The introduction, although it goes much further, and longer, than a regular introduction, covers a range of topics - heat exchange in cooking, the importance of saucepan material, the importance of experimentation and control - the list goes on, and its a fascinating read. As a nerd/foodie/hobbyist cook this book is one of my favourites to read, you can pick it up and flick to pretty much anywhere and you will find an engrossing long-form discussion on some dish or technique.
It's not all theory, of course, but what makes the book great, is before each recipe, or category of recipes, Kenji breaks down the components, why they are important and how he ended up on the recipe. Take his chilli-con-carne recipe, for example - preceding that, there are several pages of detailed discussion of the why and the how of the recipe, along with explanation as to his journey to get there (how long should you soak the beans? can you use any variety of chillis? what mean should you use? how can I make it more meaty?). That is just one example - but nothing is left un-answered, is there a quicker way to cook risotto? (do I need to keep stirring it? can I add all the liquid up front rather than bit-by-bit), when should I salt the meat for my burgers?
The reason this is all so useful, is not just that it makes for an interesting read whilst lounging on a Sunday morning, but in understanding the building blocks, which parts are important and which parts aren't, where you can make substitutions, then it helps you understand your cooking, other meals you might make or other recipes you might come to interpret. You may find yourself reading other recipes and thinking I don't have that ingredient, but it doesn't batter because I can change it for X, or I don't really need to do that part.
Even if you don't get the book, following him online (his writing on SeriousEats, twitter, instagram, his youtube videos) you will become a better home cook.
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