Recommended Books for the Restaurant Owner

Recommended books for the restaurant owner is our list of references you should keep in your office to learn and stay updated with the complex business of owning a restaurant. In our culinary section alone, we have a huge library of books that we use as reference, inspiration, creativity, information and helpful hints, recipes, resource for technique, review basic and more complex theory, definitions of culinary terms and to teach. Stay tuned for more categories such as leadership, marketing, selling, customer service etc right on this page.

Even though as the restaurant owner, you'll be hiring staff that should have or know and understand the restaurant business, often they do not. It's up to you to know what you want, know how it should be done, know the proper techniques etc. Begin to build your own reference library today, you'll be so glad you did when you need information fast and at your fingertips. We'll keep adding to this list of books we suggest for you to have the best and most successful restaurant so feel free to subscribe or use the email feature in comment section. Happy Reading!


Books on Cooking and Culinary Arts for the Restauranteur

The Professional Chef - we more than highly recommend that every restaurant owner has a copy of this masterpiece often called the 'Bible for All Chefs'. Restaurant owners will appreciate this 1200 page resource too for it's explanation of the science of food, knife skills, tips, recipes, photos, presentation ideas, soups, sauces and more. Get inspired by the authors from the Culinary Institute of America and find a place in your office for this beautifully detailed resource.
 Author The Culinary Institute of America $40 Free Shipping

On Food and Cooking - you'll love the chemistry of food in this handy book as a restauranteur. If you're not familiar with the why foods react the way they do to cooking or want to learn more about browning, simmering, braising, roasting and how each affects certain foods add this book to your library. As a restaurant owner, it's important that you understand the cooking process even if you won't be the one cooking.
Author Harold McGee $38

Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four Star Simplicity - this cookbook is a must have for the new restauranteur or even a struggling restaurant. New York's only 4 star seafood restaurant shares information to help you learn and see what it takes to get to that level. Here you'll learn recipes from Owner Maquy le Coze and Chef Eric Ripert and staff that help to make Le Bernardin one of the top rated New York City restaurants. Focusing on fish and every possible way to prepare all seafood from grilling, roasting, poaching, sauteing and a host of sauces to accompany your dishes. Appetizers, salads and desserts are also discussed and will help to inspire you in your new venture. We don't recommend that you copy other restaurant menus but, using Le Bernardin Cookbook will definitely get your own creative juices rolling for your menu.
Authors Maquy le Coze and Eric Ripert $28 Free Shipping

Larousse Gastronomique - The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia Updated  - you'll find this encyclopedia reference as a very handy book to have in your cooking library just as many chefs, authors and celebrities agree with. From recipes to culinary terms to cooking techniques, you'll find it here in a book you'll look to over and over again and keep for years and years.
Author Librairie Larousse $49 Free Shipping

Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts - is another must have for the restaurant owner or restaurant manager. Find the correct terms, spellings and definitions for over 20,000 terms right here and keep it handy while printing your flyers, menus, website updates, specials board or business cards. There's also information on food history, sanitation, nutrition and some chef biographies.
Authors Labensky and Ingram $20

Mastering the Art of French Cooking 2 Volume Boxed Set by the renowned Julia Child - every restaurant owner can and will learn from the master in this beautiful boxed set of recipes, techniques, how to on soup, main dishes, vegetables, fruit, side dishes, desserts and more. Julia Child is an icon for the ages and teaches cooking like no one else!
Author Julie Child $49 Free Shipping

Everything You Pretend to Know About Food and Are Afraid Someone Will Ask - we had to include this recommended book for restaurant owners. We have it and it's a fun read, yet informative for answering some questions that you can use in your restaurant, on your menus, quiz your staff or use in advertising such as: why does wine have legs, what makes popcorn pop, what are the most expensive foods, why are there different types of chocolate, who invented chocolate chip cookies, the most favorite cookie, how do oysters form pearls, what is a serrano, what is marzapan, what is miso and other interesting tidbits of useful information to the restaurant owner, chef and his customers.
Author Lynette Padwa $10 Free Shipping on orders of $25 or more