The Best Of Chef At Home: Essential Recipes For Today's Kitchen

by Michael Smith, James Ingram (Photographer)

There's no doubt that Chef Michael Smith is passionate about food. You'll catch his enthusiasm just by watching his hit Food Network television shows Chef at Home and Chef Abroad . Now he's back with the much-awaited follow-up to his first book, Chef at Home , which has sold over 28,000 copies. The Best of Chef at Home is a collection of the recipes that Michael is most passionate about, the everyday comfort food his own family craves. Both simple and easy to adapt, the recipes reflect Michael's belief that making great food is about relaxing, enjoying the process, and losing yourself in the moment. It includes everything from quick recipes for weekday meals, like macaroni and cheese, to fancier fare for entertaining guests, like short ribs braised in red wine. Michael's laid-back approach encourages creativity in the kitchen, with suggestions for altering and adjusting each recipe until it is truly your own. Why not try adding pine nuts to your chocolate chip cookies? Or curry powder to a classic chicken stew? Once you know the basics, you can create flavourful food for your family and friends with a personal touch. Try your hand at Chef Michael Smith's most popular crowd-pleasers: Chicken Noodle Soup
Brined Holiday Turkey with Herb Gravy
The Perfect Burger
Classic Chicken Stew
Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Canada

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Chef Michael Smith graduated with honors from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York in 1991. He worked in London, South American and Caribbean restaurants before coming back to North America and Manhattan.

In 1992 he moved to Prince Edward Island, from where he has become Canada's best-known chef, the winner of the James Beard Award for Cooking Show Excellence and host of Chef at Home, Chef at Large and The Inn Chef on Food Network Canada and in 26 other countries.

He is today an award winning cookbook author, newspaper columnist, roving Canadian cuisine ambassador, restaurant chef and home cook.

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I come back to this cookbook again and again. The recipes are simple and quick, but tasty enough to serve to company. I've made my way through about half the recipes and they've all been winners. A wonderful book!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chef at Home is one of my all time favourite cooking shows. Chef Michael's free styling cooking without a recipe, use what you have available method encouraged me to branch out and try new flavour combinations of my own.
This book follows that methodology, with suggestions for alternate flavours for every recipe, along with the reasoning behind why some steps should be followed without variation.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cookbook. Terrific, classic recipes "with a twist", if you want.

[Samantha Maloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great tasting recipes

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it! Can't wait to try so many of these recipes. I love Michael Smith and his Food Network show Chef At Home (mostly for his kitchen and that pantry!) for its simplicity and comfort food - and this book contains recipes that fit that description. Nothing is difficult, nothing is gourmet - but everything is yummy and easy for anyone to whip up. Also, there are beautiful pictures to correspond with each entry.

I borrowed this from the library, but might just have to buy myself a copy!

[Taleisin (Tales of a Bookwyrm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I'm not sure I would have bought it, but there was an incident involving strawberry jam and the library book. I now own a copy.

Favourites include the Orange Mustard Pork Tenderloin, Sweet Potato Aloo Gobi (is it really aloo anything at this point?) and the Country Inn Granola.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has really really tasty recipes and what's fantastic is it's very easy to follow. And the tips are very helpful too. I love this cook book!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite cookbooks! The pancakes are to die for ; )

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just bought it...read it...looks great...now to do some cooking!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

And this from the chef with the secret recipe, cooking without a recipe.

[Keara Gowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the recipes in this book, I've pretty much every made everything & have enjoyed every little bit of it!!

[Jessica Liew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to Michael Smith. Even long-time fans will enjoy this one. Not recommended for those who are in to light cooking; Chef Michael loves his meat and butter.

[Jo-Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook for basic and easy recipes!