights into the top chef's process including where she finds her cooking muses, how she shops for food, and which beers and wines she chooses to accompany her meals this book represents the culmination of a craft and provides inspiration that reaches far beyond the kitchen walls.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 2011

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bait and switch. I thought this was going to be what the title said. It isn't, it's a recipe book with an extremely minimal amount of text that mostly relates to the recipes. I have no idea how a "top chef" thinks, shops, eats or drinks. I know what she cooks though.

There weren't enough pictures, ideally there should be one per recipe, and the quality of them was on the top side of meh. I don't cook (although I can), but I do slather over appetizing recipes photographed well. There was nothing in this book that elevated it over the million cookbooks that I wouldn't waste my time on, so given that, I gave it up.

[Wysteria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is from: Girl in the Kitchen (Kindle Edition)

Much as I liked Chef Stephanie Izard on Top Chef, and fully believed she should be the winner, I didn't really expect this book to necessarily be such a winner. The little intro that goes with each recipe informs where it came from & why, and explains flavor profiles. She also gives hints on modifications that might be worthwhile, especially things to shorten the time or effort.

Every recipe has a wine or beer pairing, and why she chose that particular one...and sometimes an alternate. There are Ingredient Spotlights with most recipes..the "what" & "why" of various ingredients.

She gives us a lot of personal background sprinkled throughout, as is popular these days. She comes across as every bit as feisty, but nice, as she appears. She's a strong lady, but humble, too.

What really blew me away, though (yes, I'm finally getting to it) is that as I went through, reading recipes, I bookmarked the ones that sounded interesting. I FOUND I HAD BOOKMARKED ROUGHLY 40% OF THE RECIPES!!!!! I usually feel pretty good about a book if I find as many as a half dozen recipes that I might like to try. In "Girl in the Kitchen" everything I marked was a "Must Do!"

There are a few typos, & a couple of misused words...but not enough to be terribly bothersome. There are some flavor profiles or ingredients that some people might not care for. For instance you either love or hate cilantro, & she uses a lot of it. I, obviously, hate it, but I know I can substitute parsley & it won't kill the dish (as cilantro would, for me) but that's personal.

Because I hadn't expected to be terribly impressed, I borrowed the Kindle edition from the library...as soon as I finish this review, I'm going to buy it!

Oh, that's another good point...so many cookbooks are not properly formatted for Kindle...this one is!!!

I love the book, and recommend it highly.

[Ilene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been a Top Chef fan since the first season I am always on the lookout for cookbooks written by the former contestants, especially the winners. Stephanie Izard was the Season four winner. Reading her cookbook is what I imagine sitting down in her kitchen while she prepares dinner must be like. Each recipe contains an introduction describing the dish and how it came to be. Some introductions include family stories while others focus on flavor profiles and the ins and outs of why some flavors work together and some don't. Set up in fairly standard chapters some recipes include Featured Ingredients with more detailed information about preparation and usage. Cooking tips are scattered throughout the book but my personal favorite is the drink tips. Just about every recipe is paired with a beverage. Rather than just listing the perfect wine, beer or ale, she takes the time to explain why Belgian Pale Ales are the perfect complement to Juniper Grilled Sea Bass. It is because there is just enough spice in the Pale Ale to complement the floral fennel and it won't overpower the Sea Bass. The recipes vary in degree of difficulty from the very simple composed salads to the more complex Osso Buco. Not every recipe has a photograph which is usually a turnoff for me, I want to see the finished product but what photographs there are, are simply stunning. A great choice for both a cookbook to browse through and a cookbook that is destined to be home to some of your new favorite dishes.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

New amazing recipes

I thoroughly enjoyed this author's recipes. I especially liked the '101 Technique' sections. I even had to Google some of the seasonings! The book was well written/index so I can jump to a specific recipe. I found fun original new recipes to try. Looking forward to many more recipes from this author. Congratulations on winning 'Top Chef'. You are a rock star. Great job.

[Jenn Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoy Stephanie Izard on Top Chef and Iron Chef America.
Enjoyed her personal stories that accompanied all of the recipes.
Loved the "Ingredient Spotlight" and drink pairings (with solid explanations!)
I wish there had been more pictures, and I feel like the recipes I *most* wanted to have pictures (e.g. pig tongues??) did not

[Pilar Saslow · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been following this chef in the Food NW and IG. She so talented, creative and produces beautiful looking dishes. This book was a dissappointment. I didn’t like the layout of the recipes and the pictures were not attractive.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Girl and the Goat and Top Chef winner, Stephanie Izard, this cookbook has some very different (as in not to my taste) recipes, but then I thought why not try them. OK, I haven't tried them yet, but I will.

What I especially like about this cookbook is that there is a story behind every recipe, there are beverage pairings with every recipe, there are pages explaining some of the more uncommon ingredients and there are cooking and equipment tips. Best of all at the end of many of the recipes there is a section called, "Plan of Attack" with suggestions of components that can be prepared in advance.

So despite my initial dislike of many of the recipes I'm going to give them a try. First up? How about Pan-Roasted New York Steaks with Sautéed Cucumbers and Salted Goat Milk Caramel!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this cookbook - lots of pictures, drink pairings to the recipes, and an "Ingredient Spotlight" where she goes into detail and gives tips about a specific item used in a recipe. I also liked that there were a lot of savory recipes that incorporated fruit (Arugula Salad with Watermelon and Feta; The Never-Ending-Chicago-Winter Beef Stew {apple, pineapple, and pear in it!}; Four Cheese Macaroni with Apples and Bacon...).
I feel like some of the recipes in here are maybe a little too advanced (or the ingredients a little too expensive/hard to come by) for me. But I would totally eat any of the recipes here!

[Carma Spence]

What do you get when you cross a coffee table book with a cookbook for home cooks? You get Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats, and Drinks by Stephanie Izard and Heather Shouse.

Read my full reviews here:

New York Journal of Books: http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/revie...

Carma's Cookery: https://www.carmascookery.com/book-re...

[L s · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best cookbooks I have ever read, and I have looked at my fair share. The recipes are creative and delicious. But the best part might not be the recipes, but the really awesome random tips and advice in the recipes. I realize this all sounds a bit hyperbolic, but honestly whether you cook professionally or just like to mess around in the kitchen at home this is definitely a must have.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

This wasn't the type of book I was expecting. I thought it would be more of a memoir about opening her restaurants or being on top chef. It was pretty much just a cook book filled with recipes I would never make and some childhood memories. It had a lot of info on alcohol to pair with food, which also doesn't interest me. I did like the ingredient spotlights and learned some new things. But after the first third of the book, I only read the ingredient spotlights for the rest of the book.

[Bevin Kutluoglu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. The pictures are gorgeous & the writing is clear. If you can get past the misspelt word in the introduction (which I did), you'll be immersed in Stephanie Izard's wonderful world. I especially love her ingredient spotlights & the fact that she has provided a wine or beer pairing for each dish. My favourite Top Chef winner has now written my favourite new cookbook!
(It's too bad I had to return it to the library. Good thing Christmas is coming up!)

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted this book because it's about a chef in Chicago and about the dishes she makes in her small apartment kitchen for friends, etc. Also, I've always wanted to go to her restaurant. I have reservations in 2 months because that was the soonest they had an opening AND it's on a week night! The book is funny and has a lot of trendy, fancy dishes that I can't wait to make! Loved it!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The advice is questionable. I made several recipes and followed them to the letter, and they were awful. The Chicago stew in particular was dreadful - the mix of ingredients made a very sour broth. The cooking time made the fruits mushy and flavorless. Unlike other stews, this one did not improve with age; I had to throw it out!

[Mary]

No rating, it's just not my style of cooking.
Went to her restaurant - I was sooooo excited to go, but it just didn't do it for me.
I'm still a big fan of hers though - love her website and her constant smile.

[Luann Schindler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best narrative cookbooks I've read. Now, I may not have every ingredient on hand in the pantry, but if I want to make one of these dishes, I'd go out of my way to find them. Izard combines unique flavors and textures. Now, I want to go to her Chicago eatery!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very impressed with this chef! Her recipes are intruiging and complex. Perhaps not for the average cook, but for those who have some experience under their belt.
The only problem is that NOW i am dying to go to her restarant - in Chicago.

[Laura Skladzinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great recipe insights, not just recipes themselves

Great insights on pairings, both drinks and flavor components in a dish. I also really liked the voice... Very relatable and down to earth, just as she seemed on Top Chef!

[Mama's High Strung™ · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/2011/...

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, mouthwatering pictures. I like the way she writes, but none of the recipes spoke to me.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been to her restaurant, Girl and the Goat, and now I have the cookbook! I have several recipes I'm going to try.

[Amber]

good ideas for purees. the roasted squash w orange and mushroom looks like a really good idea. available at wilmette library.

[Marianne Hensel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow on the bacon braised Swiss chard. Worth buying the book if for nothing else other than this. Can't wait to try the others!!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great stories and drink pairings but the recipes are a bit fancy for this home cook.

[Don Deperna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories and thoughts behind her cooking, fun to read eye opening for cook to get a feel for he sense of cooking