The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

by J. Kenji López-Alt
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science cover
Good Books rating 4.08
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Hardback • £39.99
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Format • £37.99
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  • ID: 3522
  • Added: 2025-10-18
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • Formats: 4
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
Barnes & Noble · 2025-10-18
practical 4.50

The book is highly recommended for beginners, as it explains the 'why' behind cooking techniques. It is praised for its clarity and practical advice.

This reviewer recommends The Food Lab, especially for beginning cooks, because it explains the science behind cooking techniques in a clear and understandable manner. They appreciate the book's ability to provide practical advice and insights that are often missing in other cookbooks. The reviewer finds the explanations to be both informative and helpful, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their cooking skills.

Quick quotes

    This is a great cookbook particularly for people like me, beginning cooks.

    So often recipes tell you to do something but never explain why. Mr. Alt uses his expertise to fill in those gaps.

    The book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the science behind cooking techniques and improve their skills.

Coding Fearlessly · 2023-09-21
instructive 4.00

The book is praised for its comprehensive and scientific approach to cooking, making it more than just a recipe book. It is described as a textbook and a manual for cooking, offering deep insights into the science behind cooking techniques.

The reviewer highlights that 'The Food Lab' is not just a recipe book but a comprehensive guide that delves into the science of cooking. They appreciate the detailed explanations and the manual-like structure, which makes it a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the underlying principles of cooking. The book is seen as a textbook that provides a deeper understanding of how heat, energy, and molecules interact in the cooking process, making it a unique and educational read.

Quick quotes

    Kenji's background shows in his writing.

    The Food Lab is not a recipe book. It's a textbook, a manual for cooking.

    While it's full of great recipes, for me, the real value lies in the detailed explanations of the science behind each technique.

Food Crumbles · 2018-10-30
informative 3.50

The book is noted for its extensive length and the inclusion of a significant number of recipes, although the reviewer finds the number of recipes somewhat disappointing given the book's size. The detailed explanations and the practical advice are highly valued.

The reviewer points out that 'The Food Lab' is a substantial book, weighing in at 958 pages, but they find the number of recipes to be fewer than expected. Despite this, they appreciate the depth of the explanations and the practical advice provided. The book is seen as a valuable resource for those who want to understand the science behind cooking and improve their culinary skills. The detailed instructions and the focus on the scientific aspects of cooking make it a unique and educational read.

Quick quotes

    The book is big. It's a whopping 958 pages long and there's probably only about 300 recipes.

    Still a lot of course, but for such a long book you might expect more.

    The detailed explanations and the practical advice are highly valued.

Dr. Hoffman · 2017-01-13
great 4.30

The reviewer appreciates the book's focus on practical advice and the scientific explanations behind cooking techniques. They find it particularly useful for beginners and those interested in understanding the why behind cooking methods.

The reviewer from Dr. Hoffman's blog highlights 'The Food Lab' as a great resource for beginning cooks and anyone interested in the science behind cooking. They appreciate the book's focus on practical advice and the detailed explanations of why certain techniques work. The reviewer notes that the book's approach makes it easier to understand and apply cooking methods, even for those who are new to the kitchen. They also commend the book's ability to make complex concepts accessible and engaging, making it a valuable addition to any cook's library.

Quick quotes

    This is a great cookbook particularly for people like me, beginning cooks.

    So often recipes tell you to do something but never explain why. Mr. Alt uses his background in science to explain the how and why of cooking.

    The book's approach makes it easier to understand and apply cooking methods, even for those who are new to the kitchen.

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