Virgin to Veteran : How to Get Cooking with Confidence

Virgin to Veteranis a cookbook with a difference! Written by Sam Stern, the twenty-year-old prodigy and author of five successful cookbooks already to his name, this is a modern masterclass in cooking designed to inspire and get young people (primarily twenty and thirty-somethings) into the kitchen and cooking with confidence. The way Sam sees it, there are only so many meals you'll ever cook, so you really should learn how to make each one special. From mastering the basics to insider tips and techniques, Virgin to Veteranwill teach you everything you need to become a confident cook. Starting with "Virgin Kitchen Set-Up" (the stuff you need to know to set up a workable space) Virgin to Veteranmoves on through ten chapters each focusing on a particular ingredient or food group. Diagrams and step-by-step guides demonstrate relevant skills such as knife-work, sauce-making and baking, while other key areas such as sourcing and substituting ingredients, seasonality and the secrets of great presentation are also covered. Once you've learned how to cook using a particular ingredient or technique, Sam shows other ways that you can put your newfound skills to good use. From fast food to slow, food to go or eat in, healthy to greedy, there are over 150 recipes to match every mood, budget and lifestyle. Virgin to Veteranis chock full of useful information presented in an engaging, accessible way that will teach young cooks the classic skills and techniques necessary to turn out delicious, mouth-watering recipes, all of which have been updated to fit how we live now. With Sam as your teacher, you will be creating fabulous meals in no time flat!

20-year-old Sam Stern has been cooking for as long as he can remember and is the author of five bestselling cookbooks written for young people. What started as a personal passion for cooking (and fierce kitchen competition with his older brother) turned into a mission to inspire his generation to cook. Cooking Up A Storm (2005), Real Food Real Fast (2006), Get Cooking (2007), Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook (2008) and Eat Vegetarian (2010) were published internationally to great critical acclaim while Sam was busy doing homework, studying for exams, and just being a kid.  Cooking Up A Storm has been translated into 14 languages, and together, Sam's cookbooks have seen worldwide sales of nearly 700,000 copies. Through his books and participation in the food world, Sam has attracted global media attention which in turn has given him unique status as the voice for aspiring young cooks.   Sam Stern is currently studying Politics, Sociology and Business at Edinburgh University.