Allan Jenkins

Editor, Observer Food Monthly,

I am in a bit of a panic, I can't find my copy. I have lent it to someone and I don't remember who and it seems they have forgotten. All Olney's books are brilliant. I chaired a panel that declared his French Menu Cookbook the best of all time. But for my own taste, this edges the others. As much about good eating as cooking (obviously), now where the hell is mine?

Skye Gyngell

Chef and Author

Although I've owned this book for over twenty years it still gives me great pleasure as I turn each page. Each summer we put on the menu his beautiful dish of rabbit with cucumbers - it's one of my favourite summer dishes.

Cheryl Cohen

Farmer's market organizer

When I first read this, the list of ingredients was a revelation. Rocket was unknown, so I found the seed and grew it myself. The pages on the Impromptu Composed Salad should be required reading.

Francis Percival

Food Editor, The World of Fine Wine and co-founder and convenor of the London Gastronomy Seminars

Elizabeth David was the better prose stylist, but I have always found Richard Olney's recipes easier to follow...

Rita Erlich

Food writer

Nothing's actually simple, but it conveys such understanding of French cooking. Also Lulu's Provencal Table.

John Birdsall

Food Writer

Makes the case for French food as an ethos and a feeling, not a compendium of exact formulas.

Paul Levy

Writer and former chair of the Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery

The seminal book from one of the few writers/cooks ever to create a genuinely new recipe.

Tamasin Day-Lewis

Writer, film maker

Wholly unpretentious local recipes, and a life in food/food in life feel.

Fran Warde

Author

A small and tasty gem of a cookery book.

Catherine Brown

Writer

Gary Rhodes

Chef, restaurateur, author

Lucas Hollweg

Food writer

Chris Young

Co-founder of ChefSteps and author

Suzanne Goin

Chef

Martha Rose Shulman

Food Writer

Chris Fischer

Chef and farmer

Clark Wolf

Consultant and writer

Ruth Rogers

American born British Chef who owns and runs the Michelin Star Italian restaurant, The River Cafe

Cindy Pawlcyn

Founder/owner of Mustards Grill, and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen

Michael Leviton

Chef

Matthew Fort

Food writer and critic

Deborah Madison

Author

Lindsey Shere

Pastry chef

David Waltuck

Chef

Charles Shere

Writer and composer

Jeremiah Tower

Chef

James Peterson

Author

Molly Siegler

Editor

Stephanie Alexander

Food writer, former restaurateur, food educator

Lucinda Ebersole

Blogger

Jody Williams

Chef and owner of Buvette

Sonia Cabano

Author, former chef & TV cook/presenter

Tamar Adler

Food writer

Kevin Gould

Professional Food Lover

Jill Norman

Author and editor

Edward Behr

Editor, The Art of Eating

Maggie Beer

Chef

Dino Joannides

Author

Paul Kahan

Executive Chef and Partner

Russ Parsons

Food columnist of LA Times

Molly Stevens

Cookbook author