Chef's Night Out: From Four-star Restaurants to Neighborhood Favorites, Top Chefs Tell You Where (and How!) to Enjoy America's Best [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I thought I knew a lot about where and how to eat out, but the star chefs in this book are teaching me plenty more--like the RIGHT way to order in a Chinese restauarant, the "must-have" specialties in each city (like sourdough bread in San Francisco and barbeque in Memphis) and where to find THE BEST.

What I loved about it that it's got the places for those special occasion (or expense account) dinners, but it shows that eating well doesn't have to be snobby or expensive. The chefs recommend a whole treasure-trove of bargains--the little "hole in the wall" places in major cities that they frequent for great food. For example, it tells where Jean Georges eats authentic Vietnamese food in New York City and where Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin goes for his favorite pizza (I wouldn't have guessed the guy even ATE pizza!), where in Phillie to get the best cheesesteak (several chefs have differing opinions), where in Chicago Charlie Trotter goes for Italian Beef. There's even a "Chef's Secret Cravings" section--great burgers are high on the list (they name their favorite "joints"), as are Krispy Kreme Donuts!

What was also wonderful was the absolute wealth of advice and information--the book is jam-packed, and there are gems on every page, like how to eat an oyster and what kind of expectations you should have for your dining experience. Flipping through the appendix, I found the resources there (recommended reading list, source for greenmarkets, where to go to look for a cooking apprenticeship, etc.) invaluable for ANYONE who has any interest in food--whether eating out or cooking (professionally or at home).

All-in-all, the book was a joy for this foodie to read and I'm already using it as a reference--I've tried two places close to my neighborhood (Pearl Oyster Bar & Chibi's Sake Bar) that I'd never been to--both were GREAT!

That was my first impression of Chef's Night Out, the latest publication from Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, the same team that brought us Becoming a Chef, Culinary Artistry and Dining Out.

Chef's Night Out serves as a mouthpiece for over one hundred chefs, highlighting their favorite restaurants, what they eat, and why they eat there. The index of contributing chefs reads like a Who's Who of American cooking: Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud, Todd English, Rick Bayless and Francois Payard, to name but a few. The restaurant recommendations, however, range from upscale destinations like Nobu, Bobby Flay's choice for inventive Japanese cuisine, to downtown recommendations like Pho Bang, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's house of pleasure of simple Vietnamese food.

What makes the book really interesting is reading why the chefs like to eat at a certain restaurant -- understanding what a great chef thinks makes a great restaurant serves up an unusual learning experience. Additionally, there is a multitude of short educational essays throughout the book -- not all of which come from chefs. Stephen Beckta, sommelier of Cafe Boulud, writes an outstanding piece, unveiling his wine philosophies: Serving Wine to Industry Insiders, Wine and Food Pairing Guidelines, Matching Wines and World Cuisines, and Palate of the People, describing how a client's palate is often based on their geographic origins. His three-page article alone makes the book worth picking up.

So, if you are the kind of food lover who has the money to spare and loves to read easily-digestible short stories -- like Norman Van Aken's snippet on Cooking in Miami, Charlie Trotter's tips on creating a memorable dining experience, or just that Mario Batali likes well-done hot dogs from Gray's Papaya, then this is one for you.

--Jeremy Emmerson