Josef Centeno, chef-owner of five acclaimed restaurants in downtown Los Angeles, comes from mixed heritage--Mexican, Spanish, Irish, French, English, German and Polish. Drawing upon these influences--and others--Centeno's vibrant culinary creations form unusual pairings that layer flavor. Taste is supreme. He and food writer Betty Hallock present an enticing, chicly photographed cookbook that offers 130 bold recipes that pay homage to ingredients, traditions and imagination. Themes on flavor are reflected via nine sections aptly titled with adjectives such as "spicy, salty, pickled, preserved"; "buttery, crisp, tangy, herbal"; and "flaky, fruity, caramely, tart." Vegetables and vinaigrettes shine, as do spices and herbs. Refined palates will savor recipes for kohlrabi with crème fraîche, mint, lemon and yuzo kosho; Centeno's signature Bäco Flatbread, a "gyro-taco-pizza hybrid"; and pistachio cheesecake custards topped with matcha sugar and kataifi pastry. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines