wd~50

The first cookbook from one of the world’s most groundbreaking chefs and a pioneering restaurant on the Lower East Side—the story of Wylie Dufresne’s wd~50 and the dishes that made it famous

When it opened in 2003, wd~50 was New York’s most innovative, cutting-edge restaurant. Mastermind Wylie Dufresne ushered in a new generation of experimental and free-spirited chefs, and introduced a wildly unique approach to cooking, influenced by science, art, and the humblest of classic foods like bagels and lox, and American cheese. 

A cookbook that doubles as a time capsule, wd~50 is a glimpse into a particular moment in New York City food culture, embodied by a restaurant so distinct it inspired New York Times critic Pete Wells to compare its closing in 2014 to that of the notorious music venue CBGB, R