A review by hwks
32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.0

I am vaguely familiar with Ripert, though mostly only through Top Chef clips. For a memoir I would say it's quite decent and the writing is the precise amount of lushness you'd want in a book about food and culinary adventures. It's an interesting mix of personal story and industry insight. Ripert's early life is rife with heartbreak and loss and the later years he includes some fascinating views into the work behind Michelin Stars and the world of upscale restaurants. There were a few moments that made me cringe a bit (specifically his note about the 'African dishwashers' and what Ripert deemed was excessive sympathy given to them by his boss). It is quite a 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' kind of memoir though Ripert does well to acknowledge those who helped him and inspired him to achieve the levels of success he now enjoys; however, at the end of the day for me personally it comes across as a bit out of touch, given the (at times) intense amount of privilege he was afforded. I'm also personally not a fan of the very Western-centric concept of French cuisine/dining as being the peak of fine dining but he is a French chef and this take is not surprising. 

In short, surprisingly good for a celebrity chef, though I'm not sure how much credit for the quality of the writing goes to his ghostwriter. If you love food and particularly French cuisine, this might be worth the read.