Food Network stars may do well publishing $14.95 paperbacks, but these days, there's another breed of cookbook on the market, one that combines food, art and armchair travel. Here are five of this fall's gems, priced to move... eyebrows.

At the Crillon and at Home: Recipes by Jean-François Piège (Flammarion, Sept.) A Day at elBulli by Ferran Adrià (Phaidon, Sept.) Alinea by Grant Achatz (Ten Speed, Oct.) Under Pressure by Thomas Keller (Artisan, Nov.) The Big Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal (Bloomsbury, Nov.)
Why are you publishing this book? Kate Mascaro: “Because it is unlike other cookbooks from celebrity chefs in its presentation.” Richard Schlagman: “Because Ferran Adrià is the best in the world.” Aaron Wehner: “It was the most visually striking package I've ever received for a cookbook.” Ann Bramson: “Because we have a long and highly successful publishing relationship with Thomas.” Sabrina Farber: “Because it's a work of art, a statement.”
Who will buy it? Foodies, yes, but there are “a wide range of recipes for all skill levels.” Foodies, though “even a competent home cook won't be able to make the dishes.” Professionals are “a given,” plus people who follow the high-end cooking scene. Professionals and “food geeks—but it's also going to be the gift book for foodies.” “It's not for the casual browser, obviously.”
First printing? 5,000 “Significantly above 100,000” in English. 50,000, “and we've presold half of it.” 35,000, “and we're thinking that may not be enough.” “A few thousand” for the U.S. and Canada.
How did you determine pricing? “The costs are simply based on our overheads.” “It wasn't easy, but we wanted it to be affordable.” “We were able to price it at $50 because of the nontraditional deal we cut [no advance, high royalty rate].” The “skyrocketing price of paper and materials” meant adding $25 to the price of The French Laundry Cookbook, Keller's earlier work. “We had to price it the way we priced it. The books are hand-gilded, the slipcase is full cloth, the paper stock is extraordinarily heavy and all the photographs are varnished.”
Any non-bookstore interest? Kitchenware shops, specialty food stores, high-end department stores; the Hotel Crillon in Paris is also “likely to stock” the book. Museum shops, specialty food outlets and the restaurant elBulli in Spain. Sur la Table, Williams-Sonoma and the restaurant (Alinea, in Chicago) has already presold 3,000 books. Professional cooking schools, upmarket gift shops, Keller's restaurants Per Se (in New York) and the French Laundry (in California). Possibly Saks and other retailers that sell Assouline and Taschen titles. “We also expect this will do really nicely online.”