This book is an intrepid cook's guide to mastering professional level recipes-from the ordinary (bread and ice cream cake) to the extraordinary (barbacoa and vindaloo).

Learn from the masters and discover easy instructions for homemade ingredients-from hot sauce to cultured butters-and delicious recipes-from smoked ribs to seafood gumbo-in a fully illustrated cookbook that is the equivalent of a culinary school education.

Each of the five chapters, arranged by level of difficulty, transforms the reader from a beginner to a skilled home chef. Using step-by-step photography, Food & Wine and culinary experts like Jacques Pepin, David Chang and Dominique Ansel provide over 70 DIY cooking projects and an additional 50 recipes to accompany them.

To perfect the ultimate indulgent lasagna, readers will learn how to make homemade pasta, bechamel sauce, and three types of toppings. Constructing the ultimate layer cake entails three different filling choices and three different frosting types, not to mention a double-chocolate layer cake and a brown-butter layer cake.

Learn how to sous vide, pull pork, grill with leaves, and barrel-age cocktails. Whether you're looking to master the ultimate pecan pie, veggie burger or chicken pho, Master Recipes will be your new go-to cooking bible.