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bluebirdsongs's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
tiarala's review
3.0
Not an exciting or dramatic story, but as an admirer of Ripert it was interesting to learn the things in his life that made him a great chef. A simple biography with few surprises, but a pleasant, quick read.
laellede's review
4.0
This was such a fun weekend read! I love reading chef memoirs. His life story was a sad one, but still beautiful. Now I want to eat my way through France!
elsez326's review
5.0
Such a good book about growth and discovery. While Ripert is such a talented chef, this book was all about what he went through to strive to become a well rounded human being. Genuine, humble and edifying. I could never, ever be a chef, but loved reading about his journey.
kimball_hansen's review
4.0
If I was in love with cooking and food then this would have been a five star book. I don't understand the joy of being enamored with it though. And those people that are probably don't understand my joy of maps or other such things. But it still made this read exciting. I kept thinking of the book [b:Down and Out in Paris and London|393199|Down and Out in Paris and London|George Orwell|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1347697665s/393199.jpg|2374970] and the torture those waiters went through. The cooks have it just as bad.
How are these rich chefs and cooks not morbidly obese? Don't they just eat and eat, or is it because they're so gourmet that they don't stoop their tastebuds down the Commoners level so they're more picky. I wonder what percentage of the food they eat satisfies them or is 95% of it dirt and 5% actually delicious? I want to eat at Joque's restaurant. Or that other mentor he worked under for three years. And I thought that was neat how the boss would blame the cooks if customers left food on their plate. He's right, if the food is so good you would want to eat it all. Makes it a challenge to see which plates come back the cleanest and if it doesn't then try harder.
Eric did things that I did as a kid - killed bugs, played in the dirt and mud and loves to hike. Maybe I should have been a 3 star chef (since when did 3 star become 5 star?) I like how France has/had mandatory military service. I wish the US did that.
How are these rich chefs and cooks not morbidly obese? Don't they just eat and eat, or is it because they're so gourmet that they don't stoop their tastebuds down the Commoners level so they're more picky. I wonder what percentage of the food they eat satisfies them or is 95% of it dirt and 5% actually delicious? I want to eat at Joque's restaurant. Or that other mentor he worked under for three years. And I thought that was neat how the boss would blame the cooks if customers left food on their plate. He's right, if the food is so good you would want to eat it all. Makes it a challenge to see which plates come back the cleanest and if it doesn't then try harder.
Eric did things that I did as a kid - killed bugs, played in the dirt and mud and loves to hike. Maybe I should have been a 3 star chef (since when did 3 star become 5 star?) I like how France has/had mandatory military service. I wish the US did that.
j45rpm's review
5.0
Very well written--Ripert does a great job conveying his childhood, the impact of changing family dynamics, his experience in cooking school, his experience as a raw cook on the line, etc. His stories are compelling, and it is really interesting hearing about the influences that shaped him into being a master chef.
My one complaint is that the book feels like it just abruptly ends. I was reading the eBook, so I didn't have the physical warning from a waning number of pages that I'd have had with the physical book, but it felt like I was deep into reading the book and it just stops.
My one complaint is that the book feels like it just abruptly ends. I was reading the eBook, so I didn't have the physical warning from a waning number of pages that I'd have had with the physical book, but it felt like I was deep into reading the book and it just stops.
quiltmom14's review
4.0
A great memoir from a serious chef. Interesting that I read this around the time Anthony Bourdaine died, and Eric Rupert was apparently the one who found him. Rupert’s story is easy to read, heartfelt...recommended.
danibean19's review
4.0
This is a great coming-of-age memoir, about a truly fascinating chef. I felt transported by the artful descriptions of the different places he lived and worked in France and Andorra. It seems to be a very open, honest telling of his youth including his own mistakes and shortcomings, dreams and aspirations. I would read it again for the soulful descriptions of ingredients, dishes, techniques alone.
maryehavens's review
4.0
I enjoy these types of food memoirs even if the story is similar to the other ones I've read (Kitchen Confidential, Blood, Bones and Butter, etc.).
All I knew about Ripert before this book was he was an attractive world class chef that frequented Top Chef and those types of Food Network type shows. I always liked his presence: quiet and kind. I would have never thought he would have been abused or had a temper from his appearance on those shows.
I enjoyed the food talk and learning about his journey. His passion for food is remarkable but it sounds like, to be a top chef, you must be that passionate.
I enjoyed the audiobook narration - he pronounced the French words well, or I thought so. I wish that there had been a bit of a description of the dishes for the non-Francophile just so I could know what the food consisted of.
I was surprised to learn that Ripert is a Buddhist! Suddenly the quiet, kind chef makes sense :)
All I knew about Ripert before this book was he was an attractive world class chef that frequented Top Chef and those types of Food Network type shows. I always liked his presence: quiet and kind. I would have never thought he would have been abused or had a temper from his appearance on those shows.
I enjoyed the food talk and learning about his journey. His passion for food is remarkable but it sounds like, to be a top chef, you must be that passionate.
I enjoyed the audiobook narration - he pronounced the French words well, or I thought so. I wish that there had been a bit of a description of the dishes for the non-Francophile just so I could know what the food consisted of.
I was surprised to learn that Ripert is a Buddhist! Suddenly the quiet, kind chef makes sense :)