Cook the Book: 'Think Like a Chef'
Posted by Ed Levine, December 3, 2007 at 2:40 PM
Long before Top Chef co-host Tom Colicchio was a television personality, he was a working chef. One of the best, most thoughtful chefs in the country, for that matter.
In 2000 he wrote what was then a groundbreaking cookbook-manifesto, Think Like a Chef. In it he successfully and clearly deconstructed the chef's craft. It was and is a terrific book, full of recipes and sage advice. In fact, it's the equivalent of a master class from one of our greatest chefs.
Now Think Like a Chef has been reissued in a gorgeous trade paperback edition, and we are giving away five copies in this week's Cook the Book.
To enter, just tell us what your favorite cooking technique is.
The usual Serious Eats contest rules apply.
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Comments are closed: 410 Comments:
Favorite cooking technique - roasting.
nokrapt at 2:46PM on 12/03/07
I never met a saute I didn't like.
msecondo at 2:49PM on 12/03/07
I do like to cast iron pan fry my fried chicken.
bisbee at 2:58PM on 12/03/07
I'll braise anything and everything.
bradnelson at 3:01PM on 12/03/07
roasting or anything with cast iron.
artybastard at 3:03PM on 12/03/07
open-pit
intheyearofthepig at 3:03PM on 12/03/07
Braising
carusoc at 3:03PM on 12/03/07
I'm a braiser too!
mepolo at 3:06PM on 12/03/07
Roasting.
rachaeltb at 3:08PM on 12/03/07
Roasting. My "go to" staple when uninspired for dinner is a gorgeous roast chicken. I love, love, love Tom Colicchio and Craft!
Jeana at 3:08PM on 12/03/07
Pan roasting, then building a delicious sauce with the fond.
jd7979 at 3:08PM on 12/03/07
does baking count as a technique? if not i guess roasting.
missmicker at 3:11PM on 12/03/07
Braising. Without a doubt, braising.
dewayne at 3:11PM on 12/03/07
Roasting hands down.
jamiephoto at 3:13PM on 12/03/07
grilling anything.
n5rat at 3:14PM on 12/03/07
another braiser! and I want this book!
damnlamb at 3:14PM on 12/03/07
browning, then braising. then scooping into my mouth.
Mike5534 at 3:15PM on 12/03/07
Smoking
outsidecounsel at 3:16PM on 12/03/07
i have to say braising, no questions.
pfibiger at 3:17PM on 12/03/07
Grilling, or as people in the US call it, broiling (confused me for a long time because it sounds so much like boiling)
sarahdlr at 3:19PM on 12/03/07
Braising
rugbyspartan at 3:19PM on 12/03/07
braising during the fall and winter and grilling in the spring and summer months
hoosier cook at 3:19PM on 12/03/07
I love sauces; bechamel, tomato, mayonnaise, etc. There's rarely a dish that I think cannot be improved with some sort of sauce.
Nicholas H at 3:20PM on 12/03/07
Grilling. It even makes brussel sprouts tasty.
charmon at 3:20PM on 12/03/07
I'm a braising girl as well - especially now that its cold out!
aptaylor at 3:20PM on 12/03/07
Pan roasting. It's relatively quick and you can make a great sauce in minutes.
swillats at 3:20PM on 12/03/07
Roasting.
TheJTrain at 3:21PM on 12/03/07
I love the low and slow smoking technique.
jonfoxx at 3:22PM on 12/03/07
broiling is incredibly underrated.
pupilindenial at 3:23PM on 12/03/07
dough making, whether its pasta dough, pizza or bread dough, cake or cookie dough, i love me some dough
seyo at 3:24PM on 12/03/07
Definitely roasting!
KAS423 at 3:25PM on 12/03/07
Caramelizing. It's fun to say, too.
happybites at 3:31PM on 12/03/07
Braising—because of both its deceptive complexity and the wonderful results it yields.
danwalk at 3:31PM on 12/03/07
roasting or grilling on the BBQ
sln123 at 3:32PM on 12/03/07
Stewing, I suppose (I love to make soups, chili, stews, etc.).
msmla at 3:36PM on 12/03/07
anything that i can do in my wood fired pizza oven
tenpointfarmer at 3:36PM on 12/03/07
Gotta be braising!
Natalie at 3:40PM on 12/03/07
High heat roasting -- Thomas Keller's chicken done in a cast-iron skillet rules!
Julie at 3:45PM on 12/03/07
stir frying
kylad at 3:46PM on 12/03/07
Grilling
SkinnyFatty at 3:46PM on 12/03/07
Ooh, toughie.
Kneading. Gotta be that,
michichan at 3:47PM on 12/03/07
Grilling
ewturner at 3:48PM on 12/03/07
Roasting
Rae at 3:49PM on 12/03/07
Pressure cooking.
jayfallon at 3:50PM on 12/03/07
I enjoy water (or other liquids) sautéing.
Jperezish at 3:51PM on 12/03/07
I'll stir fry you in my wok!
twood at 3:51PM on 12/03/07
Outdoor grilling, though living in an apartment in NYC, means I get to do it much less than I'd like
NSW at 3:53PM on 12/03/07
It's a tough decision between stir fry or braise. It depends on whether I feel like being active in my cooking that evening (stir fry) or if I just wanna do some prep and let it cook itself (braise). I think in the end I gotta go with stir fry!
bytemyfoot at 3:53PM on 12/03/07
braising
bobfole at 3:56PM on 12/03/07
I like "wok-ing"
chlamers at 3:56PM on 12/03/07
braising, smoking, anything low-n-slow
palmsey at 3:57PM on 12/03/07
Broiling... nice and crispy with out the frying mess.... Also makes a great steak.
craigpress at 3:57PM on 12/03/07
stir frying
zekks at 4:00PM on 12/03/07
Is bruleeing a cooking technique?
Something about taking a butane torch to food gets me all giddy with joy.
digitalburro at 4:00PM on 12/03/07
Braising.
bluebird at 4:04PM on 12/03/07
Roasting.
PattiA at 4:05PM on 12/03/07
Braising
gfweb at 4:06PM on 12/03/07
Frying. In choice animal fat. Lard, duck fat, etc....
marty mccabe at 4:07PM on 12/03/07
Flash frying - w/ my wok
AliKat at 4:09PM on 12/03/07
sauteeing
jknepfle at 4:10PM on 12/03/07
I love deglazing after a good saute!
bobcatsteph3 at 4:11PM on 12/03/07
stir-frying (wok-frying)
mrsbao at 4:12PM on 12/03/07
Definitely roasting!
Curlz at 4:12PM on 12/03/07
i'm addicted to sauteing. (how do you spell that? sautee-ing? sauteeing? sahtaying? no, that last one can't be right, it comes out sounding like some kind of dance move.)
redhead at 4:17PM on 12/03/07
Low and slow. Outside on the patio or inside with my pot in the oven. Moist, tender and delicious.
Colorado Jim at 4:18PM on 12/03/07
Braising in the winter, grilling in the summer.
CVilleBilly at 4:25PM on 12/03/07
Braising! The transformation of tough meat and water liquid to tender and unctuous is always magical for me.
binlu at 4:25PM on 12/03/07
steaming! there's really no better way to cook fish than a quick steaming, followed by ginger, scallions, and soy sauce.
riceandwheat at 4:29PM on 12/03/07
Interactive cooking: love to make shabu shabu or korean grill : anything that can be cooked at the table interactively with family especially kids
blondee47 at 4:29PM on 12/03/07
Roasting.... and even tough it's not very popular and I don't do it so often, I like anthing FRIED!!!!!!
MadelynRodriguez at 4:30PM on 12/03/07
sauteing
sjwoodin at 4:34PM on 12/03/07
Braising.
rps at 4:37PM on 12/03/07
braising. braising braising braising.
mara26 at 4:37PM on 12/03/07
Roasting...slow, makes almost any cut of meat tender and vegetables cooked in the drippings delicious.
elaine nan at 4:37PM on 12/03/07
Well, it's certainly a toss up. I just love those indoor grills (only the one endorsed by a pudgy boxer who names all of his kids after him.) Of course, the indoor rotisserie "set it and forget it" is another favorite. And that sandwich maker thing is great too.
But I'd have to say my favorite technique of all is to sous vide. Especially fish.
mmmPotatoChips at 4:38PM on 12/03/07
wok it!
platecleaner at 4:38PM on 12/03/07
Braising.
cher48603 at 4:41PM on 12/03/07
Definitely a tough question. I've recently come to love pressure cooking, but my perennial fave is pan roasting followed by requisite deglazing.
jenberger at 4:43PM on 12/03/07
Braising!
calnaction at 4:44PM on 12/03/07
Stir frying is usually tops when I'm wanting hands-on and fast, but stewing and stock making (for soups) often takes the lead and results in some of my favorite comfort foods.
pckizer at 4:46PM on 12/03/07
Braising
cupbaker at 4:48PM on 12/03/07
Pan-searing...
I love making sauce from the browned bits!
lo82070 at 4:55PM on 12/03/07
Slow-roasting, I think
cmballa at 4:56PM on 12/03/07
I'm a big braiser too but I do like making soups and stewing a lot too.
mrock at 4:56PM on 12/03/07
Roasting, most definitely.
jengrowsinbklyn at 4:58PM on 12/03/07
Roasting.
robnolen at 5:00PM on 12/03/07
Roasting...
meesh430 at 5:00PM on 12/03/07
Roasting rocks!
karen r at 5:02PM on 12/03/07
I keep a gas grill right outside my back door to grill anything that I can. Hooray for covered porches in the winter!
acroninj at 5:03PM on 12/03/07
Going with the flow--roasting.
Christina at 5:05PM on 12/03/07
Braising in the winter, grilling in the summer.
eskay at 5:08PM on 12/03/07
Braising
cannatar at 5:09PM on 12/03/07
Braising when i have the time, Grilling when it's not too cold!
UrbanPug at 5:11PM on 12/03/07
Stir frying, no doubt. You can use any flavors, any ingredients, even leftovers, and come up with something tasty every time.
Shopping Jen at 5:12PM on 12/03/07
roasting--inspires love of vegetables like brussel sprouts from previous haters :)
kthread at 5:13PM on 12/03/07
roasting in an open fire.
jmunchie at 5:20PM on 12/03/07
I used to say Dutch Oven cooking - but it's so high maintenance...so now I say bake it, baby!
MissFive at 5:22PM on 12/03/07
braising
aungeinphx at 5:23PM on 12/03/07
Braising!!
(PS. Does anyone actually win these contests??)
Gwtwfan27 at 5:23PM on 12/03/07
every day: stir-fry.
special treat: braising.
BC at 5:23PM on 12/03/07
I just learned from the French Laundry cookbook about blanching veggies for that perfect amount of time to bring out their amazing color saturation, and now I'm perfectly obsessed with blanching.
Tactful_Cactus at 5:27PM on 12/03/07
grilling
awtane at 5:31PM on 12/03/07
saute
tsegada at 5:36PM on 12/03/07
sous vide
arbeck at 5:39PM on 12/03/07
Braising.
violette at 5:39PM on 12/03/07
Brining. I've been brining turkey, chicken, seafood. It adds huge flavor at the cost of a little pre-meditation.
DaveFaris at 5:41PM on 12/03/07
Roasting almost anything, but vegetables and fruit really make me happy!
Claire80218 at 5:41PM on 12/03/07
Love desserts...gotta be baking
JEP at 5:46PM on 12/03/07
Caramelizing
ricedream24 at 5:53PM on 12/03/07
Knife skills. I never tire of practicing to be better and more accurate, or to just get the prep done on a massive pile of vegetables.
ExpatChef at 5:57PM on 12/03/07
roasting!!
gkang at 6:01PM on 12/03/07
Roasting for me, thanks!
jasonmolinari at 6:09PM on 12/03/07
deep frying if someone else is doing it, roasting otherwise.
icecreamsandwich at 6:09PM on 12/03/07
stir-fry!
mango at 6:13PM on 12/03/07
Braising- yumm
HotBreadKitchen at 6:14PM on 12/03/07
Tasting!
Potluckcraft at 6:28PM on 12/03/07
Braising - especially with wine!
vineofivy at 6:53PM on 12/03/07
I'll do one that isn't mentioned yet - microwaving. Leftovers are a big part of evry busy persons life - learning how to get the most out of a microwave makes it much easier to have appetizing leftovers.
tschucha at 6:54PM on 12/03/07
Braising and then eating!
ssommerville at 6:54PM on 12/03/07
Stir Frying with a super hot Wok.
winkyj at 6:56PM on 12/03/07
charcoal grill with hardwood chips for flavor
schopie1 at 7:02PM on 12/03/07
Preserving - salting, smoking, drying, confiting, pickling.
fredmurphy at 7:06PM on 12/03/07
I also prefer to saute.
bibliothecaire at 7:07PM on 12/03/07
The braise.
dikaryon at 7:12PM on 12/03/07
I love to saute, but in winter weather, I tend to do a lot of roasting.
KarynMC at 7:13PM on 12/03/07
sauté
wisekaren at 7:14PM on 12/03/07
deep frying
0bs01337 at 7:15PM on 12/03/07
braising
Laurie Constantino at 7:16PM on 12/03/07
Grilling (chilling sold separately)
jtorn at 7:19PM on 12/03/07
grilling
gidget at 7:21PM on 12/03/07
De-glazing a pan with a little bit of wine or chicken stock
beegoode at 7:28PM on 12/03/07
roasting
deadhead22 at 7:30PM on 12/03/07
pan searing
woodenspoon at 7:31PM on 12/03/07
Grilling. Definitely grilling. Cooking just about anything over an open flame makes it taste better - that and slathering it with BBQ sauce (slathering - is that a cooking technique?)!
apgood at 7:35PM on 12/03/07
Braising in the winter. Unfortunately, we have very little winter in New Orleans, so it's gotta be roasting even though it can seriously raise the kitchen temp.
NO_Pam at 7:35PM on 12/03/07
Stir fry, definitely.
squawky at 7:37PM on 12/03/07
freeze dried
eschoenfeld at 7:37PM on 12/03/07
Braising.
SelimaCat at 7:41PM on 12/03/07
Grilling. It just makes everything taste that much better.
Eilen at 7:44PM on 12/03/07
Burning/over-cooking/ruining everything.
Am I the only one that's tried one of these many fine techniques?
slloyddouglass at 7:48PM on 12/03/07
Roasting in a cast iron skillet
salty at 7:49PM on 12/03/07
Braising
brandonphx at 7:49PM on 12/03/07
Roasting vegetables, especially ones I don't like raw like cauliflower.
chasgoose at 7:56PM on 12/03/07
grilling.
hyiirs at 8:12PM on 12/03/07
braising and grilling
Marilyn at 8:21PM on 12/03/07
Braising. Although deep frying if I could more often without seriously endangering my health.
kuhlimuh at 9:03PM on 12/03/07
Even though it's a pretty common answer, roasting.
jessie at 9:09PM on 12/03/07
lately it's been braising
cupcup at 9:18PM on 12/03/07
It's been braising for me too.
billstickers at 9:28PM on 12/03/07
Sauteing, sauteing for sure!
miachef at 9:39PM on 12/03/07
I'd have to go with roasting or grilling since it intensifies the flavor of anything!
oregonpinot at 9:52PM on 12/03/07
Sautéing
iyamapotato at 9:54PM on 12/03/07
Braising!
roscoe2041 at 9:59PM on 12/03/07
roasting.
secreteater at 10:03PM on 12/03/07
Sauteeing
heartnibbler at 10:09PM on 12/03/07
Baking.
peggysu at 10:14PM on 12/03/07
grilling
Josh Baugher at 10:14PM on 12/03/07
Look at all the braisers. I guess cooking does have trends. Color me sauté.
GregWA at 10:17PM on 12/03/07
brining
gscherr at 10:25PM on 12/03/07
Roasting. Especially slow roasting beef.
eatorama at 10:34PM on 12/03/07
Saute
jasmall at 10:36PM on 12/03/07
roasting or sauteing for certain. If the mood strikes, kneading as in pasta...
Greatfallsdeb at 10:37PM on 12/03/07
Roasting!
jolenev at 10:43PM on 12/03/07
stir frying
foodinmouth at 10:49PM on 12/03/07
I will have to say roasting.
PattyCho at 10:50PM on 12/03/07
Roasting because nothing is better than meat literally falling off its' bone.
jpark107 at 10:55PM on 12/03/07
Sautéing and building a nice pan sauce. In the summer, grilling anything and everything.
gooseman at 11:08PM on 12/03/07
braising... mmm...
miamia at 11:09PM on 12/03/07
Searing and braising. Nothing tastier or more luscious. Except maybe duck confit.
purpleceline at 11:09PM on 12/03/07
smoking.
cybercita at 11:10PM on 12/03/07
searing...yum...crispy!
daniello at 11:20PM on 12/03/07
Sauteing. Or searing. Hard to say. Hot pan + food.
Yrmencyn at 11:23PM on 12/03/07
stir-frying, yummmmy
squishy622 at 11:24PM on 12/03/07
stir fry all the live long day
tortor at 11:26PM on 12/03/07
roasting (winter vegetables)
AS at 11:30PM on 12/03/07
Roasting
izzy's mama at 11:32PM on 12/03/07
Baking
wildyeast at 12:34AM on 12/04/07
Braise, low and slow
jtennantwise at 12:51AM on 12/04/07
Toasting.
What do you call it when you cook something on a cast iron griddle?
stu_spivac at 12:52AM on 12/04/07
Braising makes everything taste wonderful
kimblyl at 12:59AM on 12/04/07
Baking.
SparklingDiamond at 1:22AM on 12/04/07
Grilling
joshtims at 1:34AM on 12/04/07
Sautee or Braising
Erinay77 at 1:37AM on 12/04/07
roasting or braising
tennesseegirlie at 1:39AM on 12/04/07
Braising all'italiana. It's the only thing that rescues winter in Italy.
Judith in Umbria at 3:43AM on 12/04/07
It has to be roasting. hmmmm......
kmbrly at 5:39AM on 12/04/07
Hovering over a pan of risotto.
ghinson at 6:39AM on 12/04/07
Braising.
schnitzel at 7:36AM on 12/04/07
pan frying
guido at 8:03AM on 12/04/07
I love roasting veggies.....get's them nice and caramelized. Totally transforms the flavor. Not the same mushy, soggy veggies that Mom used to serve me growing up!!
stacylyn at 8:08AM on 12/04/07
Frying. I love the breading.
ConschBTJ at 8:11AM on 12/04/07
Preserving. Which is not to say I'm any good at it yet, but there's something soothing about at least trying to do it. After I'm done, the jams, fruits and tomatoes look beautiful on my open shelves.
MerMade07 at 8:17AM on 12/04/07
Definitely sauteeing, though I'm having a lot of fun testing the limits of grilling.
DuncanHusky at 8:20AM on 12/04/07
braising
Redbetty at 8:28AM on 12/04/07
Grilling.
EmilySC at 9:09AM on 12/04/07
Roasting or braising is my favorite way with Fall & Winter meals . In the warm months ....definitly grilling .
NewEnglandBites at 9:44AM on 12/04/07
roasting, without a doubt. It's practically idiot-proof (thank god!) and let's you really taste whatever it is you're roasting.
cupcake girl at 10:01AM on 12/04/07
Roasting.
kkeela at 10:22AM on 12/04/07
Roasting. Hard to screw up and easy to clean up afterwards.
Rottenmom at 10:26AM on 12/04/07
sautéing
tracyd at 10:30AM on 12/04/07
baking
hedgehog at 10:31AM on 12/04/07
Roast Roast Roast.
danielle719 at 10:38AM on 12/04/07
Braising, deeeeelicious!
Emoak at 10:40AM on 12/04/07
Baking...of the sweet variety. Grilling for everything else
Kimberly at 10:41AM on 12/04/07
stir frying for quick meals, braising and slow roasting for meats, gentle steaming for green vegies.....
C Chin at 10:47AM on 12/04/07
Low and slow in the offset firebox smoker.
NorthernBBQer at 10:53AM on 12/04/07
Anything in cast iron
Pierogi at 11:01AM on 12/04/07
High heat roasting. It won't dry out the meat and it does wonders for veggies. Plus, who doesn't love carmelization.
baustin at 11:11AM on 12/04/07
Love to bake and do most of my food stovetop but when something is fried correctly - its a beautiful thing.
cam00023 at 11:13AM on 12/04/07
As the chipotle t-shirt says, "braising is amazing"
trout at 11:14AM on 12/04/07
favorite to eat: grilling
favorite to do: saute
leegwebb at 11:14AM on 12/04/07
tough chioice, but gotta go with grilling
gratefulted at 11:20AM on 12/04/07
"braising is amazing"
Oh, how I agree!
delicious life at 11:21AM on 12/04/07
Kneading.
Eliz. at 11:26AM on 12/04/07
stir-frying.
Michele811 at 11:30AM on 12/04/07
Grilling, on a Weber grill, with a nice bed of coals.
bpolglaze at 11:37AM on 12/04/07
heat wok, wait for smoke, pour oil in wok, throw food in wok, swish, stir, plate :)
mozart23 at 11:52AM on 12/04/07
grill or broil
jennifer57 at 11:53AM on 12/04/07
I'm a roaster all the way.
sheldel at 12:01PM on 12/04/07
roasting, especially this time of year when the oven heats up the whole kitchen!
whynotthis at 12:08PM on 12/04/07
summer = grilling
winter = roasting
This sure looks like a great book!
psychsarah at 12:09PM on 12/04/07
Pan frying! It's latke season and I'm loving it!
FreshPepper at 12:13PM on 12/04/07
Char-broiled
Maxchar at 12:38PM on 12/04/07
Braising! The absolute tastiest way to cook meat!!
jayna720 at 12:38PM on 12/04/07
Braising... I love slow cooked food.
malenky at 12:38PM on 12/04/07
Definitely got to be grilling.
pcrackenhead at 12:39PM on 12/04/07
I boil, that's about it... when the wife can't stand to see the lobster suffer.. I get a call
BarracudaRon007 at 12:59PM on 12/04/07
another one for braising!
salty_sticky at 1:12PM on 12/04/07
roasting a tradition since man discovered fire.
JerzeeTomato at 1:16PM on 12/04/07
Roasting.
madball911 at 1:33PM on 12/04/07
roast roast and roast
PoignantTuna at 1:38PM on 12/04/07
braising, what a wonderful way to bring out tremendous flavor!
pezbabypez at 1:44PM on 12/04/07
I love grilling.
billygoat at 1:57PM on 12/04/07
sear at high heat, finish in oven ... best.. steak.. ever...!
dbdtron at 1:57PM on 12/04/07
Pan roasting.
jsalern at 2:07PM on 12/04/07
Grilling!
rockymountainmarta at 2:07PM on 12/04/07
Charcoal grilling
GabeN at 2:21PM on 12/04/07
braising
miriamo at 2:33PM on 12/04/07
I get a big kick out of emulsifications like mayo and hollandaise. Who would have thunk it? In terms of cooking, I likes me some long braising.
EmmaC at 2:34PM on 12/04/07
i am the king of an all day (or more) braise, but lately, I have jumped on the sous vide bandwagon
syoung68 at 2:49PM on 12/04/07
roasting all the way!
bianca34dw at 2:56PM on 12/04/07
Add me to the roasting pool!
stephanieb at 3:04PM on 12/04/07
i like to roast
ceforrester at 3:09PM on 12/04/07
...Holland grilling...for the health issues and the wonderful results!!
pjlein at 3:09PM on 12/04/07
frying in a nice thick copper pan, as i am too lazy and dont like to wait for a roast to be finished!
dachshund718 at 3:10PM on 12/04/07