Chef Richard Blais on waiting for "Modernist Cuisine"

Chef Richard Blais/Our Labor of Love

Modernist Cuisine, the biggest cookbook of the decade, and I do mean big, started shipping this week. Judging from the early reviews like Michael Ruhlman's in the New York Times, Modernist Cuisine is an amazing cookbook, or more accurately, culinary encyclopedia.

Just by the numbers, it is significant: six years of work by a team of 20 chefs, writers, photographers and designers led by the former Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Nathan Myrhvold; six volumes (5 subject books plus a kitchen manual); 2,438 pages; 49 pounds of cooking knowledge. And did I mention the $625 list price? To add to the mystique, there is but a single press run of just 6,000 copies, with the possibility of a second run.

Additional press runs or not, Modernist Cuisine’s impact will be felt throughout the contemporary cooking community. One of the best-known practitioners of the art of modernist cuisine is Atlanta’s Richard Blais, of Top Chef All-Stars and concept chef of Flip Burger Boutique. He tweeted in February that he pre-ordered a copy through Amazon, which is offering the book at $461.62, 26% off the cover price of $625. I contacted Blais through his publicist and here’s what he had to say while he waits by the mailbox.

You tweeted that you pre-ordered the book, Modernist Cuisine. Have you seen a copy or received your copy yet or do you expect to receive it soon?

Blais: I am on the pre-order wait list like everyone else…

Why do you want to own the book?


Blais: I think it has a chance to be a real revelation and a game changer in our industry. Knowing what I know about his [Myrhvold’s] work and what he has done globally, I think it is a fascinating undertaking.


Do you know Nathan Myrhvold (or the co-authors)? Have you followed the production of the books?

Blais: Yet to meet him, I just know of his stories through features and walking chats with other chefs.


What are you most interested in out of the six volumes?


Blais: I think I will find it all very interesting and I've heard the food photography is spectacular!

How do you plan to use the book?


Blais: I plan to read it and be inspired by it.


Is there anyone you would lend the book to?


Blais: Oh sure, anytime I have a book it belongs to all my chefs. We all learn from each other; it's what being a chef is about. It's very fraternal.

And he adds:

I can’t wait to get it! I am checking the mailbox every day.


Text copyright 2011, Lucy Mercer. Photo of Richard Blais provided by The Reynolds Group. 
Modernist Cuisine photo from www.modernistcuisine.com.


A version of this story appears on Examiner.com.

Burgers, Milkshakes & Blais

Me and Chef Richard Blais by Susan Loper/A Cook and Her Books

Celebrated chef and Top Chef season 4 finalist Richard Blais christened the second Atlanta location of FLIP Burger Boutique in Buckhead Monday night. While making sure that the tasty burgers and milkshakes were being distributed to the crowd, the personable chef took time to talk with the guests and pose for pictures. (And his hair looked great all night.)

My favorites from the eclectic "fine dining between two buns" selections - the Southern burger with gooey pimento cheese dripping off the sides, and the Butcher's Cut with blue cheese, caramelized onion and red wine jam. Of course, you need a side with that, something like Vodka Battered Onion Rings with Beer Honey Mustard does the trick - crispy, crunchy, salty.

Dessert is in a glass - liquid nitrogen milkshakes. My favorite is the Nutella + Burnt Marshmallow. I think I may try to make this at home - minus the fancy kitchen tools.

A FLIP Buckhead employee burns the marshmallows for Nutella milkshakes. Note the mondo industrial nitrogen tank in the background.

There's a cool slideshow of FLIP's menu on Examiner.com.

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Flippin' for Flip Burger

Bread & butter pickles

Turkey burger in a lettuce wrap (above)

The Butcher's Cut

Flip Burger on Howell Mill Road takes the idea of a hamburger and flips it on its bun. The menu includes a Southern burger with fried steak and pimento cheese and green tomato ketchup - juicy and messy and wonderful. Other standouts - the turkey burger in a lettuce wrap a big, happy Atkins-friendly homage that doesn't look like health food. The Butcher's Cut featured onions, bleu cheese, red wine jam, and frisee. Really good - especially the red wine jam. House made bread and butter pickles are the kind your grandma would make for the state fair (if you had such a grandma) - crisp, sweet and sour. My tablemates also enjoyed appetizers of fried okra with sriracha ranch - the okra was sliced lengthwise and fried in a tempura batter. No grease to be found and absolutely delish. The French fries were memorable, especially so with the housemade ketchup and mayonnaise.

Flip is famous for milkshakes, but we were being girls and decided to pass on the shakes, but my next trip I plan to order the burnt marshmallow Nutella shake...and nothing else. Well, maybe some of those okra fries and a side of pickles. Mmmmmm.