OP: Encyclopédie Culinaire du XXIe Siècle

Phileas Fogg, 2003. Three volumes, hardcover in slipcase. Near Fine.

Michelin-starred French chef Marc Veyrat’s (1950– ) cooking is very much tied to the land—so much so that he sued the Michelin guide after losing a star and for suggesting that he had used British cheese, rather than French, in a soufflé. 

Star drama aside, Veyrat’s 3-volume Encyclopédie Culinaire du XXIe Siècle (2003) lays out the chef’s culinary evolution and philosophy in such a grandiose and dramatic package, one wouldn’t dare question his commitment to the art.

The first volume in the manifesto recalls Veyrat’s origins and includes recipes for classic dishes. The second is a handsomely illustrated encyclopedia of the locally foraged flora which Veyrat champions in his restaurants’ cuisine, each entry separated with a paper vellum leaf. And the final volume offers restaurant dishes, elegantly composed, gorgeously photographed.

Smaller in trim size compared to many other professional chef books (10.5” x 7.25” x 3.5”, including the slipcase), the Encyclopédie is an attractively designed monument to the chef’s career. It was never translated and only available in French. Our set is in Near Fine condition. Inspirational and aspirational.