The Best of Chef at Home: Essential Recipes for Today's Kitchen

Book is well laid out, lots of choices to make changes to recipes. I almost always make it the way it's written the 1st time and then tweak to my own liking, unless their is an ingredient that I don't like at the beginning. I love the freestyle suggestions and his descriptions of the recipe and it's ease and tastes. Great pictures along with healthy style recipes. As an inlander that wasn't brought up on fish, I'm not too fond of it mostly because I don't like the fishy smell & taste, but I've tried potato fish cakes and they were great, so maybe their is hope for me yet. I love other types of seafood, just not the fish.The southwestern dishes are pretty good too. All in all since I'm a fan of Michael Smith, I owe it to give his recipes a chance. I would recommend this as a first time cookbook. Most of the recipes have items that you have in your pantry on any given day.

I think that we're now up to 28 recipes used from this book, some several times over. I can't think of a single other cookbook that we own, and we own a lot, that we have used so much. There are some outstanding ones such as his Southwestern Red Beans and Rice and some used for occasions only such as his Bacon, Potato and Cheddar Tart. He encourages experimentation with ingredients and offers several suggestions that we've used and we have also built on his basic recipes to make them our own. The ingredients are readily available so there will be no surprises. He's made us believe in jars as well.

Have made half a dozen recipes from this book and they have all been great. Have been watching "Chef at Home" and "Chef at Large" for a long time and it is much easier to work from the cook book than to try to transcribe recipes as you watch TV. Good directions, simple recipes, lots of "variations" listed to personalize recipes, and ingredients that are generally available.

The Very Best Cook Book I have ever purchased. Have used it many time since I got it. Great useful information and not complicated. Pickled onions are great!

Great cookbook, just wish his show was still on Ion channel, guess he is too busy with the new restaurant.

He has great recipes. I found him on television.

Great

Took a little over 2wks to get here, but I couldn't be more impressed with the product. Seller description said that it may have dust and show signs of wear along the edges and front, but this book is like brand new! When you open the pages, it has that brand-new smell, all pages are clean, no dust anywhere, no visible damage at all. Great product.

Recipes are top notch. Pro! Michael is an awesome chef. His recipes in the book are easy to understand and delicious.He is a down to earth kind of guy who is willing to share his cooking secrets with us.

Chef Michael Smith is the best. This recipe book contains several basic recipes for meals like pasta alfredo, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, etc. Though the ingredients are basic, everything that I have made from this cook book taste gourmet, and in most cases, better than what I could order in a mid-end restaurant. The alfredo sauce recipe in particular was seriously the best alfredo sauce I've ever had. I recommend this book highly to people who don't have a lot of cooking experience, or those that would like a great foundational book in their collection. Another great thing about Chef Michael Smith's style is he includes "free style variations" for all of the recipes so you can make substitutions and customizations to your meal depending on what you have on hand.

Great book, easy instructions and I love that there are pictures next to every dish. That helps a lot in replicating the looks of the dish and not just the taste. Already made the braised beef ribs - it was great!So many of cooking books lack a flow and try too hard to look posh... Chef Michael Smith just nails it.

this was one of my 1st cook books when I was starting my hand in the kitchen. Simple, easy to understand recipes that also allow and show you how to introduce your own flare. If you ever watched his cooking show and are feeling nostalgic, this is the next best thing!

I have always been a big fan of Michael Smith, still watch Chef at Home every morning. Its nice to see hime make something and go find it in the book exactly like he did it on tv. Have other books from him, this is my favourite one.

We like Michael Smith and his recipes are usually very tasty and simple. There are several variations on some recipes so the same dish can be created different ways. There aren't many exotic ingrediants that have to be found in specialty stores so you can find everything in your local grocery store.

This is not a traditional recipe book. Although it is written in the style of a recipe book, Chef Michael Smith encourages you to not do exactly what is written. I find that the best way to use this book is to read the recipe to get the general idea of ingredients, proportions and preparation, put the book aside, then prepare the dish from memory changing it as I see fit. Doing so actually makes cooking more interesting and enjoyable as well!

An excellent cookbook and especially the chocolate chip cookies which I have made many times. I have never had a failed recipe from Michael Smith's cookbooks as I have six of his eight.

Michael Smith has brought a whole new world of cooking into my kitchen.Have been cooking for almost 70 years, and have always been considered a really good cook.Well, now I'm also inventive and liberated.Love this book and recommend it highly to cooks young and old.

Great recipes and easy to follow!

This is one cookbook that is getting splattered from regular use. We are particularly fond of the pancakes, vegetarian chili, bread pudding, apple pie, and the country loaf that I bake nearly once a week. (I've made it so many times that I've memorized the recipe.) Nice food photography as well.

Haven't tried a lot of recipes yet but those I have were quick and easy,not a good cook myself but even I could follow recipes easily. Everything I needed I already had, great choices.

I'm a Great fan of Michael (great tv show) and a pretty good cook as well (self taught and love it)The book I bought is fantastic and probably the Best one on my shelf. Michael smith will help youimpress your friends and somehow he inspires you to experiment with your own style and flavors.Highly recommended.Harry from BC Canada

Has my husband cooking up a storm

Great book!