Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina

17 reviews

laneylo's review

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.0

Interesting times were documented in this memoir. If you, like me, have worked in the food industry or have ever been curious about what goes on - perhaps fans of food travel channels - this book is so enthralling. Definitely a niche topic but the author has so much personality and it was very entertaining overall.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, and Cursing

Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Excrement, Death, Abandonment, and Drug use

thewordsdevourer's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

2.75

your table is ready is sure to rough some feathers w/ its depiction of the rough, chaotic, sometimes entertaining but more often unhinged world of the resto service industry in nyc.

some of the anecdotes def elicit disgust but who's to police a person on what events from their life not to include in a memoir? i enjoy hearing abt the bts of restos, the competitive yet often boisterous community that service ppl create and the anecdotes on real, often famous characters who visit the many restos cecchi-azzolina worked at. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Drug use, Alcohol, and Abandonment

Moderate: Terminal illness, Excrement, and Racism

Minor: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Homophobia

zzfinch's review

adventurous funny reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Alcohol

books_blackcats's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, and Grief

Mentions of AIDs

daisyreads1171's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Drug use, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism

mountaindrew28's review

medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicide

nmmac's review

dark emotional funny informative fast-paced

4.5

So many things I didn't know I NEEDED to know about the restaurant industry. What a great storyteller. Highly recommend the audio for this one, read by the author

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use

chaptersoncapecod's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.0

Cecchi’s memoir will open your eyes on decades in the restaurant business. From audacious and rude customers, abusive managers, angry chefs, addiction... no stone is left unturned in this story. 

 

He included many stats on how close the margins for restaurants really are, which shows how tough a business this can be. Sometimes it comes down to 50 guests a week, which is mind blowing. It’s even more mind blowing when you realize what’s actually happening behind the scenes - I was surprised to read about all of the partying and addiction of the workers. How did they ever keep the places afloat?! 

 

Cecchi mentioned that if you don’t immediately walk into a restaurant and receive a greeting of warmth, gratitude, and a smile, that restaurant is in trouble. I 100% agree - it does not feel good to be ignored upon entry, yet I find that there are places where this still happens and they’re still in business. I once knew someone who did FOH consulting - I wonder if she still does... 

 

Lastly, I loved the Stephen Starr tie-in with Le Coucou. I was a huge Starr fan in college, dining at his Philly and AC restaurants regularly. I’ve never been to any in New York, but hearing how involved he was from the interviews to building relationships with customers was inspiring. 

 

Overall, a fun read for me and I learned a ton about the ins and outs of restaurants (Fun fact - I’ve never worked in a restaurant). Oh, and I have to know, do people still walk into a super busy restaurant and tip the host or maitre d’ in an attempt to get a table? That seems outdated to me, but if you’re doing it, you gotta give at least $100. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

reeeeedmg_123's review

Too many dick stories. Pile that on top with the drugs, sex, and language use that it turns out to be really disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use

agnesg's review

funny informative medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug use, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol