After 12 years as chef and owner of Two-Star Michelin award winning Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, chef Josiah Citrin opens up his kitchen and shares the recipes that have consistently earned him rave reviews with his first cookbook, In Pursuit of Excellence. Trained in France and of French heritage, Citrin's approach to cuisine pairs classic French technique with farm-to-table produce that he personally sources for his inspired cuisine. He has been masterfully coaxing flavors and essences out of the ordinary and formulating them into sublime, original dishes that are the equivalent of sensory art to the eye and palate. In Pursuit of Excellence offers 240 pages of his award-winning cuisine and recipes that are explained in methodical detail along with interesting stories behind how these dishes were created and informative asides about ingredients he chooses and the techniques that he employs. In Pursuit of Excellence inspires and teaches Citrin's philosophy and methodology in a friendly, hands-on manner to make cooking and eating cuisine of this caliber more approachable than ever. From base recipes to making the perfect puree, challenging the reader to try geoduck and sweetbreads or to prepare paper roasted rabbit; readers are encouraged to try parts or all of a recipe or to swap components of some with others. Former restaurant critic and friend Patricia Aranka Smith frames Citrin's story of moving up the ranks in the culinary world by being voted one of the top ten chefs in America by Food and Wine Magazine (1997) to the launching of the consistently high-rated Melisse Restaurant. With her personalized account of having seen his raw talent in Paris to witnessing his rising star over the course of two-plus decades, In Pursuit of Excellence reveals what continues to make Citrin the culinary force that he has become with the food that has earned him respect among critics and peers alike. Accompanied by exquisite, colorful photos that capture and deliver his unique culinary prowess, In Pursuit of Excellence captures your attention and keeps it by making it possible to finally be able to prepare the dishes from this long-time favorite Los Angeles restaurant at home. Cover Flaps: In Pursuit of Excellence is the first cookbook of Two-Star Michelin chef Josiah Citrin. Since opening the doors of Mélisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, Citrin has been astounding guests and gathering critical acclaim with his inventive French-influenced cuisine that focuses on methodical preparation and laser sharp presentation of farm-to-table ingredients. His passion, determination and creativity are captured within these pages as he shares detailed recipes, his philosophy and the stories behind his dishes and how to prepare the foods that have made him an award winning chef and force to be reckoned with. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice in Paris to working for Wolfgang Puck and Joachim Splichal, Citrin's career and influence have spanned the globe. He has appeared on Hell's Kitchen , After Hours with Daniel (Boulud) and trained Aaron Eckhart for several months for his role in No Reservations . He has been written up in numerous publications, including Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, Wine Spectator and The Robb Report. In 1997, Citrin was voted one of the top ten chefs in America by Food and Wine Magazine. A firm believer in giving back to the community, he can often be found contributing his time and talents to various charities on the local and national level.Citrin resides in Venice with his wife Diane, son Augier and daughter Olivia. When he's not living the dream as he likes to say, he can be found surfing.Patricia Aranka Smith is a writer and artist. A former newspaper columnist and restaurant critic, she and Josiah Citrin have been friends for nearly 25 years. She is honored to have witnessed his success and to have been asked to collaborate with him on this cookbook. In previous incarnations, Smith has been a cruise line executive and lyricist. Among other cities, she has 0lived in New York, Paris, Athens, Copenhagen and Budapest. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she writes and paints. Unbeknownst to many, she is also a stay at home comedienne. You can see (some of) her artwork on the walls of Mélisse or at patriciasmithfineart.com.Food photographer and videographer, Matt Kiefer, also practices graphic and web design. A graduate of Ball State University, Kiefer was grateful for the opportunity to shoot for Chef Josiah Citrin. The thought and effort that Chef Citrin put into each dish made the task of capturing the essense of Mélisse a professional treat. Clean, beautiful and all about the food. In addition to being a photographer and videographer, Kiefer is also a father(ographer). He and his wife have just welcomed their second child. Two-Star Michelin Chef Josiah Citrin is the owner of critically acclaimed Mélisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, California. His highly sought after