Wylie Dufresne writes his first cookbook for Ecco Imprint
Chef of the legendary New York restaurant wd~50, Wylie Dufresne, has recently signed on with Anthony Bourdain’s Ecco Imprint to release his first cookbook, according to Eater. Those in culinary school programs may already be familiar with Dufresne’s work, as he is one of the nation’s most well-known proponents of molecular gastronomy. It’s safe to say that Dufresne’s cooking style has been influential for a large number of contemporary and aspiring chefs, and that his inaugural work will likely make quite a splash in the food industry.
Ecco is a literary imprint of HarperCollins Publishers that in the past has published authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Charles Bukowski, Amy Tan and Tom Robbins. More recently, Ecco has emphasized culinary works of literature, publishing work by Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali. In early 2012, HarperCollins announced that Bourdain would be getting his own line of books. Since then, Bourdain, who has himself written memoirs “Kitchen Confidential” and “Medium Raw,” has published the work of chefs such as Roy Choi and Daniel Vaughn.
Wylie Dufresne’s Cookbook
Eater reports that cookbook writer and founder/editor of the magazine Lucky Peach Peter Meehan will be co-authoring Dufresne’s work. Meehan’s vast experience will assuredly come in handy considering this is Dufresne’s first published work. Photography is already underway, specifically at wd~50, and is being spearheaded by Fool Magazine editor P-A Jorgensen. Dufresne’s wd~50 is expected to be the focal point of the cookbook as a whole, considering the chef has spent a significant portion of his career there. Although no publication date is currently set, the cookbook is anticipated to be released sometime in 2015.
The Ecco Imprint
Ecco’s decision to publish more culinary works over the past few years stands to reason considering the rise of the farm-to-table movement. People across the country are focusing on the quality and sourcing of food, and therefore can learn a lot from some of the nation’s brightest chefs, such as Dufresne. Bourdain has developed a reputation for himself as a chef, television personality and food writer, so it makes sense that Ecco opted to give him a line of books. While he is not exclusively working with chefs, food certainly appears to be front and center. Roy Choi, another well-known American chef, published a cookbook/memoir under Bourdain’s imprint titled “L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food.” Bourdain has historically taken a memoir-style approach to food writing, so perhaps similar elements can be expected in Dufresne’s upcoming publication.
