Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line

This was a really good read. Full disclosure: 30 year chef, CIA grad 6/82. However, it most be said that as far as a chefs employment situation, the restaurant is as good as it gets. I would hate if someone read this and they would want to be an executive chef . The majority of the business is not like this. This is why I got into my career, but the majority of working chefs don't have it this good, no corporate, rate cooks, the best of everything, and a really good exec chef. And I wonder how long the author will be able to live this life though. It's alot of dedication, a lot of work for not much. Unless you score a TV gig. Most of the best people I have worked with are out of the business now. Cooking is something you want to learn, its fun and you can make people happy. Doing it for a living? UH-UH. The book brought back lots of good memories and it really made me reflect on my previous career and appreciate it. But the reality is it's just not a good career choice for many reasons.

To read this book is to get a detailed view of working in the kitchen of a fine dining establishment, detailed being the key word! This is literally 24 hours in the life of this Sous Chef. The people on the back of the house (BOH) have to be young as they are the hardest working people I never knew about. I think this book is essential to read for anyone who goes out to eat. These BOH people work so hard just so we the diners will be happy. They put their heart and soul into this which is evident in this book. I am amazed at all they do and I am grateful for this book so now everyone will know. The author details almost minute by minute but his writing is so descriptive that it is never boring......from tasting samples, to getting dressed, to filleting fish perfectly there is never a dull moment especially since each restaurant has its own cast of characters that further enhance the experience! We should all be thankful for the people who work these jobs and thanks Chef Gibney for writing such an excellent, interesting look at 24 hours in your life!

This was an interesting read....It was a very descriptive day in the life of the sous chef and those in the restaurant. I found some of the blow by blow minutia of the day a challenge to get thru and wanted to know more about the individuals and why they do what they do. If you would like a brief insight into an independent restaurant this will cover that base.

I am something of a "foodie" and so I like non-fiction books that are professional restaurant centered. This one, depicting just 24 hours on the line in a West Village restaurant in NYC, was particularly informative and captured the controlled frenzy of a fine dining restaurant kitchen. The action is seen through the eyes of one sous chef, second in command to the executive chef. The layout of the kitchen, as prescribed by Escofier more than a century ago, is minutely described; the duties of each station explained; the ingredients and techniques used in this kitchen are detailed. That might be a bit much for the casual cook or diner, but I liked the very visual scene and the work ethic involved. The legendary hard work/hard play of those in the field is apparent in this book too. Finishing work at 1:00 a.m., drinking until 3:00 a.m. and back on the job just a few hours later seems to be the norm. Maybe that's not an admirable lifestyle to some, but the hard work and focus of cooks, to me, is admirable. I'll try to remember that when I dine out. Two issues with this book are because of the Kindle configuration rather than with the author. One is that the kitchen hierarchy tree was so faint as to be unreadable. The other is that the glossary of terms is at the back which would be less of a problem in a print book. With a Kindle, it's very awkward to go back and forth from text to glossary. I kept my Culinary Arts Dictionary at hand instead.

Loved this moment-by-moment view of what is happening inside the kitchen of a fine restaurant. The moments of calm seem few amidst the chaos of bringing a great dining experience to customers who most often are unaware of what's happening in the back. Gibney's prose moved as fast as the minutes ticking away when the orders are fired. The after-hours comaraderie is enlightening as well. The staff is its own community and many very clearly have the backs of their team. Moved with the pace of and rythm of an action sport. Be prepared to learn about the many roles people play behind the scene. Hard, rewarding work making good things happen to prepare beautiful, nourishing, memorable meals. Thanks Michael Gibney!

I really enjoyed this book. It's a behind the scenes look into the restaurant business. So interesting. I loved the banter between characters! The reader in audible did a great job too!

What do you do when you're enjoying a book so much you don't want to read it because then it will be over? Well, you have no choice but to keep flipping the pages because you're hooked and can't put it down! I loved everything about this tale, including the use of "you" instead of the more common first person narrative. Such a device pulls you in to stand in the author's shoes for the day and try to imagine the pressures, discomfort, multi-tasking and never-ending details of his job. One must really love food and service to be so dedicated and single-minded about serving the perfect meal. SO glad he wrote this - everyone who visits restaurants should read this to truly appreciate what those in the industry do to make us happy. Loved it.

This book will make me pay more attention and focus more closely on any restaurant meal I order. The author does a good job of letting us know what it is like in the kitchen-trenches, detailing the hard work that has to take place behind the scenes before we can enjoy a perfect evening out. I liked his writing style, the way he portrayed the various people who make a kitchen work, and I certainly admire his stamina, and that of all who choose cooking as a profession.

Great product

this book price is high,

I am a foodie, although I am not sure there is one accepted definition of what that means. Most would agree that having a deep love of food, openness to new tasting experiences, and a list of “to-do” restaurants in different cities of the world, would qualify you as one. This book is for those foodies that also have a great curiosity for what goes on behind the scenes, those who want to know more about the inner world of the kitchen, the sanctum where the wonders that arrive at your table are created. The book is very well written, which combined with the praises for accuracy that insiders have given to it, makes for a wonderful entry point to satiating that curiosity. If you want to catch a glimpse of the real workings of New York restaurant’s kitchen, this one is for you!

Working in restaurants all my life, this book does a fairly good job of depicting kitchen life.

It's a fantastic read about what it's really like to work a service. If you are a cook/chef like myself you probably won't encounter anything you haven't done or experienced for yourself. Which (happily and sadly) makes it a very authentic book. If you ever wanted a career in the kitchen and wondered what it might be like then this is the book for you!I congratulate Michael Gibney for finding the time to write this book and I'm glad that I have supported it. Here's to all of the unsung heroes of the kitchen that make magic happen everyday through heat, steam and stress!