The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Any Skill, and Living the Good Life This is my third Tim Ferriss book, I am now an avid fan. I have read the '4 Hour Work Week' and the '4 Hour Body'. So when this one was released, there was no question as to whether I would buy it or not. If you are expecting a cookbook full of recipes, you will be disappointed. Tim states right in the beginning of the book that this book is not about 'cooking'. He does teach a few skills like knife handling and even cook a couple of interesting exotic meals. This is more a book on learning, in which he uses cooking as his teaching aid.
The 4 Hour Chef is 672 pages and weighs quite a bit. The pages within are visually appealing incorporating a lot of nice pictures as well as funky layouts. This book reminds me of the Encyclopedia Britannica's, however I was very happy to find that the chapters within are self sufficient. You can open the book and read any chapter, that you need. You do not have to read the book from the first chapter to the last like most other books. However, one section that I would recommend everyone to read has to be the section on Meta-learning. You can find it right in the beginning of the book. This section applies to more things in your life, than just cooking. Tim Ferriss has been featured on the #1 spot on New York Times best sellers list for both of his previous books.
These are The 4-Hour Workweek and The 4-Hour Body. Newsweek likes to call him "the world's best guinea pig" and they have even ranked him in the top 10 of the "most powerful" personalities on their 2012 Digital 100 Power Index.
Besides writing Tim also advises and teaches at the Singularity University. You can find articles on him written in some of the world's best publications including but not limited to Forbes, The New Yorker, The Economist and of course The New York Times. I really enjoy Tim Ferriss's skills when it comes to storytelling, he has a special way with words. He is also very funny and this helps when you are reading through such a huge book. Some of my favorite tide bits besides the first section mentioned above were his tips on hacking languages. I think I will soon be able to speak a number of foreign languages. Then there is the skills that you can use in your kitchen such as adding vinegar to a salad first before adding the olive oil to prevent the vinegar from sinking to the bottom. He also includes what he calls 'Twitter recipes' these are essentially very simple quick recipes from all over the world.
This book could be used as a college textbook. I now keep my copy within easy reach in the kitchen, and very often I find myself flipping through it to discover something new I can try. The approach that Tim Ferris has taken in 4 Hour Chef will make anyone become interested in cooking. The many different recipes and ideas will help you add a little spice into your life. I was a Tim Ferris fan, before I read this book. Now that I have read it I am an even bigger fan. I have learnt a lot, and I am positive that you will pick up a few things too. Thank you Tim for yet another amazing quick reference book.
Available in several formats - The 4-Hour Chef by Timothy Ferriss now