Pierre Koffmann's Memories of Gascony is the story of how one of the most influential chefs of our time first learned to love food. With recipes and reminiscences from his grandparents' home in rural Gascony, this is an intimate account of school holidays spent on the farm helping his grandfather to harvest and hunt, and learning to treasure seasonality, simplicity and the best ingredients at his grandmother's side. The finest of Gascony produce is here, with a focus on simplicity. The recipes stand the test of time and speak to the food tastes and trends of today. While you read the charming stories of everyday life on the farm, you'll devour the cuisine as you go along - dandelion salad with bacon and poached egg, grilled chicken with shallots and vinaigrette, and greengages in armagnac in Spring; chicken liver pate with capers, Bayonne ham tart with garlic, oeufs a la neige in Summer; roast hare with mustard and beetroot, salt cod cassoulet and quince jelly in Autumn; and fried eggs with foie gras, potato and bacon pie and tarte aux pruneaux in Winter. This is a book to learn, love and live from.

Koffmann occupies a unique position among chefs in this country... La Tante Claire was a place of gastronomic pilgrimage. When Koffmann hung up his apron for, he declared, the last time, there was a collective outpouring of grief among serious eaters... -- Matthew Fort, Guardian This summer [no new restaurant opening] has been more exciting than this laid-back return of an old master we had very much missed. -- Giles Coren, The Times Koffmann and his brigade are cooking up some of the finest French food ever to pass my lips. Nothing overly elaborate; no incongruous smears or ill-thought-out towers. Just food to bring a tear to the eye. -- Tom Parker Bowles, Mail on Sunday

Pierre Koffmann has been at the heart of fine cuisine in Britain for over 40 years. He first achieved recognition working for the Roux Brothers. Between 1977 and 2004 his restaurant La Tante Claire set new standards for cooking while serving as an academy for many of today's culinary superstars and winning 3 Michelin stars. Between them his various proteges, from Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay to Tom Kitchin and Marcus Wareing, now boast over 20 Michelin stars of their own.He retired in 2003, but following a sell-out of his critically hailed pop-up at Selfridges in 2009, he's returned to the kitchen once more. His acclaimed new restaurant, Koffmann's at The Berkeley, serves classic provincial French cooking - the food that first inspired him to become a chef.