Start Here

Start Here

Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook

Summary

***A NEW YORK TIMES BEST COOKBOOK OF 2023***
'A book to return to again and again and again' Yotam Ottolenghi | Foreword by Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat' | An instant classic' Dan Levy | 'Sohla has improved my cooking' Samin Nosrat

Change the way you think about cooking! In this epic guide to better eating, chef, recipe developer, and video producer Sohla El-Waylly reimagines what a cookbook can be, teaching home cooks of all skill levels how cooking really works.

A one-stop resource, regardless of what you're hungry for, Start Here gives equal weight to savory and sweet dishes, with more than 200 mouthwatering recipes, including:

- Chicken Soup with Masa Dumplings
- Charred Lemon Risotto
- Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Radishes & Nuoc Cham
- Fancy Restaurant-Style Glazed Potatoes
- Brothy Same-Day Slow-Roast Whole Chicken
- Flaky Brown Butter Lachha Paratha
- Add-Anything Drop Cookies
- Creamy Lemon Squares with Brown Butter Crust
- Masa & Buttermilk Tres Leches

This practical, information-packed, and transformative guide to becoming a better cook and conquering the kitchen is a must-have masterclass in levelling up your cooking. Across a dozen technique-themed chapters - from "Temperature Management 101" and "Break it Down & Get Saucy" to "Mix it Right," "Go to Brown Town," and "Getting to Know Dough" - Sohla El-Waylly explains the hows and whys of cooking, introducing the fundamental skills that you need to become a more intuitive, inventive cook.

Packed with practical advice and scientific background, helpful tips, and an almost endless assortment of recipe variations, along with tips, guidance, and how-tos, Start Here is culinary school - without the student loans. Perfect for novice cooks, and foodies who want to grow their repertoire, alike.

Reviews

  • The perfect companion to anyone starting out in the kitchen. In sharing so much experience and knowledge - not to mention so many recipes that I want to eat - Sohla has crafted a book to return to again and again and again.
    Yotam Ottolenghi, author of 'Simple' and 'Flavour'

About the author

Sohla El-Waylly

Sohla El-Waylly is a chef, recipe developer, and video producer who has been featured on The New York Times, History Channel, HBO Max, Bon Appetit, and Serious Eats. She studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park before training at various New York City restaurants such as Del Posto, Atera, and Battersby. She lives in the East Village with her husband and two dogs.
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