Nuno Mendes

Full-length mink coat

"Chiltern Firehouse" is a book about a top-flight restaurant installed in a retired firehouse in an unfashionable district of London. The restaurant boasts the highest levels of care and extravagance in its preparation and presentation, and the cookbook intends to stun you with its beauty and extravagant detail.

"Chiltern Firehouse" is a book to look at and perhaps read, not one you are likely take off the shelf when you need a new way to use scallops. (Scallops at the Firehouse are served raw, starting with live scallops in their shell, with roe. Got any?) Page after page of glorious photos with spectacular lighting in coordinated blue tones with gleaming highlights. So many pictures of the very fine rattan bar. So many cocktails. So many staff. The whole 320 pages exudes glamour. Beautiful and extravagant, and, like a full-length mink coat, we can reasonably ask, do we need it?

I received a review copy of "Chiltern Firehouse: The Cookbook" by Nuno Mendes and Andre Balazs (Ten Speed) through NetGalley.com.… (más)