Mother and daughter American expats Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini always dreamed of living in France. With a lot of hard work and a sprinkling of fate, they realized this dream and founded The Cook’s Atelier, a celebrated French cooking school in the heart of Burgundy. Combining their professional backgrounds in food and wine, they created a convivial international culinary destination. Their debut cookbook chronicles their life in a charming French village and their relationships with the region’s artisan food producers and winemakers. Featuring more than 100 market-inspired recipes, the book—like their school—teaches classic French techniques in a beautiful, approachable way. With more than 200 enchanting photographs, The Cook’s Atelier is a richly illustrated presentation of the family’s delicious world, and a practical primer for adopting elements of the French lifestyle at home, no matter where you live.
About the Author
Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini are the mother-and-daughter duo behind The Cook’s Atelier, a French cooking school, culinary boutique, and wine shop in Beaune, France, which has been featured in many publications, including Travel & Leisure, Fodor’s, Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.
Industry Reviews
"It is a little early, but I think this may be one of the Cook's Library's books of the year. I have already sat down and read it aloud to my children as it is written so evocatively, photographed superbly, and thick with the substance of French food" The Times
"WE STILL PINCH ourselves,' admits Marjorie Taylor as she describes the cookery school and cookware and wine shop she runs with her daughter, Kendall Smith Franchini." The Telegraph Magazine
"If you want to master a new skill, a cooking school's book is a good place to start. Especially when it's from this French one of the same name, which is where I imagine Julia Child would have gone if she were going to school now. It has promising recipes, inviting photos, heartwarming stories and tips that will make you a better home cook." Tasting Table
"The authors are remarkably adept at conveying what makes their adopted home so special, and their seductive book is likely to have readers fantasizing about their own escapes to France." Publishers Weekly
"The Cook's Atelier by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, is no ordinary cookery book, but a 360 love letter to French cooking, from the kitchen environment and its tools right through to the selection of ingredients, cooking techniques, and wine pairings. Serious about perfecting your culinary skills? This book is for you." Image Magazine, Ireland
"Featuring more than 100 market-inspired recipes alongside beautiful
images, a read of this book is the next best thing to actually visiting
the Beaune atelier, and is one that provides a gorgeous take on classic
French cuisine." Living France
"These seasonal menus and thorough instructions for traditional techniques are seasoned with personal stories, accounts of their relationships with local suppliers and portrayals of life in the region. From basic butchering to beurre blanc, and from madeleines to mousseline, their take on French cuisine is fresh and inviting." The Lady
"Since 2008, mother and daughter duo Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini have taught legions of would-be chefs to cook at their school in Beaune, Burgundy. In this, their first cookbook, they've brought their collective teaching experience to the page, guiding the reader through classic French recipes like plum tarte tatin, watermelon and vineyard peach salad, and baby leek galettes with goat cheese and wild garlic." Departures.com