As New Yorkers, StarChefs.com rarely feels the need to thumb through a city guide—we’re pretty sure we’ve got it licked. When we’re asked to contribute, on the other hand, we’ve got more than a mouthful to share. Of course most of what’s amazing about the incredible guide that Chef Shannon Bennett of Vue de monde in Melbourne has culled together from years experience and culinary know-how is the breadth of his contacts and experience. Flipping through the pages of Shannon Bennett’s New York is like revisiting a published urban Facebook and getting a fresh look at old friends.

Australian Chef Shannon Bennett of Melbourne’s iconic French restaurant Vue de monde takes you by the hand and on a whirlwind tour of Paris. Having worked under several of the world’s top Michelin-starred chefs Albert Roux, and Alain Ducasse, and observed the works of French chefs like Michel Bras, and Michel Roux Jr., you’d be hard pressed to find a tour guide to the city of lights with better foodie cred than Bennett. Instead of running you through the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay in the historic French capital, Bennett, Scott Murray and friends guide the reader through their favorite haunts, from bistros and bars, to posh hotels and three-star restaurants. Arranged by neighborhood, these entries on Bennett’s favorite food joints are interspersed with his own recipes, and reviews of the best of the city’s bread, chocolate and cheese that read like a veritable who’s who of top Parisian artisanal producers. Quirky touches like a list of novels set in Paris, and sets of tips on dealing with terse French waiters make for an entertaining read and set this apart from more quotidian travel guides. Immerse yourself in the personal narratives at a trendy café in the Marais with your Pernod, beret optional.