Synopses & Reviews
"Well reported and heartfelt, Ruhlman communicates the passion that draws the acolyte to this precise and frantic profession."—The New York Times Book Review
Just over a decade ago, journalist Michael Ruhlman donned a chefs jacket and houndstooth-check pants to join the students at the Culinary Institute of America, the countrys oldest and most influential cooking school. But The Making of a Chef is not just about holding a knife or slicing an onion; its also about the nature and spirit of being a professional cook and the people who enter the profession. As Ruhlman—now an expert on the fundamentals of cooking—recounts his growing mastery of the skills of his adopted profession, he propels himself and his readers through a score of kitchens and classrooms in search of the elusive, unnameable elements of great food.
Incisively reported, with an insiders passion and attention to detail, The Making of a Chef remains the most vivid and compelling memoir of a professional culinary education on record.
Review
"Well reported and heartfelt, Ruhlman communicates the passion that draws the acolyte to this precise and frantic profession." The New York Times Book Review
Synopsis
Now in paperback, the eye-opening book that was nominated for a 1998 James Beard Foundation award in the Writing on Food category.
In the winter of 1996, Michael Ruhlman donned hounds-tooth-check pants and a chef's jacket and entered the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, to learn the art of cooking. His vivid and energetic record of that experience, The Making of a Chef, takes us to the heart of this food-knowledge mecca. Here we meet a coterie of talented chefs, an astonishing and driven breed. Ruhlman learns fundamental skills and information about the behavior of food that make cooking anything possible. Ultimately, he propels himself and his readers through a score of kitchens and classrooms, from Asian and American regional cuisines to lunch cookery and even table waiting, in search of the elusive, unnameable elements of great cooking.
Synopsis
Exploring the essence of becoming a chef, this book reveals the elusive, unnameable elements of great cooking.
Synopsis
Just over a decade ago, journalist Michael Ruhlman donned a chefs jacket and houndstooth-check pants to join the students at the Culinary Institute of America, the countrys oldest and most influential cooking school. But
The Making of a Chef is not just about holding a knife or slicing an onion; its also about the nature and spirit of being a professional cook and the people who enter the profession. As Ruhlman — now an expert on the fundamentals of cooking — recounts his growing mastery of the skills of his adopted profession, he propels himself and his readers through a score of kitchens and classrooms in search of the elusive, unnameable elements of great food.
Incisively reported, with an insiders passion and attention to detail, The Making of a Chef remains the most vivid and compelling memoir of a professional culinary education on record.
About the Author
Michael Ruhlman is the author of twelve books, including The Elements of Cooking and The French Laundry Cookbook. He lives in Cleveland with his wife, daughter, and son; is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and Gourmet; and has a highly popular blog at Ruhlman.com.