Naomi Pomeroy’s "Taste & Technique" is the kind of cookbook that makes you feel like a professional chef—until you realize you’re covered in flour, your sauce has broken, and you’re talking to your shallots like they can hear you. But that’s the magic of this book—it pushes you out of your comfort zone in the best way possible. This isn’t about throwing things in a pan and hoping for the best; it’s about cooking with intention, refining skills, and making elevated dishes without losing your mind in the process. Pomeroy breaks things down in a way that feels encouraging rather than intimidating, making complex techniques feel (almost) doable.

The recipes lean French-inspired with a heavy dose of "wow, I just made that?" energy. Think crispy-skinned duck, velvety sauces, and vegetable dishes so good they might convert a lifelong carnivore. The ingredient lists can be a little ambitious (do you have crème fraîche right now? Be honest), but if you’re willing to commit, the results are worth it. The book’s structure is smart, walking through the foundational techniques that make everything else work, so by the time you get to the fancy stuff, you actually understand why you're doing what you're doing instead of just blindly following along.

At 4 stars, "Taste & Technique" is perfect for anyone who wants to level up their home cooking with a little guidance and a lot of butter. Some of the recipes might be a bit much for a weeknight (looking at you, multi-step soufflés), but if you’re ready to slow down, learn a few tricks, and make meals that feel like a flex, this book delivers. By the end, you won’t just be cooking—you’ll be cheffing.

There are some good recipes, however my mistake was thinking that reading it on kindle will make any sense. Book is goo, recipes are to, but I am never getting it as an e-book as I'm not able to fully appreciate it

The entire cookbook looks delicious, although I only attempted a few recipes. The ones I made turned out well, although probably not up to snuff insofar as how a "real" chef would make them. But then, so long as it tastes good, looks don't matter since I'm not running a restaurant.

A really wonderful full of great techniques. I'm not sure if I'm up to making these myself because I doubt I lack the skills. But I truly enjoyed reading it and hope to get try out a few recipes.

The introduction to this cookbook was especially fascinating to me. James Beard Award-winning and self-made chef Naomi Pomeroy's personal story had me reminiscing to reading Kitchens of the Great Midwest. By sharing her ups and downs in her journey as a chef, she connects with home cooks in a way some more famous "celebrity chefs" simply cannot. As a home chef myself, I was looking to learn a few things from Pomeroy's debut cookbook. However, as the title states, these techniques are a bit elevated and not necessarily something I will be doing in my kitchen on a random Tuesday night. I will reference the cookbook if I ever need to make something a bit fancier and I someday I will try her Classic French Onion Soup recipe. The photos are minimalist Instagram perfection and I found myself wishing for the physical version of this cookbook rather than the e-version I was reading from, but I think that about most cookbooks. Taste & Technique is divided into sections by meal course (salads, vegetables, fish, desserts, etc.) and would be a perfect addition to a home chef's bookshelf when they have advanced past kitchen basics.