Think Like a Chef: A Cookbook

Think Like a Chef presents a cookbook organized around culinary techniques and creative thinking rather than traditional restaurant recipes. Colicchio begins by teaching fundamental cooking methods—roasting, braising, sautéing, and making stocks and sauces—with clear explanations of how to execute each technique. The book then introduces simple prepared ingredients, such as roasted tomatoes or braised artichokes, and demonstrates multiple ways to use them. A single ingredient like roasted tomatoes can become a vinaigrette, a caramelized tart, or various dishes in between. A section called Trilogies takes three ingredients and shows how to combine them into one quick dish, then progressively more complex dishes using the same three components. Examples include Ragout of Asparagus, Morels, and Ramps and Baked Free-Form "Ravioli." The final section provides recipes for components—zucchini with lemon thyme, roasted endive with whole spices, boulangerie potatoes—designed to be mixed and matched in numerous combinations. The book includes photographs of finished dishes and is written in an accessible, conversational tone.