After flicking through, I was impressed to find an array of recipes taking on British classics such as roast beef and  fillet steak and adding glamorous touches to each.  Dry-aged beef with textures of the onion family – ooh get you!

I then scanned every page, dreaming up dinner party menus from recipes in the book. Mussel Bree followed by Shoulder of spring lamb with fried new potatoes, and Red fruit soup with rosemary syrup and lemon Madeleine to finish, I thought.

With an impressive host of chefs, from John Burton Race to Marcus Wareing, each recipe is intricate and inspiring, yet there are still some more basic dishes that still encouraged me to cook. That’s the great thing about this book: whether you’re going all out to impress your new boss, or cooking a family meal on a weekend, each recipe has something different to offer.

The book introduces its chefs, with a bio on each. Not only do you learn about each chef (did you know Anthony Worrall Thompson swam the channel at 16?….), but you feel their recipes are personal to them. The book is divided into sections: starters, fish course main course and desserts.. Each chef’s name fits neatly under the recipe’s name – a nice touch.

I consider myself a rather good cook (modest, too) but I think there are some things in this book that perhaps are best left to the experts. Noel McMeel’s Smoked Eel Mousse with boxty pancakes, horseradish and mustard grain cream screamed out at me as one of those recipes that falls into that category. I can’t say I’ve had eel before, but “acquired” and “taste” spring to mind with this one.

There’s something to say for a recipe book without pictures, personally I don’t usually get inspired by just words on a page. With this in mind, it’s pleasing to see an abundance of “this is one I made earlier” style pictures, such as the decadent Toffee Apple Sundae.

I am really impressed with this book. My mouth is watering as I read the recipes, and glance at the close-up pictures of some of the masterpieces contained within it. I’m full after a rather large lunch, but I still want to try some of the things I am seeing: a sure sign that this book is a success.