On a brisk February morning, Stewart Woodman learned he'd been named a semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. That afternoon, a fire gutted his restaurant, Heidi's, a southwest Minneapolis bistro whose inspired meals had garnered a passionate following among neighbors and travelers alike.

Undaunted, Woodman turned his time and energy to cooking on a smaller scale--at home, for family and friends. He learned to adjust his tools and ingredients but not his style, and the result is chef-quality fare suitable for the home kitchen. Known to local...