A Work in Progress - by René Redzepi & Lars Ulrich (Hardcover)

About the Book

Insight into the inner workings of Noma and its highly creative team

Book Synopsis

A companion piece to Noma, A Work in Progress is a personal account of life at the now famous restaurant. Written by René Redzepi as a series of journal entries the text will be accompanied by approximately 75 brand new recipes worked on during the year. Illustrated with a combination of candid photography shot by René and his team (125 images), plus final dish shots (90), A Work in Progress promises to be a unique insight into the inner workings of the restaurant and its highly creative team of chefs.

Review Quotes

"These three books perfectly capture Rene Redzepi's gastronomic vision: playful and fiercely imaginative, deeply rooted in season and place, and committed to pure, real ingredients."--Alice Waters

"Rene Redzepi is, without a doubt, the most influential, provocative, and important chef in the world... This book chronicles a year in the life of a chef, a creative process - and a restaurant considered by many to be the best."--Anthony Bourdain

"Redzepi has given us a book - or really, three books - that take us not only into the field... but also into the wildest place of all: his mind. A striking, thought-provoking, and imminently pleasurable read."--Daniel Barber

"F**k me, he's a good chef!"--Fergus Henderson

"This is a brilliant, honest, and ultimately exhilarating insight into one of the most important culinary minds in the world."--Daniel Patterson

"The perfect package... Gorgeous recipes, candid snapshots, and a year's worth of journal entries are what you get in Rene Redzepi's latest... But that's not our favorite thing about the Noma chef's three-volume set. The package design - three monochromatic and straight-up minimalist covers, all held together by a color-coordinated rubber band - makes this title (and all of its parts) a must for any collection."-- Bon Appetit

"There's no doubting [Redzepi's] genius... A profound insight into how he conceives his dishes... The [recipe] selection here contains some of Noma's key naturalistic techniques and will therefore be of interest to many chefs cooking at a high level... A rare glimpse into one of the world's most influential kitchens."--Restaurant

"...A raw, fascinating and innovative exploration of an elite chef's obsessive life. But more than that, it is a book about creativity."--The San Francisco Chronicle

" [A] must-have cookbook."--InStyle

"...[A Work in Progress] forms an intimate look at what Redzepi does, how he does it, and what it means to do it... What fun to delve into this landscape of Nordic ingredients and ideas. You just might find yourself dreaming about eating hay and ants for dinner and spruce parfait for dessert."--Food & Wine

"Unique and insightful, this is one collection true food lovers will delight in."--Publishers Weekly

"...The best portrait yet of the intellectual and emotional challenges of delivering one of the most creative menus in the business."--The Economist

"A food nerd's dream."--Wine Enthusiast

"[A Work in Progress] gets our pick for the best cookbook of the year because it's human, intimate and inspiring."--Tasting Table

About the Author

René Redzepi is one of the most influential chefs on the international gastronomic scene. He is head chef and majority owner of the 2-star Michelin restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, which specializes in Nordic cuisine and sources ingredients exclusively from Scandinavia. Classically trained, Redzepi began his culinary career at Copenhagen's Restaurant Pierre André, eventually moving onto El Bulli, The French Laundry, and Kong Hans Koelder. He founded Noma in 2003 and since then, the restaurant has taken the number one spot in the World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards in 2010, 2011, and 2012. In 2008, Redzepi established the Nordic Food Lab, a non-profit institution established to explore Nordic cuisine. He also participates annually in MAD Food Camp, a platform that engages leading chefs, scientists, and academics each summer to discuss a new theme.

Redzepi's first major cookbook, Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine (Phaidon, 2010) was hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "the most important cookbook of the year" and won both IACP and James Beard awards.