Through Le Cassoulet – Recipes & Stories, published by Éditions Origines Nature, chef Jean-Claude Rodriguez presents a culinary and human fresco dedicated to one of the most emblematic dishes of French gastronomy. Between recipes, stories, and memories, he makes cassoulet much more than a specialty, a living and shared memory. A book on the Cassoulet myth It is said that cassoulet warms both the body and the heart. A peasant dish that became an emblem of the Southwest, it has crossed centuries, fed entire villages, and also sparked passionate debates about its origin and ingredients. Beyond recipes, cassoulet also tells of a French way of life. It evokes the slowness of a mastered cooking, the pleasure of waiting, the joy of a table set for friends and family. It carries within it the memory of large peasant tables, village festivals, and Sundays that stretched around a shared dish. It is not just a nourishing dish; it is a symbol of conviviality, a cuisine of patience and transmission. More than just a recipe book, Le Cassoulet – Recipes & Stories is a culinary and cultural fresco written by the greatest ambassador of this dish: Jean-Claude Rodriguez. The reader will dive into the historical evolution of this dish from its creation in the Middle Ages to its development on Parisian tables. Anecdotes from the chef reveal the secrets of the cassoulet myth. Mixing photographs, illustrations, and personal stories, the book reads like a visual novel. It includes the academic recipe for cassoulet, explained step by step and illustrated, as well as creative variations and food & wine pairings. It is a work to be savored as much as it is cooked, designed for curious gastronomes and for all those who love the stories behind the dishes. Jean-Claude Rodriguez, "the apostle of cassoulet" Behind this project is a man driven by his passion. Jean-Claude Rodriguez, chef of Château Saint-Martin Trencavel near Carcassonne, has dedicated over thirty years of his life to cassoulet. Founder of the Universal Academy of Cassoulet, he has brought this emblematic dish far beyond Occitania, to Japanese and Canadian tables. His erudition, eloquence, and commitment have earned him the nickname "the pope of cassoulet." In this book, he shares both his skills and his memories: the sound of cassoles lined up on the fire, the endless wait for a cassoulet simmering from dawn, or the joy of a dish shared after hours of cooking. For him, cassoulet is a living heritage, a memory that must be preserved and passed on. He likes to remind us that "Cassoulet is not a fixed recipe; it's a story told at the table, a cuisine in motion." By telling the story of cassoulet, Jean-Claude Rodriguez also tells the story of Occitania and its imagination, a land where cuisine is inseparable from culture and human connections.