Thibaud Villanova, aka Gastronogeek, has already published twenty-five cookbooks which illustrate recipes from films or animated films. Today he is tackling Lord of the Rings.
He's the lord of cooking Books, pop culture version. Le Chartrain Thibaud Villanova alias Gastronogeek, 39 years old, has published no less than twenty-five cookbooks, of which 700,000 copies have been sold in total. From the greatest heroes and villains of Disney with The Enchanted Recipes, to the magic of Harry Potter via Dragon Ball or Star Wars, no universe escapes him.
Films, series, anime or video games, it transforms all the ingredients seen on the screen into delicious spicy or sweet recipes with Gastronogeek sauce. Who could have predicted, ten years ago, that this former employee in the marketing of video games and board games would burst onto the screen and social networks thanks to his pop culture cooking recipes?
Welcome to Gastronogeek, the star chef from Chartres who mixes cuisine and pop culture
Like a real grimoire
Today, Thibaud Villanova is at the head of a recording studio located in Chartres and works with a team of five people, made up of, among others, an artistic director, a videographer and a photographer. “Three years ago there were only two of us,” he admits, looking through the viewfinder.
Autumn is full of projects for the Chartres gastronome. Apart from several book releases (Les élixirs enchantés, Genshin Impact and the Grimoire de Gastronogeek), his show Manger on his Youtube channel and his “twenty hours of live per week” on his networks, he launched his fourth financing on September 23 participatory on the Ulule online prize pool. It ends in eight days, on October 30.
Ulule. The crowdfunding campaign for the book Lord of the Furnaces, the unofficial book on the saga of the Lord of the Rings continues on Ulule until Wednesday October 30: fr.ulule.com/recetteslotr/
Video game. The official Genshin Impact cookbook, published by Mana Books, was released on October 2. 180 pages. €29.90.
Disney. After the Enchanted Recipes, in 2019, then the Enchanted Pastries, in 2022, Gastronogeek released, on October 9, still in the Disney universe, the Enchanted Elixirs. This third part offers a revisit to the great classics of Mickey's firm, with drinks such as mocktails, smoothies, milkshakes and soups. 144 pages. €24.95. Grimoire. The entire Gastronogeek universe in 200 recipes will be compiled in the Gastronogeek Grimoire, which will be released on November 6, published by Hachette Heroes. 504 pages. €59.95.
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After The Kitchen for Wizards, in 2023, Food Warsin 2022 and The Kitchen in Zelda, in 2021, this time he tackles the absolute reference of heroic fantasy The Lord of the Ringswith The Lord of the Furnaces. These luxury books do not directly respond to traditional publishing codes. “It’s not just a book, it’s an immersive, collectible object. A book we dream of writing. For this volume on The Lord of the Ringswe will infuse decorations, build it like a real grimoire,” explains Gastronogeek.
Indeed, this book will not be available commercially, but only for pre-order until October 30 on the Ulule website or afterward still for order on the crowdfunding platform. Eight days before the end of the collection, 4,536 contributors have already donated for a total amount of €335,284.
“I am not an influencer. I am not selling a way of life that does not exist”: the rant of Gastronogeek, star chef from Chartres
Gastronogeek will cook with a contributor
“In fourteen days, we had already sold three thousand copies. It’s super encouraging when we know that a cookbook sells on average, today in France, between 6,000 and 10,000 copies in a year,” confides Thibaud Villanova.
One contributor contributed €5,000 and eight donated €2,000. Apart from the usual rewards for crowdfunding, in this prize pool, there is also a system of tiering of sums that all contributors exceed and which allows them to obtain even more gifts. With each new level reached, the book gains sixteen pages of additional recipes. Seven levels which correspond to €300,000 have already been released. At level six, funders were able to obtain the audio recording of the book by Vincent Ropion and Pierre Tessier, the French actors and voices of Merry and Pippin.
The first level of contribution is €35. The contributor who has paid €5,000 will receive a visit from Gastronogeek, who will cook a meal at his home for four people.
More than €500,000 raised for the new Harry Potter book by Gastronogeek, based in Chartres
Claire Béguin
