Is this a practical cookbook for the aspiring home chef? Not even slightly, but there's plenty of those on the market. Is it a glorious celebration of one man's all-absorbing enthusiasm for food, yes, yes, yes. The autobiography that forms the first section of the book shows how, although self-taught, Heston's techniques are firmly rooted in the classics. He sees his ideas, not as cullinary iconoclasm, but taking the art a step forward, like all great cooks. The recipe section is not a practical set of cooking instructions, but a deep insight into what it takes to get 3 Michelin stars, and get voted the world's greatest restaraunt. The last section, cooking techniques and equipment, does provide some practical knowledge, especially on cooking meat. However, it's the insights, more than practicality that comes across. I cannot recommend this book too highly. You may not use anything in it directly, but I bet that if you want it to, it will make you a better cook. Apart from that, it is a cracking good read for anyone who eats food. Now, let's drop hints that a really cool Valentine's Day present would be a sous-vide machine and a precision waterbath...