Synopses & Reviews
In this captivating memoir, the man whom Julia Child has called andldquo;the best chef in Americaandrdquo; tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Awardandndash;winning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nationandrsquo;s tastes in the bargain.
We see young Jacques as a homesick six-year-old boy in war-ravaged France, working on a farm in exchange for food, dodging bombs, and bearing witness as German soldiers capture his father, a fighter in the Resistance. Soon Jacques is caught up in the hurly-burly action of his motherand#39;s cafandeacute;, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of Franceandrsquo;s most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulleandrsquo;s personal chef, watching the world being refashioned from the other side of the kitchen door.
When he comes to America, Jacques immediately falls in with a small group of as-yet-unknown food lovers, including Craig Claiborne, James Beard, and Julia Child, whose adventures redefine American food. Through it all, Jacques proves himself to be a master of the American art of reinvention: earning a graduate degree from Columbia University, turning down a job as John F. Kennedyandrsquo;s chef to work at Howard Johnsonandrsquo;s, and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers once again to become a charismatic leader in the revolution that changed the way Americans approached food. Included as well are forty all-time favorite recipes created during the course of a career spanning nearly half a century, from his motherandrsquo;s utterly simple cheese soufflandeacute; to his wifeandrsquo;s pork ribs and red beans.
The Apprentice is the poignant and sometimes funny tale of a boyandrsquo;s coming of age. Beyond that, it is the story of Americaandrsquo;s culinary awakening and the transformation of food from an afterthought to a national preoccupation.
Review
andldquo;Prose as joyful and rich as the authorandrsquo;s food.andrdquo; andmdash;
Kirkus Reviews andldquo;. . . a delicious book . . . a joy.andrdquo; andmdash;The New York Times Book Review
andldquo;The real pleasure of this book is spending time with a thoughtful and sophisticated man, one whose memories and thoughts inevitably turn to food and cooking.andrdquo; andmdash;Epicurious
andldquo;A fun chronicle of a half century of progress in the American kitchen.andrdquo; andmdash;Saveur
andldquo;The kind of well-prepared prose you want to devour slowly.andrdquo; andmdash;The Oregonian
andldquo;A well written, funny, sad, informative and always enchanting account of an incredible career. . . . An instant classic.andrdquo; andmdash;Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential
andldquo;A feast.andrdquo; andmdash;People
andldquo;Pepin writes the way most chefs wish they could cook. . . . (The Apprentice) goes down like a feast . . . a worthy indulgence.andrdquo; andmdash;GQ
andldquo;An appetizing read.andrdquo; andmdash;The Oregonian
and#160;
Synopsis
In this captivating memoir, republished in a beautiful new edition with French flaps and a foreword by Anthony Bourdain to celebrate his 80th birthday, Jacques Pandeacute;pin tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in Old World French kitchens to a superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook. We see young Jacques first as a homesick six-year-old boy in war-ravaged France. Working his way up the ladder in the feudal system of Franceandrsquo;s most famous restaurants, he becomes Charles de Gaulleandrsquo;s personal chef.
When he comes to the America, he falls in with the leaders of the countryandrsquo;s food revolution: Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, and James Beard. Jacques proves himself to be a master of reinvention, turning down a job as John F. Kennedyandrsquo;s chef to develop recipes for Howard Johnsonandrsquo;s and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers to become a charismatic TV celebrity. The book includes forty of Jacquesandrsquo;s all-time favorite recipes and dozens of photographs from his private collection.
About the Author
JACQUES PEPINandnbsp; has written twenty-five cookbooks, including the best-selling Jacques Pandeacute;pin Fast Food My Way, More Fast Food My Way, and his memoir, The Apprentice. He has also starred in numerous acclaimed cooking series on public television. He has won multiple James Beard Awards, several IACP Cookbook Awards, and the Legion of Honor, Franceand#39;s highest distinction.
Table of Contents
Contents Acknowledgments and#183; vii 1. The War Years and#183; 1 2. The Call of the Stove and#183;23 3. My Apprenticeship and#183; 46 4. Seasons and#183;66 5. Paris and#183; 76 6. The Plaza Athand#233;nand#233;e and#183; 88 7. Cooking for Presidents and#183; 106 8. Home Again and#183; 128 9. New York, New World and#183; 134 10. Only in America and#183; 151 11. Cooking with Friends and#183; 168 12. Gloria and#183; 185 13. Living Off the Land and#183; 200 14. Soupand#8217;s On and#183; 216 15. Teaching and#183; 224 16. Writing and#183; 250 17. Television and#183; 262 18. Gloriaand#8217;s Restaurant and#183; 272 19. A New Way to Cook and#183; 286 Index and#183; 295