Reviews of Maze by Gordon Ramsay or Jason Atherton

This cookbook by seriously talented chef Jason Atherton is the kind that makes it worth spending hours in the kitchen. Beautifully photographed, it's packed with recipes that reflect the clever, well thought out food served at MAZE, where Atherton is executive chef. Many of the recipes, such as braised shin of veal with pea risotto, require skill and time to put together their constituent parts but you can cherry pick parts to make alone, such as the risotto. This is the perfect present for a competent cook.

Sainsbury's magazine wrote that the head chef of Gordon Ramsay's MAZE in London shares the recipes for its famous tapas-style dishes, for you to make at home. try butter-roasted cod with silky mash or steamed smoky sea bass with candied aubergine.

Delicious magazine suggested that you may know Jason Atherton as head chef at Gordon Ramsay's Michelin-starred London restaurant, 'Maze'. Jason describes his favourite recipes just as they are prepared in the restaurant, offering everyone the opportunity to create a little Maze at home, and follows each recipe with two more dishes based on the same core ingredients.

Some of the Amazon reviews read as follows;

1. I did a Maze cookbook dinner party last night and everything was fab, the quantity of meat in the hotpot was on the generous side but more left overs, the apple trifle is very impressive served in martini glases. as with any cook book one can use the ideas and adapt them.

2. If the other reviewers read the preface to the book, they would see and understand that there are 30 professional recipes from Maze and 60 more domestic recipes. The 60 easier recipes (2 for each professional one) are based on "leftovers" or the same ingredients/flavors as the 30 professional recipes aimed towards the home cook.

It is a nice balance between the professional chef and the average chef.

The photography is beautiful and book flows well.

A solid addition to any cookbook collection. Jason Atherton is London's rising star.

3. I was a bit unsure about purchasing this book having read previous reviews but being a big fan of Jason Atherton's cooking and Maze restaurant I decided to give it a go.

This is an unusual book in that it presents you with both detailed restaurant style recipes such as those included in Thomas Keller's French Laundry book or Gordon Ramsay's 3 Star Chef book and also recipes geared towards something you can throw together for a midweek meal but using the same ingredients or leftovers from the main recipe.

The restaurant style recipes of which there are 30 are well laid out, several of them recognisable from the Maze menu and suitably adjusted for the home kitchen, most of them require plenty of time and serious effort however after trying a few of them, they work and have impressed friends and family. The easier recipes are then provided as two options from the main recipe. It's a good approach, I've found myself either preparing an easier recipe in advance where for example the main recipe requires a pre-made component such as a sorbet or a confit that can be stored for the main event or alternatively using up leftovers in easier meals.

For anyone who has tried to step up their home-cooking with the likes of Essence, The French Laundry Cookbook etc. and found them a little daunting this book is a good stepping stone for building confidence.

4. This book is brilliant! The dishes included are very wide-ranging with something to suit all occassions and moods. All the recipes I have tried have been very easy to follow and, most importantly, delicious to eat..