I have had the great pleasure of knowing or at least meeting many of the folks who are in my Treasure Books series. That is not the case here but hopefully it will be rectified one day! Goodness knows I have admired Paul Bertolli’s craftsmanship from afar in the form of his cookbooks. The one featured here but also the one he wrote after this titled, “Cooking By Hand”.
His reputation was one I knew to be first position when he became the Chef at ‘Chez Panisse’. The chefs that have come through that kitchen are a Who’s Who from a single address. Alice of course. But simultaneously Jeremiah Tower. In the same kitchen at the same time. MIGHTY! Other chefs that have been part of the CP legacy include Mark Miller, Jonathan Waxman, Samin Nosrat, Dan Barber, April Bloomfield, Suzanne Goin, Joyce Goldstein, David Lebovitz and Deborah Madison. Whew! On a personal note our son Justin did a stage there back some time and was thrilled to tell us the memory.
“In 1985 Chef Bertolli was included in Esquire magazine’s registry of “Men and Women Under 40 Who Are Changing the Nation” and chosen as an honoree in Who’s Who of Cooking in America, a national award designed to pay tribute to 25 individuals most directly involved in shaping, refining, and improving American cuisine. In 1988, Random House published his first book, Chez Panisse Cooking, and in August of 2003, Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, published his new book, Cooking by Hand. Cooking by Hand received an IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) award, which recognizes excellence in food writing”.
Another Treasure Book to consider for your library!