Happy in the Kitchen

Michel Richard is a man giddy with invention. Enamored of crispness, this master chef, who calls himself Captain Crunch, makes a potato gratin that is all crust. He makes his grits with tomato water rather than stock (lighter and fresher). He brûlées chocolate mousse, makes risotto from potatoes, and “salami” out of raspberries and almonds. He’s always looking for the twist that makes good things great—whether it’s his lamburgers, lobster burgers, tuna burgers, turkey “steak” au poivre, or the chocolate reverie Michel calls Le Kit Cat.

Step-by-step photos demonstrate Richard’s innovative technique that makes easy work of dicing, shaping, ruffling, and a plethora of other indispensable hand skills. With recipe titles such as Shrimp “Einstein,” Jackson Pollock Soup, Chicken Faux Gras, Figgy Piggy, and Happy Kid Pudding (made in the microwave), Happy in the Kitchen’s promise is good tastes and good times.