Top Chefs' Most Inspiring Cookbooks: Eric Ripert, Suzanne Goin, Judy Rodgers and dozens more

Last week the New York Times' The Moment blog posted a fascinating list featuring food industry professionals picks for most inspiring cookbooks. Individuals polled ranged from famous chefs to best-selling cookbook authors to the owner of Kitchen Arts and Letters bookstore in Manhattan (worth a trip if you've never been).

The most popular cookbooks were deemed the "most stained" and included such classics as Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck; On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee; Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer; The Cake Bible By Rose Levy Beranbaum; The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan; Simple French Food by Richard Olney; The Escoffier Cookbook and Guide to the Fine Art of Cookery by Auguste Escoffier.

As part of our interviews with top chefs we routinely ask which cookbooks have influenced them the most or which ones they would recommend to an up and coming chef or serious home cook. We sorted through dozens of recent interviews to come up with our own list of notable cookbooks. Not surprisingly there is some crossover with the New York Times list, but there are also many other selections that came up repeatedly, including A Return to Cooking by Michael Ruhlman and Eric Ripert; Cooking by Hand by Paul Bertolli; Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson and Simply French by Patricia Wells. There were also a number of popular restaurant-inspired cookbooks including Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin and The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers.

Due to its length we've decided to publish the list in two parts. Here's part one to get you started. Part two will be available on Savory Tidbits next week.   

Mary Sue Miliken, Ciudad, Border Grill (LA)

• Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson

Dave Cruz, Ad Hoc (Napa Valley)

• Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point
• The Natural Cuisine of Georges Blanc by Georges Blanc
• Any books by Alice Waters

David Bouley, Bouley (NYC)

• The Big Oyster by Mark Kurlansky

Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern (NYC)

• Books by Ferran Adria

Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita (Seattle)

• Books by Marcella Hazan
• The Making of a Cook by Madeleine Kamman
• Splendid Soups by James Peterson

Anne Burrell, Centro Vinoteca (NYC) - watch video

• The Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Josiah Citrin, Melisse (LA) - watch video

• Gastronomie Pratique by Ali-bab
• Simply French by Patricia Wells

Elizabeth Faulkner, Citizen Cake and Orson (SF)

• The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers
• Books by Pierre Hermé
• Books by Dori Greenspan

Ron Suhanosky, Sfoglia (NYC)

• Books by Marcella Hazan

Nate Appleman, A16, SPQR (SF)

• The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Floyd Cardoz, Tabla (NYC)

• The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild
• The Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl

Mitchell Rosenthal, Anchor and Hope, Salt House, Town Hall (SF)

• Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen by Paul Prudhomme
• The Barbecue! Bible by Stephen Raichlen
• Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin

Suzanne Goin, Lucques, AOC and The Hungry Cat (LA)

• A Return to Cooking by Michael Ruhlman and Eric Ripert
• Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, Alice Waters 
• The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers

Vicki Fan, Beacon (LA)

• Alfred Portale's Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook by Alfred Portale

Cindy Pawlcyn, Mustard's Grill, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Go Fish (Napa Valley)

• Books by Richard Olney
• Books by Julia Child
• Books by Paula Wolfert
• Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson
• Books by Richard Sax
• Books by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Govind Armstrong, Table 8, 8oz (LA)

• On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
• Books by Alice Waters