“A recipe is at the very least a method accounting for a cooking process. At best, it captures a memory or inspired moment in cooking. But it can never quite tell enough, nor can it thoroughly describe the ecstatic moments when the intuition, skill, and accumulated experience of the book merge with the taste and composition of the food.”

Paul Bertolli is a chef and food producer in California. He rose to prominence during his time at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, co-authoring the book Chez Panisse Cooking with restaurant founder Alice Waters.