Jeremy Lee

One of the most distinctive voices in the British Food world, Jeremy Lee’s writing is lyrical, witty and insightful. A memory, tip or musing is never far from the page in what is sure to be one of the most distinctive cookbooks published for years – Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many.

From a lifetime of cooking with some of the UK’s greatest chefs – as well as lessons from his cookery teacher mother’s brilliant home cooking – this book is about good food honed from good ingredients whether that be some great potatoes, asparagus or some berries. It is they that invariably and best spark the idea of what to cook for supper. The book is a masterclass in simple things done well.

There are sections on the usefulness and frugality of breadcrumbs, whether black olive crumbs or parsley to serve on spaghetti, impromptu puddings like peaches in wine with bay leaves or plum compote with ricotta and hazelnuts, pea dishes galore, the most useful jams and jellies from a Dundee childhood, classics like chicken with asparagus, potatoes and wild garlic aioli, essentials like anchovy dressing.

Jeremy, originally from Dundee, Scotland came from a family where home cooking of a high order was daily fare. His parents and grandmother taught him the mysteries of finding good produce through good shopping. Jeremy applies this to the menus at Quo Vadis, where the cooking is bright, fresh, light and quintessentially British in a manner most modern.

‘A beautifully written instant classic that is every bit as exuberant and delicious as the man himself!’ Nigella Lawson

‘This is already a classic’ Fergus Henderson

‘One of the most beautiful cookery books I have ever seen. It should be prescribed’ Rachel Roddy