Really enjoyed looking at this cookbook, that included photos for every dish and getting some ideas from them. Though I admit I will probably not be cooking from it, as those recipes are really a chef's - time-consuming, needing lots of ingredients and many preparations.

The recipes here also ask for open-mindedness (I can really see a lot of Japanese influence in the book) and are for people not afraid to try new things.
Personally, I love trying new things! My young kids, not so much... but maybe later?

I especially liked the creativity of the chef and his drive for more exciting flavours, textures and something exceptional in American cuisine, a move away from sweetness. I often struggle with the sweetness of American food, so this is definitely a plus for me.

I recommend to curious foodies who like to explore and discover new foods, who like fusion cuisine, and who like those exciting modern restaurants where they re-invent classics with whole new ranges of flavours.

If you're thinking about trying keto, look no further than esteemed chef Jason Raffin's stunning new book loaded with tasty keto fare and incredible photos. Loved it!

Who would like Jason Raffin’s Keto Like a Chef? Let’s filter that out.

If you’re from Hawaii, count yourself in, regardless of whether you’re following a ketogenic diet. If you’re not living in the land of Aloha nor keeping keto, this book is not for you; you can get easier and yummier recipes elsewhere. If you’re on the keto bandwagon (no shade, my son keeps keto), this cookbook still may or may not be for you. If ingredients such as lahpet, togarashi, Kashmiri chili powder, bonito flakes, dashi powder, kyurizuke, pigs’ ears (yes, literally the ears of pigs, not just a moniker), lavender blossoms, beech mushrooms, and/or maitake mushrooms scare you, this book is probably not for you. But if you’re literally a chef — keto-leaning or not — it’s likely you’ve found just the cookbook to wow the finicky Karens you’ll be serving. Five stars for the latter, two stars for normies keeping keto.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Girl Friday Productions and Flashpoint Books in exchange for an honest review.

Jason Raffin planned to travel in Europe but decided to first visit Hawaii. The year was 2020 and whileCovid regulations kept him there, he began several life changes. He stopped drinking and started the Chef Cooperative for Covid, raising money for local farms. He also experimented with Keto. This cookbook is the result.

Although you might be familiar with Keto diets, Keto Like a Chef, illustrated with breathtakingly beautiful photographs by Keith Schikore, is full of keto recipes with clearly written instructions that make keto look gourmet. If you follow a keto or are ready to start, these recipes will be a delicious addition to your diet. Organized by meal, you’ll learn how to cook a keto Cheese Soufflé, Egg Quiches, Cola BBQ Ribs, Burmese Salad, Tuna Poke Lettuce Wraps and more. My favorite is Lobster Chaud-Froid. With scales made of thinly sliced radishes and turnips, it looks like a work of art.

Tragically, the wild fires that devastated Lahaina in August 2023 destroyed Raffin’s home and business. He helped to feed volunteers and the homeless then helped form the Hua Momona Foundation. He is now their executive chef. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Girl Friday Productions and Jason Raffin for this ARC.

If you are looking for a truly gourmet keto cookbook, this is it. Each recipe has a beautiful photo and nutritional information. These are more work than I honestly have in me but they seem exceptional and worthy of Top Chef or the highest end restaurant. The author is himself keto and clearly a very well trained chef.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

This is a beautiful cookbook. Having been Keto myself for several years, I appreciate that the author keeps it short on how to be keto. So the beginning portion of the book before the start of the recipes is short. Love that!

All that being said, this is not a cookbook for the novice/beginner chef. You definitely need to have some skills in the kitchen to make a good number of these recipes. I also found that some of the ingredients listed are not something I can easily find in my area such as lahpet for the Burmese Salad. There are also a lot of recipes that require more expensive ingredients like lobster which can be out of budget for the average person.

However, I can tell that these dishes have to be amazing. It’s also refreshing to see a Keto cookbook that doesn’t include a ton of recipes containing heavy cream and cheese as most that I’ve read in the past do.

If you have some skill in the kitchen, follow the well-detailed steps, I think you have a winner on your hands with this book.