From the day Tom Aikens burst on to the restaurant scene, he has barely been out of the limelight. Awarded two Michelin stars by the age of 26, he has consistently been tipped as one of the hottest and most talented chefs cooking today. Now comes this stylish and sophisticated book, with 200 mouth-watering recipes, graded according to difficulty. His starting point is everyday ingredients - he believes in buying fresh, seasonal produce, and gives guidance on how to choose the best and make the most of them. Organising the book by type of food - vegetable, meat, fish, fruit, bread, dairy - he creates a variety of imaginative, dazzling recipes, some very easy and achievable in minutes; others more sophisticated, ideal for special occasions or when you are feeling more adventurous. He shows how to take one basic ingredient and produce a host of different dishes. The humble carrot, for example, can be roasted with honey and cumin or pickled to form the basis of a delicious salad, or pureed with tarragon to supply a wonderful sauce for roast cod. Sole can be baked in minutes on a sizzling hot baking tray in the oven, or pan-fried and served with balsamic glazed vegetables and pea puree.

From gorgeous grilled fennel with goat's cheese and black olive oil, buttered peas with spring onions to lamb shank with tomato confit and beans, there is something here for everyone who loves good food. Inspiration, talent and flashes of sheer genius shine off every page in this book, destined to become a firm favourite with keen cooks and food lovers everywhere.

2007-07-09 Wonderful book

I bought this book having eaten at both his restaurants several times. The recipes are graded in three categories, easy, mediam and challenging. The latter category requires a lot of fussing about with the food and some forethought, but the medium and easy recipes are well set out and easy for the domestic cook. There are notes on what can wrong on some of the recipes and how to avoid mistakes which is a useful addition. It provides a good range of different recipes, from bread and cakes to petite fours. Every dish that I have tried from this book has worked and received requests for a repeat cooking - this has to be the measure of a cook book!