The Balthazar Cookbook

When restaurateur Keith McNally and co-chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson opened Balthazar in 1997, it immediately became one of the hottest restaurants in the country. Famous for its star-studded clientele, a beautiful room in the chic SoHo neighborhood, and superbly executed food, Balthazar has been embraced by New Yorkers and visitors alike for its perfect evocation of a French brasserie. The Balthazar Cookbookcaptures that energy, that style, and that cuisine, with recipes for the most-loved and most-accessible French dishes: seafood ranging from the ultra-simple Moules a la Mariniere to more ambitious Bouillabaisse; chicken and game favorites that include Coq au Vin and Cassoulet; red-meat classics such as Braised Short Ribs and Blanquette de Veau; sides like the perfect French Fries or sublime Macaroni Gratin; and finales that include Creme Brulee and Chocolate Pot de Creme. This is the best of French cooking, from one of the best-loved French restaurants in the country.

KEITH MCNALLY has owned such famed New York City hotspots as the Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell’s, as well as his current restaurants, Balthazar, Pravda, Pastis, Lucky Strike, and Schiller’s Liquor Bar. RIAD NASR and LEE HANSON are co-chefs at Balthazar, Pastis, and Schiller’s Liquor Bar. The lot of them live in New York City.