Chef at Home [Paperback]

Michael Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2005

TV's Chef Michael Smith shows how cooking without recipes makes for stress-free kitchen adventures.

Chef at Home Chef Michael Smith welcomes readers into his home kitchen where he encourages home chefs to cook with -- and without -- a recipe. Packed with simple and delicious meals, this cookbook offers kitchen insight and a culinary adventure on every page.

Chef Michael Smith has cooked professionally for more than 20 years. In Chef at Home, the companion cookbook to his hit Food Network series, Smith emphasizes simple, stress-free cooking. In his house, every meal is an opportunity to have fun and experiment with flavors.

Aspiring home cooks will learn from Smith's professional cooking secrets. Experienced home cooks will appreciate his open, creative approach. Everyone will love the book's simple, healthy flavors and the tips on personalizing each dish. Recipes include:

• Country Inn Pancakes
• Maritime Clam Chowder
• Rosemary Vanilla Chicken
• Mac and Cheese with Lobster.

This book is meant to be ripped, oil-stained, accidentally burnt, and deliberately written on. It works best in the kitchen -- not on the coffee table.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The tips, chef's tricks and extra information beyond the recipe will have even the most timid cooking with ease. (Jennifer Mackenzie Peterborough Examiner )

About the Author

Chef Michael Smith is one of Canada's best-known chefs and the winner of the James Beard Award for Cooking Show Excellence. He is host of Chef at Home, Chef at Large, and The Inn Chef on Food Network Canada and in 26 other countries. Smith is an award-winning cookbook author, newspaper columnist, and roving Canadian cuisine ambassador.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Whitecap Books (October 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552857166
• ISBN-13: 978-1552857168
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,112,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Canadian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making me a better chef at home, December 11, 2005

By 

Bob Turcot (Monkton, Vermont) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chef at Home (Paperback)

This is first class teaching at it's best. Michael Smith is a relaxed host and guide to building your own culinary skills using a few simple, tried and true ideas to provide nutritious and delicious meals for your family or to offer suggestions for creating excellent,easy and very flavorful dishes for your favorite dinner guests.

It's based on his Chef At Home TV series on Food Network Canada, or, for those of us south of the border, Discovery Channel's series, in which he cooks, instructs, encourages and offers endless hints, tips and advice for creating your own wonderful family dinners.

The book succeeds on all levels in translating his warmth, enthusiasm and respect for home chefs and encourages us to take a chance and have fun in our kitchens.

I've enjoyed this so much that I've ordered two more copies as gifts to friend and family home chefs.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Michael Smith...a true chef at home..., August 16, 2006

By 

B. J. Lane "jazzbo" (Levittown, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chef at Home (Paperback)

From the very first day I saw "Chef at Home" I was immmediately addicted...this is a book highly recommended for the "can't cook, won't cook" folks like myself, as well as the seasoned pros. Don't leave this book on a coffee table!!!

Every recipe (most of which I have seen created on the show) is easy to follow (there are some ingredients I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, like mushrooms), and the stories behind them are fascinating. I especially enjoyed the personal tidbits Michael included along the way, and the marvelous photos of him with Rachel and Gabe - wish I had that little boy's palate when I was his age!

Thanks Michael for sharing your life and vision on cooking with your fans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scrummy, January 10, 2007

By 

Christine Bury (Otto, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chef at Home (Paperback)

I originally saw Michael Smith on TV while on vacation in South Africa. I could not wait to get the book and I have not been disappointed. I love the way he helps you through recipes and encourages you to add your own touches to make the dish your own.