While there is a layered complexity to world-renowned chef Peter Gilmore's ethereal - yet grounded - cuisine, his philosophy of cooking is relatively simple. Just four elements are required to create perfect unison in a dish: nature, texture, intensity, and purity. Here, Peter Gilmore invites the reader to share in his private obsession with nature - when not in the kitchen at Sydney's Quay restaurant, he is working in his experimental garden where he grows a huge array of edible plant species. Each component of a plant, from sweet, earthy roots to bitter fronds and fragrant blossoms, is potentially destined for inclusion in one of the 40 exquisite dishes featured here.