White Heat [Paperback]

It is interesting to see a book, which was first published in 1990, being republished seventeen years later, making it the fifth reprint. That alone must say something about the lasting qualities of the book and its author, Marco Pierre White.

If you have read the autobiography you will have come across a lot of what is in the introduction to this book but its not to be missed because this was Marco Pierre White then and the autobiography is written with hindsight.

The black and white mood photography by Bob Carlos Clarke is still as stunning now as when first published and the Marco Pierre White quotes are a delight to read. The food photography looks a bit dated seventeen years on but still shows the dishes well.

"Nine out of ten English chefs have their names on their chests. Who do they think they are? They're dreamers. They're jokes. Just ask yourself how many chefs in this country have Michelin stars and how many have their names on their jackets. We all wear blue aprons in my kitchen because we're all commis. We're all still learning."

The main body of the book is made up of recipes from Harveys. What did I miss all those years ago? Just reading them makes your mouth water . . . Ravioli of Lobster with a Beurre Soy Sauce, Tagliatelle of Oyster with Caviar, Tranche of Calves' Liver with a Sauce of Lime! The list is endless and there are some wonderful dessert recipes too like Hot Mango Tart and Marco Pierre White's take on rum baba, Savarin of Raspberries. You will also find two of the dishes that have become very well known recently following the latest Hell's Kitchen - Braised Pig's Trotter `Pierre Koffmann' and Lemon Tart.

Whilst none of these recipes are for the complete beginner they are not so daunting that most enthusiastic home cooks cannot do them. Certainly fare to impress your friends and guests with should you cook them for a small dinner party . . . but do practice them first.

Hidden away at the back of the book are some priceless gems such as stock recipes, ones which you can prepare at home, basic pasta . . . those things that really bring a dish together or form the basis of the dish.

Seventeen years on this book remains as fresh as the day it was first published and comes highly recommended both for its insight and for its cooking.

When I first read this book in 1990 I had to work with this culinary genius.
And I have to admit my dream did come true and I was lucky enough to work with
the legend that is Marco.
Yes food has moved on in the 2 decades but this energy that is drawn from this book is amazing.
Chefs from around the world still hold Marco with the highest respect.
Here is a little about this wonderfull publication......

The first half is filled with wonderful black and white photographs by Bob Carlos Clarke of Marco in his adrenaline-filled, psychotic kitchen nightmare. These photographs are not the stock photos that fill most cookbooks of chef and crew posing for the camera, but moments in time, frozen by the camera¿s lens, of a real chef in the midst of cooking, tasting, plating and living. The second half of the book is a cookbook, but don¿t expect to be cooking these dishes unless you have a squadron of prep cooks in your closet to help you out. They are `food porn¿ brought to us with Marco's recipes and beautiful color photography by Michael Boys. This is the type of cookbook that kept me up at night. If you;re familiar with other chef's cookbooks such as The French Laundry Cookbook, then you know what I mean. This is a cookbook of dreams, not recipes. Marco Pierre White was born in Leeds, and is proud of it. Throughout the text interspersed with the black and white photographs, we get a glimpse of the man who, at age 33, became the world's youngest and only Britsh chef at the time to win three Michelin stars. In a style similar to that of Anthony Bourdain in his bestseller Kitchen Confidential, we get Marco's thoughts on everything from caterers who couldn¿t make it as real chefs to what brought him into the crazy world of food service in the first place. His rants go from tender to explosive at the drop of a hat, reminiscent of his reputation as the original Rock and Roll chef. Since his rise to greatness in 1991, Marco has stopped cooking himself to focus on his food empire, White Star Line Groups

This schizophrenic book is a must own for anyone who wants a peek into the kitchen of a world renowned chef from the point of view of both his diners and his fellow chefs. Its a book that is as comfortable on the coffee table as it is in the kitchen, not necessarily for its recipes, but for the inspiration that they provide.

Check your edition guys, one of the best things about this book was the striking black and white photography however this edition IS NOT the same, it is a small paper back with NO PHOTOGRAPHY.