A memoir and manifesto from the world's most Michelin starred chef, Alain Ducasse, with introductions by internationally renowned writer Jay McInerney and chef Clare Smyth.
At twelve years old, Alain Ducasse had never been to a restaurant. Less than fifteen years later, he received his first Michelin star. Today he is one of just two chefs to have been awarded twenty-one stars.
Now, for the very first time, Ducasse shares a lifetime of culinary inspirations and passions in a book that is part memoir and part manifesto. Good Taste takes us on a journey from his childhood, where he picked mushrooms with his grandfather on a farm in Les Landes, to setting up groundbreaking schools and restaurants across the world. He is now taking off his chef's whites and passing on what he knows to the next generation.
About the Author
Alain Ducasse is one of the world's most celebrated chefs. Born in 1956 on a farm in Les Landes, France, he went on to train with great chefs including Michel Guérard, Gaston Lenôtre, Alain Chapel and Roger Vergé. He received his first three Michelin stars in 1990 at the Louis XV restaurant in Monaco. Since then, he has set up schools, created artisan factories and opened restaurants across the world, most notably in Japan, the United States and London. He is based in Monaco.
Industry Reviews
'Having lunch with Alain Ducasse in one of his beautifulParisian restaurants is like playing golf with Tiger Woods, or discussing politics with Winston Churchill, or attending a reading by Mark Twain in a crowded bookstore' - JOHN GRISHAM
'Unlike those of us who first entered a kitchen with dull knives and half-baked ideas, Alain Ducasse appears to have arrived fully formed, with a Jedi-like command of technique and a preternatural gift for deliciousness. Good Taste is a peek behind the magic - including the excruciatingly hard work, the risks and the failures. You will come away with an even deeper respect and sense of awe for the greatest chef of our generation' - DAN BARBER
'Chef Ducasses impact on the culinary world is exceptional. He has been a tireless advocate for French cuisine and lart de la table all around the world. In this book, he shares his invaluable wisdom, experience, and talent with us' - ERIC RIPERT
'Alain Ducasse transformed the role of the chef in public consciousness - allowing it to be seen not just as a profession but as an art form. He made a whole generation of us proud to pursue this craft. Most importantly, though, he has been so generous with sharing his recipes and wisdom. To me, this makes him the greatest chef of our time' - DANIEL HUMM
'How best to introduce you to Alain Ducasse? He is a legend in the culinary world - as Bjorn Borg is to tennis and Billie Holiday to jazz. To me he is so much more. He is a master, who taught me the meaning of farm-to-table, the value of using locally sourced ingredients andestablishing trusting relationships with artisans and producers. And he is a friend. He showed me how to be both respectful of the past and contemporary, and all these lessons at the Louis XV were incredibly valuable and played a crucial role in guiding my decision to open Osteria Francescana' - MASSIMO BOTTURA
