A few years back, a trend started - chefs started to write
cookbooks in proliferation! Before that, only a few notable chefs
had their cookbooks out in the market but since that trend, I've
found that I tend to gravitate towards cookbooks that were written
by prominent chefs. 
One of the most expensive, but my favourite cookbooks, is one by
Jean-Georges Vongerichten entitled, Jean Georges : Cooking At Home
with a Four-Star Chef (Hardcover).
The chocolate lava cake, y'know, that dessert where you dig into
the cake and warm fudge just oozes out from the centre? That recipe
was popularised by him.
That book brings wonderful memories flooding back to me because my
American ex and I had dinner at Vong's, his Asian fusion restaurant
in busy NYC! He had to make a
reservation months ahead to ensure we had a table! 
Take a look at the
menu!
http://www.allinfo.net/jg/vmenu.htm
Fine dining... my first time in such an expensive restaurant!
But omigosh, the
food was to die for!! 
And oh, sometimes, I wonder if those big compendiums have reliable
recipes.
