Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Cooking School in a Box!, December 29, 2007
If your desire is to bring your culinary skills to a higher level, this series of video tapes is absolutely superb. Jacques Pepin is one of the icons in the food world... and he is equally adept as a teacher. This is not the typical cook show flash with trendy recipes, but rather a true comprehensive course in cooking techniques. Both the beginner and those more experienced in the kitchen will benefit from this 5-tape series. My wife and I are professionally trained, yet we have watched this series numerous times and continue to learn with each viewing. I cannot offer high enough praise for Jacques' video contribution to aspiring chefs.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Start with the basics, November 11, 2007
I debated whether to buy this series or the new DVD which comes with recipes. However, I had seen this when it was first shown on PBS and liked it very much, so I decided to stick with the original. Very glad I did! Jacques Pepin is very thorough in explaining and demonstrating how to get started in the kitchen, such as why chefs always have a towel attached to their aprons (so they can clean knives and dry hands, and handle hot-to-touch pots/pans!). The first tape discusses safety in the kitchen, especially how to use knives and other sharp implements. You see the logical sequence as you build up skills. (Just like having to learn to walk before running.) The tapes get more complicated as he discusses eggs, how to cook, carve and serve meats, fish and poultry, etc. But everything falls back on the first steps shown in tape 1. Even though this is on VHS and some viewers may have gone all DVD, this series is worth going retro again. (Buy a combo VHS/DVD unit and everyone will be happy.) The one difficulty I had was that sometimes I didn't quite understand Mr. Pepin's accent. Oh well, c'est la vie. And happy cooking!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent primer for cooking basics, November 21, 2006
These videos illustrate the techniques that Jacques Pepin mentions again and again in his cookbook, and they are well-worth learning. From simple things like the best way to wash a leek to how to completely debone a chicken. The buyer should be aware that the emphasis is not on completing recipes or menus, but really on the fundamentals of cutting, preparing meat, preparing vegetables (washing, cutting), as well as more ornamental techniques for desserts and pastries.
Learning these techniques really enlarged my repertoire, so that I can debone a whole chicken, use the carcass for his Chicken Fricasee recipe and the other parts for other recipes like Chicken Ballotine.
Jacques Pepin is a superb teacher and these videos are the next best thing to a lesson in person. I only give this four stars as I would personally have liked to see more complete recipes that incorporate these techniques.
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by Jacques Pépin
DVD ~ Jacques Pépin
by James Scott Bell
DVD ~ Jacques Pépin
by The French Culinary Institute
DVD ~ Jacques Pepin
DVD ~ n/a
