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The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s food-and-wine connoisseur, Ted Allen, presents a quick-reference cookbook—giving you the food you really want to cook and eat, and the know-how to pull it off with ease.
"With most cookbooks, you could plow through 134 pages of complicated hors d’oeuvres, salads, and the author’s philosophical musings about food before you get to the stuff you actually want to eat. Not here. I’m going to save you the trouble and get to the point right up front.” These first sentences of the book sum up what Ted Allen’s The Food You Want to Eat is all about—the tempting, delicious, satisfying fare you really want on your dinner table tonight, without the fuss and the formalities. Chapters include:
•I Know What You Want to Eat: the essentials of steak, chicken both fried and roasted, warm caramel brownie sundaes, and a luscious mac and cheese that will have you thinking outside the box—way outside.
•Happy Hour: for the kind of parties real people actually throw; no engraved invitations or seating charts, just easy, delicious recipes like crostini, a simple tuna tartare that kicks, the crowd-pleasing spicy Cajun “pigs” in much nicer “blankets” than you’re used to, four incredible pizzas (one for each season), and of course ten perfect cocktails.
•The Cookout: fulfilling everyone’s desire for great barbecued ribs, plus the more adventurous (but even easier) rosemary grilled leg of lamb, and Ted’s secret to the ultimate hamburger.
•Poultry: whether baked, braised, or sautéed, chicken is often what’s for weeknight dinner, and here’s everything from soy-and-honey-glazed roast chicken to “around the world on a chicken breast” with superb ways to liven up those boneless, skinless, tasteless cutlets. Plus a simple (really!) duck, and a turkey that doesn’t demand the traditional Thanksgiving heroics.
Ted also delves into chapters on an array of fantastic salads that are a far cry from rabbit food; pastas featuring Italian classics like a great ziti with sausage and your basic pasta with red sauce, as well as easy Asian adventures such as cold soba noodles with sesame-peanut sauce; seafood for everyone who’s afraid to cook fish; meats that range from an amazing marinated grilled pork tenderloin and killer chili to a classic pot roast and osso buco; vegetable recipes that will make you love broccoli in a whole new way; and desserts for after dinner—and breakfasts for after after dinner.
This is the debut cookbook from one of the most engaging, most entertaining people ever to wield a spatula, filled with the incredibly simple, delicious real-life recipes for The Food You Want to Eat. In a word, mmmm.
"With most cookbooks, you could plow through 134 pages of complicated hors d’oeuvres, salads, and the author’s philosophical musings about food before you get to the stuff you actually want to eat. Not here. I’m going to save you the trouble and get to the point right up front.” These first sentences of the book sum up what Ted Allen’s The Food You Want to Eat is all about—the tempting, delicious, satisfying fare you really want on your dinner table tonight, without the fuss and the formalities. Chapters include:
•I Know What You Want to Eat: the essentials of steak, chicken both fried and roasted, warm caramel brownie sundaes, and a luscious mac and cheese that will have you thinking outside the box—way outside.
•Happy Hour: for the kind of parties real people actually throw; no engraved invitations or seating charts, just easy, delicious recipes like crostini, a simple tuna tartare that kicks, the crowd-pleasing spicy Cajun “pigs” in much nicer “blankets” than you’re used to, four incredible pizzas (one for each season), and of course ten perfect cocktails.
•The Cookout: fulfilling everyone’s desire for great barbecued ribs, plus the more adventurous (but even easier) rosemary grilled leg of lamb, and Ted’s secret to the ultimate hamburger.
•Poultry: whether baked, braised, or sautéed, chicken is often what’s for weeknight dinner, and here’s everything from soy-and-honey-glazed roast chicken to “around the world on a chicken breast” with superb ways to liven up those boneless, skinless, tasteless cutlets. Plus a simple (really!) duck, and a turkey that doesn’t demand the traditional Thanksgiving heroics.
Ted also delves into chapters on an array of fantastic salads that are a far cry from rabbit food; pastas featuring Italian classics like a great ziti with sausage and your basic pasta with red sauce, as well as easy Asian adventures such as cold soba noodles with sesame-peanut sauce; seafood for everyone who’s afraid to cook fish; meats that range from an amazing marinated grilled pork tenderloin and killer chili to a classic pot roast and osso buco; vegetable recipes that will make you love broccoli in a whole new way; and desserts for after dinner—and breakfasts for after after dinner.
This is the debut cookbook from one of the most engaging, most entertaining people ever to wield a spatula, filled with the incredibly simple, delicious real-life recipes for The Food You Want to Eat. In a word, mmmm.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2005
About the author
Ted Allen
11 books17 followersEdward Allen is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo network's television program Queer Eye, and has been the host of the TV cooking competition series Chopped since its launch in 2009, as well as Chopped Junior, which began in mid-2015.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 3, 2026
I loved how EASY and informative he made different techniques. Coming off of 20 years as a vegetarian, there’s SO MUCH I have to learn about meats and of course, the rest of the food world. This book made me feel empowered to conquer that!
May 25, 2011
My obsession with Iron Chef America borders on unhealthy. Ted Allen regularly judges on the show, and when I saw he had a cookbook out, well, I had to check it out. As you might expect from one of the Fab Five from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the book is directed toward men. The overall message is simple: Branching out from your food rut doesn't have to be difficult or scary; it can even be fun and impressive to that girl two floors down.
The recipes themselves were clearly for someone with a bigger food budget than I have. Allen uses ingredients such as fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, specialty mustards, and meat from a butcher or fish from a fishmonger. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I'm stuck with what's on sale at the supermarket behind our apartment. And if there's a recipe that doesn't call for tough-to-find or expensive ingredients, it often wasn't something that even sounded good. Fennel salad? I need a paella pan? Assorted olives? Allen does give a number of variations on the basic recipe, which is a great idea for someone unfamiliar with how to put flavors together. The desserts section was pretty good, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out a black cherry or orange soda float instead of root beer.
The writing, however, was excellent and even funny at times. "What is organic food? Here's what it's not: It's not about a meatless diet, bland flavors, hippies, or food with bugs in it. (Well, okay, it is about hippies--but not only hippies)....Because [it's raised the old-fashioned way], it's slightly more expensive (and sometimes much more than slightly: I once carried an organic honeydew melon to the checkout counter in a Chicago store, and thought better of it when the damned thing rang up at twelve bucks), but for the most part, it's worth it." Directions are clear, and there are a number of helpful sidebars explaining why cooks do certain things or how to get your food just right.
This book wasn't designed for me or my tastes, but it's great if you've got a little more cash on hand or are making something special. There may have been food I wanted to eat, but it wasn't food I'm willing to make.
The recipes themselves were clearly for someone with a bigger food budget than I have. Allen uses ingredients such as fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, specialty mustards, and meat from a butcher or fish from a fishmonger. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I'm stuck with what's on sale at the supermarket behind our apartment. And if there's a recipe that doesn't call for tough-to-find or expensive ingredients, it often wasn't something that even sounded good. Fennel salad? I need a paella pan? Assorted olives? Allen does give a number of variations on the basic recipe, which is a great idea for someone unfamiliar with how to put flavors together. The desserts section was pretty good, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out a black cherry or orange soda float instead of root beer.
The writing, however, was excellent and even funny at times. "What is organic food? Here's what it's not: It's not about a meatless diet, bland flavors, hippies, or food with bugs in it. (Well, okay, it is about hippies--but not only hippies)....Because [it's raised the old-fashioned way], it's slightly more expensive (and sometimes much more than slightly: I once carried an organic honeydew melon to the checkout counter in a Chicago store, and thought better of it when the damned thing rang up at twelve bucks), but for the most part, it's worth it." Directions are clear, and there are a number of helpful sidebars explaining why cooks do certain things or how to get your food just right.
This book wasn't designed for me or my tastes, but it's great if you've got a little more cash on hand or are making something special. There may have been food I wanted to eat, but it wasn't food I'm willing to make.
March 28, 2008
My biggest criticism of this book is it has a serious lack of photography. That's something I like anyway, but I think it's even more important when there's so much rambling copy. (I actually liked his writing style, for the most part.) And I need the pix to decide whether I want to make something.
Well, usually. I did make the Sauteed Sea Scallops with a Sesame Seed Crust. Pretty good. Not fantastic. And I got a couple cocktail recipes I plan to use for parties. Like the Red Hot.
Well, usually. I did make the Sauteed Sea Scallops with a Sesame Seed Crust. Pretty good. Not fantastic. And I got a couple cocktail recipes I plan to use for parties. Like the Red Hot.
February 15, 2008
Another niche cookbook that isn't worth the trouble, unless your name is SME and you have a signed copy.
June 12, 2009
A good read and I found several recipes to add to my collection, but the book was not a keeper.
July 2, 2018
I LOVE this cookbook. The recipes are simple but absolutely delicious. I love how he adds different versions of the same recipe as well as wine pairings. I highly recommend! I want all his other cookbooks. The tips for picking out food and simple kitchen skills are awesome too.
June 5, 2017
Pretty comprehensive book, one of those books that covers you in terms of almost anything you would like to make.
September 4, 2007
Another BPL book, though I'll buy this one soon. So far, have made a risotto and planned a pasta from this book, but will probably end up making almost everything. Some of his methods seem, at first, a little scandalous (sub parsley for tarragon? don't stand at the stove constantly stirring your risotto???), but he seems to know what he's doing, especially concerning Colman's hot English mustard (Nathan was a big fan of the wasabi-like heat it sent through his sinuses).
October 14, 2007
Basically, this book isn't for poor people. I'd hoped to get some ideas from it to help with my poverty stricken kitchen. uh, no. If you've got money to spend on ingredients and have all the handy appliances and throw parties where you serve expensive drinks, I'm sure it's great. Not so much for the college student.
August 25, 2013
I'm right in the middle on this one. I like Ted Allen, and his voice is authentic and enjoyable. I'm sure this book is very helpful for those who aren't terribly familiar with or comfortable in the kitchen. I'm cookbook junkie, though, so this was on the elementary side for me. Not a bad book, just not for me.
May 25, 2008
some nice recipes, but yeah, I like pictures that display the techniques & products. This book doesn't have many. But I did like a few of the recipes I tried, just don't feel the need to run out and buy this book.
more Ted on Iron Chef!
more Ted on Iron Chef!
July 3, 2009
This is an okay book, with clear instructions and some good recipes. It's definately for the "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy" crowd; a good starter cookbook aimed at men who don't know much in the kitchen.
August 2, 2010
My new go-to cookbook for classics. I'm half-tempted to send it to my husband who is far away for a year so that when I come visit he can actually cook for me. But then again, I don't want to give it up yet. It's fun to read, easy to do and inspires confidence in everyone.
January 10, 2013
Well thought out and well written entry level cook book. I don't think I'll buy it because I already cook very well and most of the recipes in here that I would want to make I already do. However I may check it out of the library in the future again to try some of the other recipes.
February 9, 2013
This is one of my go-to cookbooks. Queer Eye came and went, but Ted Allen's cookbook has been a mainstay in my kitchen for years. I especially love his techniques for cooking meat and fish, and I use his hamburger recipe all the time in the Summer.
August 2, 2007
I've got an autographed copy, and I will never let it go. Ted has found a way to make really fantastic food a possibility for those who aren't foodies, but wouldn't mind playing one for the evening.
March 23, 2008
This book includes some basics and some new ideas for simple recipes and easy entertaining.
September 17, 2010
I love love love Ted's writing. It makes reading this book so damn fun! You can feel his enthusiasm pour off the page and makes me excited to make the recipes in it.
September 10, 2016
looked at because of TV show, not impressed - nothing sticks out to want to try
September 10, 2013
You can definitely tell that it was his first cookbook. The layout was hard to follow, and there was a serious lack of photography.
January 15, 2014
Some really nice recipes in here. I always use his salmon recipe when we grill it.
April 16, 2008
This is my favorite cookbook. I would recommend it to anyone who like good food.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews