"As a chef, I work at a thousand miles an hour, but when I'm at home, I want to slow down."

way from the high-octane energy of the professional kitchen, Gordon Ramsay makes meals at home that are more re-laxed, where cooking is fun and everyone gets involved in preparing food for family and friends. The way Gordon cooks here embodies his strongly held views: use in-season, fresh ingredients at their peak; support local producers and farmers' markets whenever possible; and celebrate the food culture and its many influences.

And while Gordon loves to celebrate traditional food, he proves that it doesn't have to be boring, bland, or uninventive. "Cooking for Friends" is full of Gordon's best-loved versions of classic dishes--try a slow-cooked dish like Honey Roast Ham or Corn-Fed Chicken Legs with Braised Peas and Onions, or invite people around for a Sunday lunch of Roast Rib-Eye with Caramelized Shallot and Red Wine Gravy. Cook the ultimate in comfort food, Shepherd's Pie with Branston Pickle or Bakewell Tart, and get the kids involved in making Farfalle with Bacon, Peas, and Sage or Grilled Vegetable Lasagne.

"Cooking for Friends" contains more than one hundred of Gordon's favorite recipes that he loves to cook and eat with friends and family--uncomplicated recipes but all with Gordon's remarkable feeling for flavor and his extraordinary technical know-how.