One of the most recognized chefs worldwide, Heston Blumenthal, has made his name by creating original - and sometimes quirky - dishes such as Escargot Salad and Ice Cream with Eggs and Bacon with Nitrogen at his internationally renowned restaurant, The Fat Duck. However, Heston has decided that it’s time to return to his roots and focus his creative talent on recreating some of our most famous and most referenced dishes.

To achieve this, he traveled around the world searching for the 'perfect' versions of eight dishes that represent the essence of our culinary heritage: Roast Chicken & Roast Potatoes, Pizza, Sausages & Mashed Potatoes, Steak, Spaghetti Bolognese, Fish & Chips, Bak Fong Cake, Tart with Molasses & Ice Cream.

The idea of 'perfection' varies from person to person, and so Heston, leveraging interviews with experts and chefs as well as his own culinary and scientific research, aims to discover what makes these standards so exceptional.

He explores the origins of each dish, how to find the best ingredients, and naturally, the multiple ways – and reasons – of cooking them to perfection.

Along the way, he reveals priceless cooking tips: from how to cut potatoes for perfect frying, to what makes the best beef, the secret ingredients in perfect spaghetti bolognese, capturing the essence of a fish and chips shop in a bottle of aroma, and even how to make fizzy chocolate bars at home with a vacuum cleaner.

"In Search of Perfection" examines the role of food in our lives and memories, and is a completely original, inspiring, and exciting exploration of these classic dishes of the cuisine.