Reach of a Chef
A couple of weekends ago, I finished Michael Ruhlman's Reach of a Chef, which makes me three for three on the "* of a Chef" series. There's so much great stuff in Reach of a Chef that it's difficult to choose a favorite part, but this passage from the amazing chapter on Grant Achatz is probably my favorite:
... it explained more than anything why Grant, for all his Midwestern humility and PBS elocution, commanded a deep respect from the kitchen staff: Not only did he run this restaurant, not only did he do the hiring and firing, not only was he a nationally respected chef and culinary innovator, Grant Achatz could, at any instance, take over your station and work it better and faster than you could do it yourself on your best day.
Speaking of Ruhlman--who has a great blog on TypePad, btw--he has a great post up about Ratatouille, which we saw recently and absolutely loved.
Comments
It's obvious.
If you haven't already, prepare yourself for Bourdain's favourite - Ferran Adria, the Spanish chef. Bourdain did a few interviews with Ferran, captured on DVD. Bourdain’s enthusiasm is infectious. If you catch the bug, one thing you may need to consider or I should say test is the weight limit of your book shelf. The El Bulli collection redefines the definition of a tome. If you are mad about food and capturing the essence of flavours in food, you'll love this series. If not, at least the photographs are wonderful. The DVD is fun. Bourdain plays the theatrical wonderfully.