Over the next few weeks, I may or may not continue to recommend things I love for your holiday gift consideration. But today I offer Tom Colicchio's Think Like a Chef. Mr. Colicchio is chef/owner of both (the amazing and yummy!) Gramercy Tavern and Craft, in New York City. This cookbook is less about recipes — though it certainly has them — and more about cooking technique and philosophy, enabling the reader to actually learn by doing rather than simply follow a list and instructions. I've found it very useful and informative and it's quickly become one of my favorites on my cookbook shelf. When I started working in the kitchen this past fall, I was surprised to find how much I already knew. This book contributed to my knowledge and made my transition from aspiring amateur to aspiring professional that much easier. A great gift for someone who really does want to learn how to, "think like a chef."
