Lapresi - Everyday Fancy 65 Easy, Elegant Recipes for Meals, Snacks, Sweets, and Drinks from the Winner of MasterChef Season 5 on FOX

Published in 2015 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

An imprint of ABRAMS

MasterChef is a trademark of Shine Television, LLC and used under license. The MasterChef logo is a trademark of Shine Limited and used under license. All rights reserved. MasterChef is based on a format created by Franc Roddam in association with Ziji Productions.

2015 Shine Television, LLC

All photographs copyright 2015 Jennifer May except courtesy of Lisa Lapresi.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014952819

ISBN: 978-1-61769-150-8

Editor: Samantha Weiner
Designer: Danielle Young
Production Manager: True Sims

Food Stylist: Erin McDowell
Prop Stylist: Barbara Fritz

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DEDICATION

My mom, Lisa
My dad, Dennis
My brothers, Colby, Connor, and Cooper
My sister, Colette

And to Christina, who reminded me to show up.

by Joe Bastianich

Foreword

Courtney Lapresis journey is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when genuine talent is combined with tenacity and an unwavering belief in oneself. For most of us, its often the latter that is the most difficult to achieve, but Courtney held on to her faith in herself and her abilities, even under the most trying circumstances.

When Courtney first arrived in the MasterChef kitchen, my initial perception was one of much uncertainty. I honestly wasnt sure what to make of her. She was polite, chipper, and clearly confident, and I was curious to see if she actually had the culinary savoir faire to back up her bravado.

It quickly became quite clear that this young lady could cook and fragile, she certainly wasnt. Rarely making any missteps, Courtney maintained her place atop the MasterChef competition through to her victory in the finale. There wasnt a challenge she shied away from. Nothing we threw at her scared her. She was the one contestant to beat from the start and everyone knew it.

It isnt easy to pack up your lifeliterally overnightand leave all that is comforting and familiar. Huge personal sacrifices are made each year by all our amateur cooks. They spend time away from their loved ones, give up their incomeand in some cases their jobsall while dealing with the pressure of a fierce, high-stakes competition. It is enough to break even the most grounded individuals. In all the past seasons of both MasterChef USA and MasterChef Italia, there have only been a few others who have handled the rigors with the grace and resilience shown by Courtney.

Like Courtney, I too found myself in my early twenties in a lucrative, albeit soul-sucking, career from which I could see no real prospect of happiness on the horizon. I was torn between an innate desire for financial security and a need to follow my heart, and it took a great deal of courage to leave my job on Wall Street and take a chance on a notoriously difficult industry racked with failure.

If you are going to put all your eggs in one basket, the restaurant industry is far from your safest bet. Savvy and much tougher than she may appear, Courtney is well aware of thisshe is nobodys foolbut she chose to pursue her passion regardless. For Courtney, it proved to be a risk worth taking.

One of the youngest to win the MasterChef competition, Courtney possesses the strength, smarts, and desire to make a name for herself in the competitive world of food and wine, and I believe we will see great things from this resilient and bright gal from Philly.

A delightful collection of cookery featuring beloved classics as well as sophisticated twists on some favorite staples, Everyday Fancy is an approachable yet elegant must-have addition to every kitchen. From the feared croquembouche to old favorites such as homemade peanut butter and scones, Courtney has compiled a practical go-to manual for an array of meal options achievable for every home cook.

Buon appetito!

Joe Bastianich

When I chose to audition for MasterChef, I didnt tell anyone where I was going.

I had been a fan of the show for a few years, and I watched, enchanted, as home cooks were transformed into chefs. As I became more invested in following the show each season, it was very clear to me that everyone who went on MasterChef shared the same goal: Not only did they love food, but they wanted to change their lives. So on a hope and a prayer, I walked from my tiny south Philly apartment to an open casting callI gave it my best shot. What followed was a life-altering experience that I wouldnt change for the world.

When Chef Ramsay called my name at the finale, I nearly exploded with emotion. Every day after that, until the finale episode actually aired on television, I would replay the announcement of my win at least ten times before I got out of bed in the morning. That moment was the most important moment of my life so far. It gave me the opportunity to change my life and to take a big step forward toward my goal of being a respected presence in the culinary world.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in an extremely supportive family, but a family that was also full of competitive siblings. My brothers are serious athletes, my sister is an aspiring singer, and I have a background in competitive dance. So when I told my mom I was flying out to LA to take a chance at beginning a serious culinary career, she didnt flinch. She just said, If youre going to go out there and put your dance career on hold, you have to be the best. With that in mind, I boarded a plane across the country and set out to do exactly what she said.