The Chef's Companion: A Culinary Dictionary

This book is fantastic! Both my husband and I enjoy cooking and loved spending an evening thumbing through this book over a glass of wine looking up every term we could think of...all were in the book! The book has also added greatly to our dinner party conversations as it offers a bit of historical context for food terms. Quite interesting. I think this book would make a fabulous gift for anyone you know who likes to cook.

Love this book. This book has words I never even heard before.It is the type of book that every culinary student and professional should have with them at all times. Another book I found very helpful were the Study Guide for the National Servsafe Exam and the Study Guide for Baking and Advanced Baking. These books have very good questions with answers and even explanations. All these books can be found under Patrick Leonardi. A very smart and talented author.

Or what about how to pronounce the wine "Gewürztraminer"? Or my personal favorite "Crème Fraiche" pronounced (krem fresh)What is the definition for Jicama or Wasabi? and where did they come from? What is the difference between "Crayfish" and a "Langoustine" and are they indigenous to Louisiana... WELL WONDER NO MORE!!... this book is the secret behind all of those fancy menus you read in Restaurants and Banquet menus (I should know I have had to create new Catering Menus every year since 1993)LOLI have been in the Hospitality Industry for over 17 years this book has been in my collection since I started. If you can purchase it get it!! Definitely a must for any Caterers or students of the Culinary Art.This book contains definitions of almost EVERYTHING Food (and some wines), the correct pronunciation, spelling and it's original origin. I can't recommend this book enough!! It is quite pricey but I have bought it at least 5 times in my career as gifts for my assistants moving on to greater positions in this Industry. They have terms (and again pronunciations) for all Culture cuisines ie; German, Cambodian, Japanese, French, Italian, Middle Eastern and Spanish just to name a few. I also recommend the Oxford Companion for Food and Wine as well as any "Professional Chef" book from Culinary Institute of AmericaRespectfully Reviewed

Excellent, Every Chef should have a copy of this book on their desk. The perfect dictionary for any Culinary Arts student.

Elizabeth Riely has amassed a library of resources (see the enviable bibliography) and has carefully chosen a comprehensive collection of culinary terms for this book. The cross-pollination of categories is rich, from the scientific to the ethnic, from the technical to the colloquial. Of her knowledge and research capabilities, I'd say she's a force to be reckoned with. With people like Elizabeth Riely and Sharon Tyler Herbst in this world, rest assured that when a culinary term is needed just fingertips away, we can depend on their talents to give us responsible information. I also like the pronunciation guides, as I am prone to guessing incorrectly more often or not. For anybody who's into food as more than a hobby, The Chef's Companion (published by the textbook makers VNR, and I hope, available to more than culinary school students) reads like a satisfying novel. Lick a bookplate and stick it in the front cover of this book; you'll keep it forever.