“Put flavor first,” Jean-Georges Vongerichten insists. The acclaimed chef (New York’s Jean-Georges is his flagship restaurant) knows a few things about how to please Americans with his elegantly streamlined rendition of French cuisine. The title of his memoir, JGV: A Life in 12 Recipes, is self-explanatory. It’s a life story told through food—childhood memories of his mother’s cooking, his sometimes-difficult ascent to culinary stardom—garnished with recipes and food prep tips. How to serve it French without all that butter and cream? Vongerichten recommends carrot juice seasoned with allspice, cinnamon and cayenne with a spritz of lemon juice and the slightest dab of butter.
