[3] The first edition (1938) was edited by Prosper Montagné, with the collaboration of Dr Alfred Gottschalk,[4] with prefaces by each of the author-chefs Georges Auguste Escoffier and Philéas Gilbert [fr] (1857–1942).

[5] Gilbert was a collaborator[citation needed] in the creation of this book as well as Le Guide Culinaire (1903) with Escoffier, leading to some cross-over with the two books.

It caused Escoffier to note when he was asked to write the preface that he could "see with my own eyes", and "Montagné cannot hide from me the fact that he has used Le Guide as a basis for his new book, and certainly used numerous recipes.

"[6] The third English edition (2001), which runs to approximately 1,350 pages, has been modernized and includes additional material on other cuisines.

A new, updated and revised edition was released in October 2009, published by Hamlyn in the UK.