About the book: 2010 / In the new book, the president of the St. Petersburg Guild of Chefs, Ilya Lazerson, with polemical fervor, rejects the usual structure of constructing cookbooks, which are usually oversaturated with the strictest instructions on the dosage of ingredients in recipes for recommended dishes. The author’s goal is to develop the culinary thinking of readers, and his personal concept is that categoricalness in culinary matters is unacceptable; there should always be elements of improvisation when preparing food. Talking about the basic principles of preparing classic culinary dishes, he almost excludes specific numbers; they are occasionally given only in instructions on the proportional ratios of the components of dishes. The publication examines a wide range of exotic herbs, spices and seasonings that have come into circulation in our country relatively recently. The book ends with a “Small Culinary Dictionary.” Undoubtedly, this work can be useful for both beginners and professional cooks.