Bon Appétit

You'll find fresh rice noodles in well-stocked Asian markets (or search for them on amazon.com).

The little bits of fatback add an extra layer of deliciousness.

Choose the best-quality fish for this simple ceviche.

Equal parts fruit crumble and coffee cake, this not-too-sweet dessert starts out bright pink but bakes to a toasty golden brown.

"Anytime you grill or pan-fry fish," O'Connell says, "it's essential to thoroughly dry it before adding your fat."

Instructor's advice: Start with very cold cream, and keep it chilled between whipping and serving.

Both guanciale and Pecorino are quite salty; Leonardo Vignoli, the chef at Da Cesare al Casaletto, recommends undersalting the pasta water to give you more control.

"Compound butters are a terrific blank canvas," O'Connell says. "You can mix in all sorts of flavors—anchovies, capers, any herb or spice."

A palate cleanser packed with sweet, sour, and salty flavors; taste and tweak the seasonings as you go.

Okay, fine, you've never heard of baobab—but that's about to change. (Remember when no one knew how to pronounce quinoa?) You'll find the powder from the tangy superfruit stocked at the health food store.

The colorcoded salad is one of Babylonstoren's signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she's developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.

The dates act as both a sweetener and an emulsifier in this citrusy, mustardy vinaigrette.

Who says gremolata has to have parsley and lemon? No one who's tried this crunchy Thai influenced riff.

You don't need an ice-cream maker to serve cool, creamy scoops. All you need is a bowl to make semifreddo happen.

Boredom? Never. Try swapping in baby turnips for the radishes and kale or Swiss chard for the mustard greens in this effortless dish.

Babylonstoren's chef Maranda Engelbrecht uses exotic tamarillos. If you can get them, great. If not, tomatoes are your best swap.

No need to buy preflavored vodka; we got great results making our own.

I love the way the sweet-and-sour rhubarb butter adds flavor to this chicken as it cooks—I think you will too!

At Rioja, half of the bacon is replaced with ground fatback, a step that makes this excellent burger even better.