Food & Cooking

Melanie Dunea meets Heat in this award-winning photographer’s stunning celebration of world-famous chefs and their final meals.

Chefs have been playing the “My Last Supper” game among themselves for decades, if not centuries, but it had always been kept within the profession until now. Melanie Dunea came up with the ingenious idea to ask fifty of the world’s famous chefs to let her in on this insider’s game and tell her what their final meals would be. My Last Supper showcases their fascinating answers alongside stunning Vanity Fair-style portraits. Their responses are surprising, refreshing, and as distinct from each other as the chefs themselves. The portraits–gorgeous, intimate, and playful–are informed by their answers and reveal the passions and personalities of the most respected names in the business. Lastly, one recipe from each landmark meal is included in the back of the book. With My Last Supper, Dunea found a way into the typically harried, hidden minds of the people who have turned preparing food into an art. Who wouldn’t want to know where Alain Ducasse would like his supper to be? And who would prepare Daniel Boulud’s final meal? What would Anthony Bourdain’s guest list look like? As the clock ticked, what album would Gordon Ramsay be listening to? And just what would Mario Batali eat for the last time?

Featuring: Ferrán Adrià, José Andrés, Dan Barber, Lidia Bastianich, Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Daniel Boulud, Anthony Bourdain, Scott Conant, Gary Danko, Hélène Darroze, Alain Ducasse, Wylie Dufresne, Suzanne Goin, Gabrielle Hamilton, Fergus Henderson, Thomas Keller, Giorgio Locatelli, Masa Kobayashi, Nobu, Jamie Oliver, Jacques Pepin, Gordon Ramsay, Michel Richard, Eric Ripert, Marcus Samuelsson, Charlie Trotter, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and more…

From the surprisingly simple to the lusciously extravagant, with so called ‘naked cakes’ what you see is what you get!

Here you will find recipes and decoration ideas for exquisitely beautiful cakes. While in previous years the fashion had been for cakes to be encased in fondant and decorated in a fancy style, there is now an established trend for stripping cakes back, and decorating them more simply with edible flowers and vibrant berries or using different shades of batter to make the cake itself the star attraction.

Whether you want to create Vintage Elegance, Rustic Style, Romantic Charm, Chic Simplicity or Dramatic Effect, or make something to represent the Changing Seasons, you’ll find the perfect recipe and design here. Choose from floral cakes such as Rose Petal Cake, zingy citrus bakes such as Clementine Cakes and luxurious berry fruit offerings including Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Cakes. There are plenty of ideas to tempt the sophisticated nut-lover and chocoholic, such as Chocolate Chestnut Cake, Hazelnut Harvest Cake, and Pistachio Layer Cake. These cakes are not for every day—they are special treats and perfect for birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations all year round.