Amazon.com (ISBN 0761116982, Hardcover)

Restaurant staff meals are a lot like family meals. In fact, most staffs call it exactly that--the family meal. And the challenges are the same: how to please the palates of people who know precisely what they like, and how to do it in a time- and cost-effective way. In this hefty volume (433 pages of recipes!), David Waltuck, chef and owner of Chanterelle, the award-winning, critically acclaimed restaurant in New York City, shares his solutions to this universal quandary.

The family meal at Chanterelle is a chance for the staff to "take an enjoyable and sociable break from their hectic schedule." Just like at home, they relax, "schmooze," and get to know each other. The key, of course, is that no one is slaving away in the kitchen. Whatever they eat must be made in advance, with minimum fuss, and left to simmer, braise, bake, or roast, until they're ready for it. A number of people share the responsibility for feeding the crew, and the diverse menu reflects the diversity of the staff. From Chicken Soup with Fresh Herbs and Homemade Matzoh Balls to Meat Loaf, Italian Style, to Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons to Chanterelle's Breakfast Waffles, these recipes are for quintessential comfort food. Restaurant work is physical, so portions must be ample and provide the energy everyone needs to work the next shift. The meals should be flavorful and interesting but appeal to a broad range of eaters. Every one of these extraordinary recipes delivers, from the luxurious Butternut Squash and Bourbon Soup and the tender, braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary to the nut-packed, mildly spicy Chicken with Cashews and the easily elegant Cream Cheese Pound Cake. These recipes can be put together quickly and easily and are either ready in a flash or can be left to cook unattended. There are a few more-elaborate recipes, for celebrations, perhaps, that require a little extra TLC, but between the easy-to-follow instructions and the useful tips (how to clean squid, saving a separated butter sauce, testing fish for doneness, and more), your family and your guests will be well fed--and you will be the hero. Just like the Chanterelle staff sweatshirt says, "Good food and plenty of it." --Leora Y. Bloom