To the Bone

What defines a chef?


Despite the glamour attached to the profession today, a successful life in the kitchen is determined more by sacrifice than stardom, demanding a dedication bordering on obsession, all in pursuit of The Food. In TO THE BONE, a meditation on the culinary life that blends elements of memoir and cookbook, Paul Liebrandt shares the story of his own struggle to become a chef and define his personal style.

At fifteen, Liebrandt began his foray into the restaurant world and soon found himself cooking in the finest dining temples in the world. Taking inspiration from the methods and menus of Marco Pierre White, Raymond Blanc, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Pierre Gagnaire, Liebrandt dedicated himself to learning his craft for close to a decade. Then, at New York City’s Atlas, he announced himself as a worldclass talent, putting his hard-earned technique to the test with a startlingly personal cuisine. He continued to further his reputation at restaurants such as Gilt, Corton, and now the Elm, becoming known for a singular, graphic style that has captured the public’s imagination and earned him the respect of his peers.

This special interactive version of To the Bone, optimized for iBooks, includes several bonus features:

– An interactive map allows you to follow Liebrandt’s culinary journey through London, Oxford, Paris, and New York City.

– Beautifully illustrated essays explain how Liebrandt has developed recipes and techniques and why he prizes certain ingredients.

– When you’re ready to cook, recipes that can be seamlessly displayed in landscape mode, which will display the recipe steps in an easy-to-read format that you can see from across the counter.

– Connections to Liebrandt on Instagram without leaving the ebook.

Punctuated throughout with dishes that mark the stages of his personal and professional life, all of them captured in breathtaking color photography, this is Liebrandt’s literary tasting menu, a portrait of a chef putting it together and constantly pushing himself to challenge the way he, and we, think about the possibilities of food.