Product Description

Since its first publication in France in 1969, Fernand Point's 'Ma Gastronomie' has taken its place among the true classics of French gastronomy, alongside works of Careme, Lucien Tendret, and Escoffier. This essential volume is as celebrated for Point's wise, witty, and provocative views on food as for his remarkable, inventive recipes -over 200 of them- carefully compiled from his handwritten notes. An undisputed creative genius of French gastronomy and founder of the legendary La Pyramide restaurant, halfway between Paris and the Riviera, Fernand Point revolutionized French cuisine - purified it, simplified it - building on its traditions and creating his own versions of the great classical dishes. His peers called him Le Roi and during his reign over French cuisine there were few important world celebrities and no serious gourmet who didn't make the journey to dine at La Pyramide. His celebrated disciples, Paul Bocuse, Alain Chapel, and Jean and Pierre Troisgros, are among the world's greatest French chefs, and his devotees include internationally acclaimed chefs Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter. As one of his three-star disciples, Francois Bise, said, 'Point was an artist. It's difficult to say enough about him'. In that spirit, it is not unfounded to assert that no cookbook collection is truly complete without a copy of 'Ma Gastronomie'.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98605 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Review
'My favourite cookbook: Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point, who was considered the father of modern French cuisine. From his restaurant 'La Pyramide' in Vienne, he gained three Michelin stars and trained a generation of French master chefs. He created the term 'nouvelle cuisine', which means simply lighter cuisine' - Marco Pierre White. 'Fernand Point, a man of my time and also way ahead. Someone I would have loved to have lunch with' --Fergus Henderson, St. John Bar and Restaurant.

'I believe Fernand Point is one of the last true gourmands of the twentieth century. His ruminations are extraordinary and thought-provoking -he has been an inspiration for legions of chefs. It was the first cookbook that opened my eyes and made me more conscious of the entire dining experience. It made me think of the guest, and the culture surrounding food and restaurants' - Thomas Keller, author of 'The French Laundry Cookbook' and 'Bouchon'. 'If someone were to take away all my cookbooks except for one, I would keep Fernand Point's 'Ma Gastronomie'. For me, his philosophy instilled what cuisine is all about: generosity and hugeness of heart. Point said that if you are not a generous person you cannot be in this field' --Charlie Trotter, author of 'Charlie Trotter's' and 'Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home'.

'Before Point, cooking was just a job; after, it was a calling' - The New York Times. It's no wonder that Fernand Point is revered by modern chefs and Ma Gastronomie has a cult following ... the book chefs love to love is back in print ... a portrait of a man wholly devoted to the spirit of dining' - Los Angeles Times. 'Almost all of the recipes in 'Ma Gastronomie' are feasible for a single cook ... rather than the 'brigade de cuisine' usually found in the most refined French kitchens' - --More Intelligent Life (The Economist).

'I believe Fernand Point is one of the last true gourmands of the twentieth century. His ruminations are extraordinary and thought-provoking -he has been an inspiration for legions of chefs. It was the first cookbook that opened my eyes and made me more conscious of the entire dining experience. It made me think of the guest, and the culture surrounding food and restaurants' - Thomas Keller, author of 'The French Laundry Cookbook' and 'Bouchon'. 'If someone were to take away all my cookbooks except for one, I would keep Fernand Point's 'Ma Gastronomie'. For me, his philosophy instilled what cuisine is all about: generosity and hugeness of heart. Point said that if you are not a generous person you cannot be in this field' --Charlie Trotter, author of 'Charlie Trotter's' and 'Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home'.

'Before Point, cooking was just a job; after, it was a calling' - The New York Times. It's no wonder that Fernand Point is revered by modern chefs and Ma Gastronomie has a cult following ... the book chefs love to love is back in print ... a portrait of a man wholly devoted to the spirit of dining' - Los Angeles Times. 'Almost all of the recipes in 'Ma Gastronomie' are feasible for a single cook ... rather than the 'brigade de cuisine' usually found in the most refined French kitchens' - --More Intelligent Life (The Economist).

About the Author
Fernand Point was just twenty-four when he opened the Restaurant de la Pyramide, just south of Lyon, France. Over the next 30 years, he built it into one of the world's greatest restaurants and trained many of today's top French chefs. When he died in 1955, at the age of fifty-eight, he was considered the master cuisinier of the twentieth century.

Customer Reviews

A Cooking Story
This is a really great present for the accomplished cook. The story of the chef is not only amusing but gives a real insight into how he thought and created many of his dishes.

The recipes are not for the fainthearted!!! And, may leave many a cook unsure. But, this is a lovely book just to read and admire. I thoroughly enjoyed all that it offered.

amazing book
THE FOUNDING OF COOKING PROPER ENDULGENCE LOOK TO ANY MASTER CHEF THEY OWN THIS BOOK