Even the most jaded New Yorker can't help but be inspired and delighted by a perfect dining experience-and thanks to the Waldorf-Astoria's executive chef, John Doherty, they always know just where to find such a meal.

For the past 20 years, Doherty has been turning haute cuisine into high art. Recently, we had the pleasure of dining in the chef's private kitchen, a rapturous meal that included pan-seared scallops with white bean and chorizo salad, steamed black sea bass with oyster fricassee and sevruga caviar, pheasant bourguignon with parsnip apple purée and country crostini, marinated sautéed lamb loin, and passion fruit ravioli with hazelnut ice cream.

For those daring foodies who want to replicate this tantalizing tableau at home, Chef John-along with co-author John Harrisson and photographer Ellen Silverman-recently published The Waldorf-Astoria Cookbook. This must-have collection includes more than 100 recipes, along with fascinating anecdotes about the legendary Waldorf-the hotel that invented the concept of room service over a century ago.

For more on the chef's private dining schedule, call: 212-872-1275 and ask for Chef Doherty's kitchen.