Cooking for Chaps: Stylish, no-nonsense meals for the man about town

by Gustav Temple, Clare Gabbett-Mulhallen

Aimed at those who want to cook for themselves in an original, time-honoured fashion, or host proper dinner parties. Cooking for Chaps also sets out to re-educate men (and women) in the basic, fundamental arts of British cookery. This is no novelty cookbook - Clare is passionate about educating people to cook in traditional ways, but without advocating ridiculously difficult-to-find and expensive ingredients. She endorses a back-to-basics approach that retains the best of English country cooking and adds plenty of contemporary flourishes. All the recipes are delicious, practical, inexpensive, seasonal and applicable to every level of cook. Cooking for Chaps is targeted at men who haven't a clue how to cook, and to women who are fed up with being shouted at by trendy young whippersnappers on television cookery programmes, and who want to re-learn some of the skills their grandmothers would have had in the kitchen.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2014

About the author

Gustav Temple has been the editor of The Chap magazine since 1999, when Britain’s finest gentlemen’s quarterly was launched. The Chap, now bi-monthly, recently celebrated its 15th year of publication and continues to spread the word of anarcho-dandyism through its pages, as well as via its annual gathering of the excellently dressed, The Chap Olympics. Mr. Temple is the author of six books, including The Chap Manifesto (2001) and Cooking for Chaps (2014). Mr. Temple’s grand quest is to rid the world of pantaloons de Nimes, sportswear off the sports field and uncouth behaviour. He believes that a man who is properly dressed has much more to offer the world than a slovenly fellow, and that society ultimately benefits when there is more dandyism on the streets.

Reviews

[Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and amusing, as you might expect from Gustav Temple, this also has recipes for some very decent looking meals. The focus is traditionally British, but in a good way, and with a section for the sadly now forgotten savoury course, this is splendid for any fellows set on entertaining.

[Tony Hands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful yet practical book for us chaps. I have become some what 'rusty' with my culinary skills. This book is helping me to cook some straight forward but different meals for my good wife. Highly recommended.