There aren't any recipes in this brilliant cookbook. Instead, the book is a more philosophical work, focusing on how to solve problems and add style points in the process (in the kitchen). It reminds readers to trust and listen to the heart, instincts, and brain simultaneously. This "bloke" offers up recipes for living.

Much of O'Connor's advice regards getting organized. For example, he describes the method of working backward. Cooks should envision what they want the meal to look like, then work backward. Is that not what one does in life? People decide on a career and life they desire, then work backward, figuring out how to prep, shop, and educate themselves to construct that life (or meal).

All of O'Connor's cooking tips are written simply and eloquently yet conversationally. The photographs in the book are mouthwatering. One impressive shot is of a pan of mussels. They look so classy, yet one literally only needs to know how to boil water to serve up that dish. Readers completely dependent on structure can choose a photograph, search for the recipe on the internet, and follow some step-by-step instructions while adding the heart, soul, creativity, and zest to impress.

Cooking truly is just an extended metaphor for life. The author explains that it takes heart and soul to make even a simple dish great. The book also isn't just for blokes. "Blokettes," as O'Connor calls the ladies, are equally likely to enjoy the wisdom and the inspiration. With its self-help vibe and tantalizing photographs, this book provides much food for thought.

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