Reviews

Back of the House: The Secret Life of a Restaurant by Scott Haas

mkaybaker07's review against another edition

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5.0

Some of my favorite nonfiction is books about kitchens, and this one is no exception. I absolutely loved how Haas portrayed Tony Maws and the people he works with. I'm definitely looking forward to more books like this.

ajreader's review against another edition

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4.0

Read my full thoughts on this book and hundreds more over at Read.Write.Repeat.

Scott Haas obviously shares my interest in the culinary wrld. He spent over a year observing and working with the crew at Craigie on Main. It's one of the top restaurants in Boston - in the country, really. At the helm is Chef Tony Maws. As is true of many chefs, he's a complicated character. Part of Haas' goal was to determine Maws' motivations and what exactly led him to such success. By the end of the book, you don't necessarily feel that Haas came any closer to answering his initial questions, but the journey was worthwhile of its own accord.

mw_bookgraph's review against another edition

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3.0

Okay, but no Kitchen Confidential...

dundermifflin's review against another edition

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2.0

The writer is a psychologist who writes about food, but mostly he writes about himself. He spent a year in Tony Maws' kitchen at Craigie on Main in Cambridge, MA, ostensibly to explain what motivates a chef and how he thinks. Move over, Scott. Get out of the way! This would have been much more interesting had the author not incorporated his thoughts, "I wanted to know," "Creative people experience...and I've have noticed that in pretentious, psychologists who write about food.

melissa_mccaffrey11's review against another edition

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5.0

**I received this book in a First Reads giveaway.**

4 1/2 stars: I was predisposed to love this book, having had two of the most delicious and important celebratory meals of my life (30th birthday and 1-year anniversary) at Craigie on Main. I also love a good foodie book. So to have a book about one of my favorite restaurants as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the food, the cooks, and, most importantly, the chef of one of the country's best restaurants...it was a no-brainer for me. I'm sure I maybe would have loved this book a little less if I wasn't familiar with Tony Maws or Craigie, but that's not the case. Awesome read, and now, for me, a special book to keep on my shelf.

katherineep's review against another edition

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4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this very detailed broad look into the makings of Craigie on Main and its Chef/creator Tony Maws. Haas gives a detailed look into the workings of Craigie and why Maws has designed it that way. He takes its shortcomings and brilliance all into account and looks at the restaurant and Maws through many different eyes - staff, family and other chefs. Having absolutely no restaurant experience but loving food and cooking I found this look into true food genius fascinating. The book feels a little lacking in focus but that allowed for the inclusion of sidetracks such as the evolution of celebrity chefs and the difference between how Maws runs a kitchen and other chefs run kitchens. My only real complaint is that Haas' analysis of Maws' anger issues seems a bit random and ineffective. Overall a fascinating book.

* Received in a Goodreads Giveaway

readalot662f9's review against another edition

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2.0

The writer is a psychologist who writes about food, but mostly he writes about himself. He spent a year in Tony Maws' kitchen at Craigie on Main in Cambridge, MA, ostensibly to explain what motivates a chef and how he thinks. Move over, Scott. Get out of the way! This would have been much more interesting had the author not incorporated his thoughts, "I wanted to know," "Creative people experience...and I've have noticed that in pretentious, psychologists who write about food.

dundermifflin's review

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2.0

The writer is a psychologist who writes about food, but mostly he writes about himself. He spent a year in Tony Maws' kitchen at Craigie on Main in Cambridge, MA, ostensibly to explain what motivates a chef and how he thinks. Move over, Scott. Get out of the way! This would have been much more interesting had the author not incorporated his thoughts, "I wanted to know," "Creative people experience...and I've have noticed that in pretentious, psychologists who write about food.

readalot662f9's review

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2.0

The writer is a psychologist who writes about food, but mostly he writes about himself. He spent a year in Tony Maws' kitchen at Craigie on Main in Cambridge, MA, ostensibly to explain what motivates a chef and how he thinks. Move over, Scott. Get out of the way! This would have been much more interesting had the author not incorporated his thoughts, "I wanted to know," "Creative people experience...and I've have noticed that in pretentious, psychologists who write about food.
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