Chad Robertson
Author of Tartine Bread
About the Author
Chad Robertson, of San Francisco, is a breadmaster at Bar Tartine and Tartine Bakery.Robertson has released his third cookbook, Tartine Book No. 3, which focuses on whole grain breads. He was inspired to create the book after a visit to Denmark, where bakers were "cultivating dozens of wheat show more varieties. In the book Robertson uses amaranth, quinoa, and other sprouted grains to add texture, flavor, and nutrition to his bread loaves. He believes there is an untapped resource of grains that can be combined in different ways. Robertson explains that since bread is essentially just flour, water, and salt he adds grains and employs fermentation methods for flavor. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by Chad Robertson
Associated Works
La Cucina Italiana: the magazine of the Italian Kitchen since 1929 — Contributor, some editions — 17 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Robertson, Chad
- Other names
- Robertson, Chad M.
- Birthdate
- 1972
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- baker
chef
breadmaster - Awards and honors
- James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef (2008)
- Relationships
- Prueitt, Elisabeth (spouse)
- Short biography
- Chad Robertson is co-owner of Tartine Bakery and Bar Tartine in San Francisco. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. With is wife Elisabeth Prueitt, Chad traveled, trained, and cooked in France and upon their return, opened Bay Village Bakery in Point Reyes Station, California. Using a wood fired brick oven, they baked bread and created rustic, elegant pastries using many of the techniques they had learned abroad. Chad’s bread garnered the attention of Alain Ducasse, who wrote about the couple in his book, Harvesting Excellence. After 6 years of baking in the countryside, they relocated to San Francisco to open Tartine Bakery in 2002. Tartine Bakery is continually rated in the Zagat Survey as Best Bakery and Best Breakfast in San Francisco. Elisabeth and Chad were nominated for James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chefs in 2006 and 2007, and won the award in 2008. Their first book, ‘Tartine’, published by Chronicle Books, was chosen by Corby Kummer of the Atlantic Monthly in the New York Times list of selected top ten cookbooks of 2006. It was also nominated for a James Beard award for the photography of France Ruffenach. Tartine Bread, Chad’s second book, published by Chronicle Books is in current release: Fall 2010.
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Texas, USA
- Places of residence
- San Francisco, California, USA
Point Reyes, California, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- California, USA
Members
Reviews
Chad Robertson and his wife and partner Elizabeth Prueitt founded Tartine Bakery in San Francisco to sell the bread he had developed by studying French Country baking methods. It became very popular and his bread regularly sold out in a few hours after opening. They grew to fulfill the demand and Chad wrote this book to teach others about his methods. With the help of photographer Eric Wolfinger, a former baking intern at Tartine, Robertson has produced a beautiful book that explains the show more history of his bread, how he developed it, and how to make it. The first 100 pages or so document Tartine bread and a few variations and the rest of the book has recipes for other types of breads and foods that use bread.
The method of creating a starter from scratch and baking your first loaves is deceptively simple and easy to follow. Photographs help you understand every step of the way. In my own kitchen, I've been able to create a good French country loaf using this book. The smell and taste of fresh bread is so wonderful! However, I've made some bad loaves too and I've had a heck of a time consistently getting my starter going, which is the key to everything. I feel the book could be improved a bit with a troubleshooting section to use when the home baker has trouble. show less
The method of creating a starter from scratch and baking your first loaves is deceptively simple and easy to follow. Photographs help you understand every step of the way. In my own kitchen, I've been able to create a good French country loaf using this book. The smell and taste of fresh bread is so wonderful! However, I've made some bad loaves too and I've had a heck of a time consistently getting my starter going, which is the key to everything. I feel the book could be improved a bit with a troubleshooting section to use when the home baker has trouble. show less
If you want to make French-style bread with sourdough this is probably a good place to start. Personally, I don't really like large holes in my bread. He does a good job of explaining some of the whys for his method.
Very nicely written, beautifully artistic black-and-white photos.
The instructions are not very clear. For a feeling and vibes-based process, it's really hard to know what to actually do at each point - how to translate the words into actions, and what to do when the mass of dough in front of you doesn't look or feel like the dough described in the text. And the wonderfully artistic photos are really hard to use as references.
The instructions are not very clear. For a feeling and vibes-based process, it's really hard to know what to actually do at each point - how to translate the words into actions, and what to do when the mass of dough in front of you doesn't look or feel like the dough described in the text. And the wonderfully artistic photos are really hard to use as references.
Tartine: A Classic Revisited: 68 All-New Recipes 55 Updated Favorites (Baking Cookbooks, Pastry Books, Dessert Cookbooks, Gifts for Pastry Chefs) by Elisabeth M. Prueitt
Oh Yum. Updated
I don't live in San Francisco and can't get to Tartine but I yearn for bakery treats like these. Tartine is a landmark for US bakers and lovers of high quality, creative baking.
Tartine has issued several cookbooks over the years and all should be on the serious baker's shelves. This new book updates some classic recipes and adds some modern ones like gluten free banana muffins and matcha flavored this and that.
These are classic recipes which means that they are not simple. But show more the writing is clear enough that the serious beginner baker can proceed with confidence.
I received a review copy of " Tartine: A Classic Revisited 68 All-New Recipes + 55 Updated Favorites" by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson from Chronical Books through NetGalley.com. show less
I don't live in San Francisco and can't get to Tartine but I yearn for bakery treats like these. Tartine is a landmark for US bakers and lovers of high quality, creative baking.
Tartine has issued several cookbooks over the years and all should be on the serious baker's shelves. This new book updates some classic recipes and adds some modern ones like gluten free banana muffins and matcha flavored this and that.
These are classic recipes which means that they are not simple. But show more the writing is clear enough that the serious beginner baker can proceed with confidence.
I received a review copy of " Tartine: A Classic Revisited 68 All-New Recipes + 55 Updated Favorites" by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson from Chronical Books through NetGalley.com. show less
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 9
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 1,630
- Popularity
- #15,773
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 16
- ISBNs
- 21
- Languages
- 6