Biographical note:

Anne Burrell is the New York Times bestselling author of Cook Like a Rock Star. She was the host for many years of Food Network’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and is co-host of Worst Cooks in America and host of Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Anne worked at Lidia Bastianich’s Felidia and Peter Hoffman’s Savoy and taught at the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in New York City.

Suzanne Lenzer is a food writer and stylist. Her most recent collaboration is Flavor Exposed with Angelo Sosa. She has worked closely with cookbook author Mark Bittman and her work appears regularly in various publications, including the New York Times. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she lives in New York City.

www.FoodNetwork.com/Anne-Burrell

Country of final manufacture:

HK

Excerpt from book:

Introduction
 
My life has changed A LOT in the past few years. I’ve gone from working insane hours in restaurant kitchens to working insane hours in television studios, rushing in and out of airports, and sometimes feeling like I live out of a suitcase. There are times when I just long for the days when I was chained to a restaurant stove! My life is super exciting these days, but there are so many times when I just wish I could stay home, cook dinner, and sit down at my own dining room table to eat it. Because as thankful as I am for all that’s happened to me, one thing has not changed: I still love to cook and I love to teach people how to cook. Now I just get to do it on a much broader spectrum . . . and I’m extremely lucky.
 
When I ride my bike around New York City these days, sometimes people wave, they yell, “Hi Chef Anne!” and they stop me at red lights to share how I helped teach them how to make the perfect roast chicken or they yell, “BTB, RTS!” It always makes me smile and laugh out loud! It’s what being on TV has done for me—empowered me to empower home cooks like you. But TV is just the medium to getting the message out there—at the end of the day I’m just a cook. It doesn’t matter how many shows I have or how many books I write, cooking is in my soul and if the shows and all the celebrity stuff disappeared tomorrow, I’d go right back into the kitchen and pick up my wooden spoon and start cooking. It’s just who I am.
 
let’s rock your kitchen !
 
Cooking is not rocket science—becoming a good cook is about learning the basics and then applying them. Once you have these principles down you can branch out to different types of cuisines and flavors and get more creative. It’s all about understanding the techniques and feeling confident in those skills, trusting yourself and your sense of taste, and deciding where you want to go with it . . . it’s up to you! My job is to empower you to become the best cook you can be and to learn to own your kitchen. Why? Because cooking is fun—and delicious.
 
I feel very grateful to spend my life doing something I love SOOOOO much. Certainly I loved working in restaurants, and like most chefs, I focused on one type of cuisine and worked hard to do it really well. As I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve branched out beyond my rustic Italian roots. I love that people don’t watch my show to learn how to cook rustic Italian food; they watch my show to learn how to cook.
 
My mother often asks me where I come up with ideas for my recipes. I always say the same thing: I don’t know! Every time I have to sit down and write new recipes I’m totally stuck at first. Then I start to think about what I’ve tasted lately that’s turned me on—I may be reaOwning your kitchen is about being in charge when you cook—understanding how flavors work together, how to improvise with ingredients you have on hand, and, above all, how to feel confident and stress-free when making meals. In Own Your Kitchen, Anne Burrell gets you in that groove by sharing the recipes she makes when she's relaxed and cooking at home.

Anne has designed these 100 recipes to get you comfortable with dozens of essential techniques—like how to create a perfect omelet, how to butterfly a chicken for an easy roast, and how to bake a focaccia to doll up any meal. Along the way, she offers priceless tips: such as what can be made ahead (like her garlic-ginger-soy-citrus marinade that can be used with just about anything or a freezer staple like fish stock) or how to coax flavor out of a chicken with a garlic rubdown.

More than anything, though, Own Your Kitchen will build your repertoire with impressive twists on classics like Carbonara Frittata, Olive Oil–Poached Salmon, Grilled Hanger Steak with anchovy-butter sauce, and—maybe best of all—Hawaiian Pork Roast. Anne will walk you through her seasonal faves, like Zucchini Cannelloni, Wilted Romaine Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts (great crunch!), and Pumpkin-Ricotta Pancakes with Chunky Apple-Raisin Sauce. When at the farmer's market, you'll keep in mind her Spring Veggie Stew with bright asparagus and sugar snap peas (or, as Anne suggests, any combo of spring veg) and the super easy Crispy Crunchy Kale Chips.

These are recipes that will work every time. And with Anne by your side, reminding you to set up, taste, season, check, and be patient, you'll also get in on the secrets (including tricks for bouncing back from mistakes) that she's picked up over the years in some of the best restaurant kitchens and from working with people trying to be better home cooks, just like you.

So, get comfortable in your kitchen. You own it!