This large glorious book could sit quite happily on your coffee table. Its full page photographs and edgy graphics make it the sort of thing to leaf through with your friends, and ooh and aah over.

However……. you’ll be doing yourself a favour if you introduce it to your kitchen too.

Jacques Reymond is a masterchef par excellence classically trained in France, but now cool about embracing the flavours of Asia. His dishes are ingredient-focussed, and aim to bring out the best in all produce.

So, there is spiced fried quail with Asian dressing, and roasted duck breast with mango sauce, as well as subtle twists on classics such as beignet of blue swimmer crab, or calves liver foie gras style. Close-up how-to pages take the mystery out of pasta making, gnocchi and spaetzle – a German noodle.

While Chef Reymond shares his secrets of clafoutis and bavarois, it’s also apparent that he has embraced some of the native flavours of his adopted country. The lemon myrtle and bush pepper berry ice-cream is an absolute must to try, as are the coconut and feijoa sorbets. There is also a spiced chocolate ice-cream, where the spice is sizzling hot birdseye chillies.

It’s apparent that Jacques Reymond loves to play with flavours and in the hands of an expert like him, you know you are safe to follow his lead.

This book will be equally at home on the coffee table or on the bench beside the coffee-maker.

Jacques Reymond, hardcover, New Holland Publishers, 2010, rrp A$60.