ABOUT THE BOOK

In this “gastronomic travelogue,” award-winning and rising star chefs from a mix of backgrounds and cultures share their stories and personal experiences, providing essential insights about the current food scene.

Born and raised in France, followed by a career in food in the United States, Emmanuel Laroche has had access to some of the world’s best food and drink—and to the incredible people who create it all. A passionate gourmet, he has moderated panels with many culinary leaders and on his podcast “Flavors Unknown”, has interviewed some of America’s most acclaimed chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and culinary pros about how they got their start, what they learned from mentors, how they mastered proper techniques, where their inspiration comes from and how they expand their culinary horizons. 

In Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door (Morgan James Publishing), Laroche distills these insightful dialogues into a compelling look at how today’s food culture is defined and trends that inform its future while also exploring his personal culinary adventures and experiences as an executive in the food industry. For new and aspiring chefs, fans of food and reality television, foodies and home cooks, these conversations provide valuable insight into a chef’s mind and creative process, their approach to the business of food and dining, the challenges of failure and success, and their inspirations behind a dish or drink. 

Emmanuel finds the common threads among culinary professionals from wide-ranging backgrounds, such as how many find inspiration in the history of their region, its local culture, and the flavors they encounter, eventually experimenting with new flavors and ingredients. And how they all are in constant pursuit of quality ingredients upon which they are able to apply their creativity. 

Included in the book are conversations with chefs such as: 

• Gabriel Kreuther, Chef/Owner of his eponymous two-Michelin-star restaurant in New York City 
• Iron Chef and James Beard Award-winner Jose Garces from Philadelphia 
• Vegetarian dining pioneer Chef Richard Landau from Vedge in Philadelphia 
• From San Francisco, chef and restaurateur Chris Cosentino and Chef/Owner Kim Alter of Nightbird/Linden Room
• Chef Johnny Spero from Reverie in Washington, D.C. 
• New Orleans Chef/Owner Michael Gulotta of MoPho and MayPop
• James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Jaime Bissonnette from Boston’s Toro, Copa, and Little Donkey
• Mixologist Bob Peters in Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Pastry Chef Philip Speer from Comedor in Austin, Texas 
• One of Food & Wine‘s Best New Chefs exploring Filipino food at Magna Kusina in Portland, Oregon, Chef Carlo Lamagna

Bonus content includes QR codes to corresponding “Flavors Unknown” podcast episodes and access to a free digital companion book with recipes of many of the dishes discussed. Readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the creative practices of renowned chefs, and inspiration to begin to create sensational dishes of their own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EMMANUEL LAROCHE is VP of Marketing with Symrise North America, a global manufacturer of flavors for the food and beverage industry. There, he developed an exclusive partnership with StarChefs and began moderating panel discussions with successful culinary professionals. 

He hosts the popular podcast “Flavors Unknown”, featuring a series of conversations with acclaimed and award-winning chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists from around the United States. 

Born and raised in France, Emmanuel lives in New Jersey and travels around the country conducting tastings and giving lectures and presentations on food, flavors, ingredients and consumer trends.

TALKING POINTS

• The creation and impact of the “Flavors Unknown” podcast, the insights Emmanuel gained by interviewing chefs, and how it broadened his understanding of diverse food cultures.
• How the process of turning podcast stories into a written book and narrative became more than a collection of culinary experiences.
• Tradition vs Innovation: How many chefs struggle to balance traditional cooking methods with innovative approaches in their creative process.
• The powerful role of immigration in enriching American food culture.
• How chefs need to be flexible and how culinary innovation and creativity should ultimately serve the customer’s needs and happiness. 
• How young chefs can better navigate their culinary journey and gain critical experiences.
• The challenge of balancing creativity, technique, and productivity. 
• Personal stories of immigrant chefs and how they’ve fused their native culinary traditions with American influences. Dive into how their narratives not only shape America’s food landscape, but also how food serves as a bridge between their birth countries and their adopted home.
• The importance of sourcing fresh, local ingredients and how these can inspire home cooks and professional chefs alike.
• The goals and desires of the nation’s top chefs; what drives them? What drives them crazy?