INSPIRED BY INGREDIENTS: Market Menus and Family Favorites from a Three-Star Chef

With this lovely collection of seasonal recipes, it's easy to see why Telepan is one of the East Coast's most acclaimed proponents of market-based cooking. Though Telepan's New York restaurant JUdson Grill recently closed, his lushly illustrated book is a fitting testament to the generous spirit and kitchen artistry that have set him apart as a contemporary chef who still puts food before celebrity. Organized by season—including a "year-round" section—the recipes reflect a working chef's emphasis on technique, with their painstaking approach to ingredient prep and "assembly." The only drawback is the crushing amount of information presented: the detailed instructions are interspersed with tributes to local farmers, essays on favorite ingredients, and wine advice. However, food lovers of all experience levels will discover that Telepan's book improves with repeat visits. He is sure to inspire home cooks with menus ranging from spring's Pea Ravioli with Mascarpone Cheese and Basil-Mint Pesto to autumn's Cabbage and Potato Soup with Kielbasa and Sweet Hungarian Paprika. Telepan's cooking reveals his many influences, from French master Alain Chapel to New York guru Alberto Portale, combined with his New Jersey childhood and Hungarian roots. The result is a passionate approach to food that is at once personal and authoritative, making his book one to treasure. Photos. Agent, Janis Donnaud. (Nov.)