Sur La Table's "Knives Cooks Love" focuses on some of the most versatile tools in the kitchen--knives. "Knives Cooks Love" offers instructions on how to buy and care for knives, and how to properly chop, dice, and slice with them to create delicious dishes.

"...engaging, intelligent, and surprisingly suspenseful." —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love The unforgettable New York Times best-selling journey of self-discovery and finding one's true calling in life Kathleen Flinn was a thirty-six-year-old middle manager trapped on the corporate ladder - until her boss eliminated her job. Instead of sulking, she took the opportunity to check out of the rat race for good - cashing in her savings, moving to Paris, and landing a spot at the venerable Le Cordon Blue cooking school. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry is the funny and inspiring account of her struggle in a stew of hot-tempered, chefs, competitive classmates, her own "wretchedly inadequate" French - and how she mastered the basics of French cuisine. Filled with rich, sensual details of her time in the kitchen - the ingredients, cooking techniques, wine, and more than two dozen recipes - and the vibrant sights and sounds of the markets, shops, and avenues of Paris, it is also a journey of self-discovery, transformation, and, ultimately, love.

'Hayward, one of the... best food writers alive, every page a different blade, glintingly pictured and lovingly described. Kitchen porn but not sinister: A cook’s gotta chop, a cook’s gotta mince.' – Simon Schama in New York Times 'Both essential and informative, useful information and sheer blade porn. Tim Hayward explores the world of knives with enthusiasm and authority.' – Anthony Bourdain 'This is possibly the coolest book I have ever seen. Glorious in content, geeky in text and engaging in photography. This is every cook's must-have reference book! I love it.' – Tom Kerridge 'Tim Hayward is the most serious cookery writer I know. Whatever he says, I will listen. Whatever he writes, I will buy.' – Len Deighton 'A gleaming, razor-sharp paean to the chef s greatest weapon in Knife by Tim Hayward. Both eloquent and encyclopaedic, Knife is the ultimate book of blades'' – Tom Parker Bowles, Mail on Sunday Knife is a love-letter to this essential culinary tool – its form, history and creation. The knife can be the most functional utensil or the most exquisite piece of design – avid collectors pay jaw-dropping sums for a piece of Japanese hand-crafted steel, made according to traditions that date back thousands of years. Through interviews with knife-makers, chefs and collectors, acclaimed food writer Tim Hayward explores how the relationship between cook and blade has shaped the both the knife itself, and the ways we prepare and eat food all over the world. From Damascus blades to Chinese cleavers and sushi knives, at the heart of Knife is a fascinating guide to 40 different types of knife, each with its own unique story, detailed description and stunning photographs. Lavishly illustrated and designed, and as cool, personal and desirable as the most intricately crafted deba, Knife opens up the world of this most covetable of culinary implements.

From New York Times bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and bestselling author Isaac Fitzgerald--the stories behind the tattoos that chefs proudly wear, with their signature recipes. Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals [IACP] Cookbook Design Award. Chefs take their tattoos almost as seriously as their knives. From gritty grill cooks in backwoods diners to the executive chefs at the world's most popular restaurants, it's hard to find a cook who doesn't sport some ink. Knives & Ink features the tattoos of more than sixty-five chefs from all walks of life and every kind of kitchen, including 2014 James Beard Award-winner Jamie Bissonnette, Alaska-fishing-boat cook Mandy Lamb, Toro Bravo's John Gorham, and many more. Each tattoo has a rich, personal story behind it: Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food remembers his mother with fiery angel wings on his forearms, and Dominique Crenn of Michelin two-starred Atelier Crenn bears ink that reminds her to do “anything in life that you put your heart into.” Like the dishes these chefs have crafted over the years, these tattoos are beautiful works of art. Knives & Ink delves into the wide and wonderful world of chef tattoos and shares their fascinating backstories, along with personal recipes from many of the chefs.

Cooking.

It doesn't matter where you are in the world, the most important things to any chef are their salt, knives and ingredients. Bought, Borrowed & Stolen brings them together, as they should be, for the first time. Allegra McEvedy's unique outlook brings together food, history and culture in one sumptuous volume. From all around the world, she relays stories from her past: recipes shared, experiences gained and techniques learned. An authentic glimpse into food and cultures from all around the world. Each chapter starts with a general introduction to the place, from China to Malawi and America to Brazil, continuing with an intricate knife detail page and several recipes from the country.

Anyone who wants to cook-- either professionally or at home-- needs to know how to use a knife. Holding and using knives correctly will not only help you work more safely, but also enable you to work faster, making you much more efficient in the kitchen.