Video: Heston Blumenthal considers follow-up book for the home cook

Heston Blumenthal’s recently launched Big Fat Duck Cookbook may not be a one-off, the chef-proprietor of Bray’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant has told Caterersearch.

The £100 book took Blumenthal four years to write and presents a snapshot of his ground-breaking restaurant at the present time. 

However, Blumenthal has not ruled out a follow-up book centred on Fat Duck dishes.

“I probably shouldn’t say this because I haven’t made a decision yet, but there could be another book with recipes influenced by this one for the home cook,” he said.

The idea, Blumenthal added, would be to take elements from some of his complex dishes and use them in alternative, more accessible recipes.

Watch Caterer's interview with Heston Blumenthal here

For instance, a pea puree, currently part of an intricate quail jelly dish, could be adapted down to make a Fat Duck-style pea soup.

Blumenthal also revealed that he had just agreed to work on a second book with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) using food cooking techniques to illustrate chemical principals.

“I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from the food science and academic world and it’s a fantastic thing to be in a position where you can influence or motivate young people to take up science or get involved in cooking from another angle,” he said.

Blumenthal’s first book with the RSC, Kitchen Chemistry, was published in 2005 and quickly became the organisation’s best selling educational book.

Read the full interview with Heston Blumenthal here >>

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By Joanna Wood

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