L’Impero restaurant chef and owner Scott Conant tantalizes and tempts the tastebuds with over 130 simple but sophisticated recipes that will please the palate of even the most discerning diner in Scott Conant’s New Italian Cooking.

L’Impero restaurant in Manhattan was honored with the prestigious James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in 2003. But you don’t have to spend a few grand to fly to New York to enjoy the recipes that made the restaurant famous. With this book, you, too, can be a chef worthy of your own show on the Food Network, right between the jolly Emeril and that cutie-pie, Rachel Ray. Conant presents dozens of signature recipes, accompanied by color photos and easy-to-follow directions. He even suggests a wine suitable for each meal. Many of the dishes are geared towards hectic schedules and require no more than 45 minutes to prepare.

The yummy Italian recipes cover everything from soup, salad and other appetizers to full main course meals, side dishes and, of course, desserts. Think Baked Polenta Margarita and Scallop Carpaccio with Scallions and Lemons. Think pasta and gnocchi and Short Rib Agnolotti with Horseradish and Brown Butter. Think risotto and chicken dishes and Grilled Shrimp with Mint, Orange and Fennel Couscous. Think Chocolate Soup and Creamy Lemon Cheesecake. And when you’re done thinking, then get cooking because the sooner you start to cook, the sooner you get to eat!

There are simple, everyday meals and fancy, elegant meals and everything in between, and the recipe instructions are detailed enough so that even a kitchen lunkhead like me can whip up a little Orecchiette with Carmelized Cauliflower and Shallots, even if I can’t pronounce Orecchiette (and I am ITALIAN!).

Scott Conant’s New Italian Cooking brings the fine dining experience of one of the country’s top restaurants right into your kitchen, but without Scott, of course. With this book in hand, you won’t even miss him.

I give this book Two Yums Up!