More than any other chef at work today, Michel Nischan creates sophisticated, modern food by embracing the food tenets of the past: Use what’s readily available, celebrate variety, respect the land, and eschew waste. Whether it’s explaining the virtues of secondary meat cuts, which fish are in least danger of overfishing, or how heritage bean and grain varieties help to support biodiversity as well as healthy diets, Sustainably Delicious proves that the most satisfying food comes from a passionate respect for America’s culinary and environmental legacy.

Many of the recipes reflect Nischan’s Midwestern roots and the innate frugality that dictated his family’s meals be made with humble, seasonal ingredients. In Nischan’s confident hands, simple foods such as barley, celery root, and eggs shine. With recipes such as Heirloom Beet Salad with Savory Marshmallows, Tomato Rice Soup with Braised Beef Shanks, and Leg of Pasture-Raised Lamb Stuffed with Chestnuts and Dried Cranberries, Nischan’s approach to farm table cuisine is anything but precious.