William Woys Weaver

Food historian, author, gardener, epicure

While his sun has set, in his heyday Escoffier became a guiding light in the expression of haute cuisine as practiced on an international scale. He canonized traditional French cookery thus his influence is undeniable, yet it was also his highly structuralized and fussy mode of cooking that spawned a reaction first with Nouvelle Cuisine and now with farm-to-table, “natural” cuisine, and a new search for authenticity. I do not cook from Escoffier, but I have a first edition (in English) of his cookbook just in case I want to look up the old French way of making a dish. Otherwise his food is too much smothered in sauces.

Charles Michel

Chef and Food Researcher

A bible. But what I like more are the forewords of Escoffier that really show why he was a genius, and how well he sensed the spirit of his times to create a change in how kitchen's were organised. Also, I really like some of the old techniques he uses that are sometimes forgotten, the use of essences for instance.

James Winter

Executive Editor, Saturday Kitchen

The only cook book you really need everything is in it. Yes its minimalist in its descriptions and methods but it’s all in there.

Daniel Galmiche

Chef

A must for all chefs. So great - bought it when I was 15 years old and starting my apprenticeship.

Job Ubbink

Food scientist

The all-time classic, with very extensive lists of recipes, all very briefly described.

Simon Haigh

Food and Beverage Director

My reference book for the 706/3 at college, possibly the foundation of food today

Graham Kerr

Cookbook author and TV chef (formerly "The Galloping Gourmet")

This was my textbook at Brighton and South Devon Hotel Schools.

Susi Gott Séguret

Chef, Author, Culinary School Director

Classic, classic, classic.

Hervé This

Director of the AgroParisTech-INRA International Centre for Molecular Gastronomy

Jan McCourt

Rare-breed meat producer

Kim Woodward

Head Chef of Gordon Ramsay Group’s Savoy Grill

Vikram Vij

Chef

Brad McDonald

Chef

Lee Jones

Farmer

Gavin Kaysen

Chef/Owner

Anis Nabilah

Chef

Virgilio Martinez

Chef

Peter J Kim

Executive director of the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD)

Lee Brian Schrager

Vice President of Corporate Communications & National Events

Stephen Mennell

Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University College Dublin

Jeff Galvin

Chef

Daniel Boulud

Chef

Chris Stueart

Co-founder, FOOD-X

Peter Brears

Food historian

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg

Authors

Anne Willan

Author

David Moore

Restaurateur

Somer Sivrioglu

Chef

Raymond Blanc

Chef Patron

Andrew Pern

Chef and owner, The Star Inn at Harome

Nevin Halici

Chef and author

Brian Polcyn

Chef

Jeremiah Tower

Chef

Christophe Lavelle

Biophysicist, epigeneticist and food scientist

Swen Kernemann-Mohr

Culinary bookseller

Raymond Sokolov

Food writer