It is something very rigid and proper this week, and one that most chefs my age will have stashed away somewhere. It isn’t glossy or cool or in any way trendy. It is 'Le Répertoire de la Cuisine', a pocket-sized book by Louis Saulnier.

This is basically a reference book containing the dishes of the great chef Escoffier, with over 6,000 dishes here with recipes. As they say in the book, the work is never complete as there is always a new thing, technique, dish or sauce created somewhere.

This book has been invaluable for many chefs past, present and future. It may not be the sort of book you would pick up and read but certainly go to to check the name, spelling and list of ingredients of a dish.

For example, there are up to 100 ways to serve quails. One I like is Quail Nelson: dress in caul, surround with cocks’ combs tossed in butter, that’s it, that’s all they tell you. Go to sole and fillets in the sole section and there are hundreds of ideas, all very simply described. And I lost count of how many potato dishes there are.

This is a bible for chefs and one that will never grow old, there is always something relevant in it for today’s food served in restaurants. Interestingly this was translated into English from French by the chef to the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, a certain Edouard Brunet. Fascinating stuff.