When chef Tom Valenti cooks at home for family and friends, flavors are big and bold, and preparations fast and flexible. For more than twenty years, Valenti has ranked among New York's top chefs, creating innovative and critically acclaimed menus for some of the city's most popular restaurants. Now join Valenti in the kitchen, where he reveals professional secrets for creating deep, robust flavors in your own home. Valenti offers more than 150 recipes for every occasion: Try a cup of Wild Mushroom Soup and a Sautéed Spinach Sandwich for a casual weekend lunch, or Foie Gras Ravioli with Chickpeas, Leeks, and Basil at that special dinner party. Each recipe is full of do-ahead suggestions as well as fascinating background notes on any unusual ingredients or unorthodox techniques (water, for example, is used in a number of ways to open up flavors). From tips on how to regulate heat for best flavor and texture to new uses for sugar in savory dishes, Valenti's culinary wisdom will help you cook like a chef. Welcome to My Kitchen will surprise and inspire kitchen veterans and casual cooks alike. Read Less