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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book chronicles a day in the life of a sous chef – that is literally the entire contents of the book. From details about the way the cold storage is organized to the various types of knives different chefs use to how daily specials are created. I enjoyed it, but it probably isn’t for everyone.
Check out the rest of my review on my blog!
Check out the rest of my review on my blog!
Another chef's memoir! I can't seem to get enough of these. This one's got a different perspective, though. It's a chronicle of 24 hours in the life of a sous chef. It's a fast read, and I enjoyed the author's style. I've never worked in a kitchen, so I learned a lot from this book. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the way a chef's day is structured and what is required of someone who works in a kitchen, not just skill-wise, but in terms of organization and focus. I also liked learning about the hierarchy in the kitchen, the members of the team and how they work together, and also the tension in some of those relationships and how it affects the way the kitchen operates - it was fascinating!
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I am into the foodie scene but am now plant based so I was hesitant to read a book about fine dining. The first person walk through a day as a sous chef was fascinating and hard to stop reading. Although I may not agree with some of the philosophy of fine dining and the author's glorification of it and his profession, this book was incredibly entertaining. Anyone with an interest in the food industry should take the time to read this short but memorable book.
Very boring. he just lists things off for pages. No plot, no personality.
Anyone interested in restaurants, whether running them or eating in them, should read this book. It's a view of a particular kind of restaurant: the medium-sized, French-oriented, Michelin-hopeful restaurants. Running a food truck is different; running a hotel kitchen is different; running a university kitchen is different. You wouldn't know it from the tone of the author, who seems to assume that everything works the same way. It's a very personal industry and a big one with a lot of diversity. Still, the day-in-the-life approach really works well and the read is very entertaining, if perhaps not as comic as Bourdain's style or as personally revealing as Hamilton's. And learning the lingo and what line cooks actually do is fabulous, very well written and conceived. You might even learn a couple of things about cooking, though (in a way) that's not the focus of the book. Restaurants are about people, not about food. And now I know what a back waiter is, I'll be much more appreciative of them!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I loved this book. It was a great glimpse into the world of a chef. I definitely know I want to stick to home cooking- far less stress! But I know I can always pick this book up and re-read it again if I ever feel inspired to be a chef or know someone who wants to do the same. The glimpse into the reality of it all is a good chance to really find out if you want to do this or not. The pacing is wonderful and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I loved this book. It was a great glimpse into the world of a chef. I definitely know I want to stick to home cooking- far less stress! But I know I can always pick this book up and re-read it again if I ever feel inspired to be a chef or know someone who wants to do the same. The glimpse into the reality of it all is a good chance to really find out if you want to do this or not. The pacing is wonderful and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and left a review that somehow got deleted...?
Anyway, I thought it was a fascinating read that gave legit insight into the life and definitely showed me it's not for me. I will stick with making random crap all the time. But it was still a lot of fun to read.
Anyway, I thought it was a fascinating read that gave legit insight into the life and definitely showed me it's not for me. I will stick with making random crap all the time. But it was still a lot of fun to read.
http://www.thewellreadredhead.com/2014/03/book-review-sous-chef-by-michael-gibney.html
An engrossing look at what life is like for a sous chef at a three star restaurant and a must read for any foodie. Throw out any preconceptions you have of a second person narrative, as it works great here. The pacing is tight and I took an extra long bath just to read through service - "I'm in the weeds! The fluke is ruined! How will I get out of this one?!" I may have also watched a random ep of Hell's Kitchen to help me get in the mood. -_^
And oh, the food porn. Watch Chef plate a dish:
~drool~
I liked that Gibney explains a lot but not everything; there's a glossary of cooking terms in the back for that. Some reviewers don't like the untranslated Spanish, but this is a kitchen in New York City. Of course there's Spanish. The context tells you what's going on anyway, and sometimes you get an ad hoc translation in the next paragraph. My view is probably skewed because I live in my second language and am used to sussing things out but really, suck it up.
An entertaining read that I can see myself picking up again when I want to head back to the kitchen.
And oh, the food porn. Watch Chef plate a dish:
Finally there is the monkfish - a stupendous picture. It starts with a gob of carrot puree, dragged across the plate with the bottom side of a small offset spatula. The result is a cadmium orange swatch that looks more like oil paint than food. After that come the lentils, which he arranges in patches like shiny black moss on a forest floor. Then, with a pair of forceps, the endive goes down, its sharp cowlick of leaves saluting the sky. And then, finally, comes the fish. He cuts the shaft into four identical coins and shingles them down the center of the plate. As he does this, you notice that inside the roulade the foie gras has gone molten, which means you've cooked it perfectly.
~drool~
I liked that Gibney explains a lot but not everything; there's a glossary of cooking terms in the back for that. Some reviewers don't like the untranslated Spanish, but this is a kitchen in New York City. Of course there's Spanish. The context tells you what's going on anyway, and sometimes you get an ad hoc translation in the next paragraph. My view is probably skewed because I live in my second language and am used to sussing things out but really, suck it up.
An entertaining read that I can see myself picking up again when I want to head back to the kitchen.
I am a total food nerd. I love eating, cooking, reading about eating and cooking, going out to eat, talking about food, writing about food (mostly Yelp reviews) and even grocery shopping. I always think it might be fun to work in a restaurant or start a business someday. This book made me realize I am probably in no way cut out for that lifestyle. The way the book is written takes you through 24 hours in the life of a sous chef in a fine dining restaurant. This seems to be work you have to be passionate about and live for to do. It made me appreciate all the work that goes into making one plate of food and how many people are involved in the process. Sous chefs work long, long hours and do a lot of the grunt work in the kitchen. This book really gave me a great respect for that profession. The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because I listened to the audiobook and the last 45 minutes is just a listing of food terms and definitions, which I did not finish listening to.