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The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen
In this captivating memoir, the man whom Julia Child has called "the best chef in America" tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Awardwinning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nation'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 mother's café, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulle'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 earning a graduate degree from Columbia University, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to work at Howard Johnson'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 approximately forty all-time favorite recipes created during the course of a career spanning nearly half a century, from his mother's utterly simple cheese soufflé to his wife's pork ribs and red beans.
The Apprentice is the poignant and sometimes funny tale of a boy's coming of age. Beyond that, it is the story of America's culinary awakening and the transformation of food from an afterthought to a national preoccupation.
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 mother's café, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulle'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 earning a graduate degree from Columbia University, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to work at Howard Johnson'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 approximately forty all-time favorite recipes created during the course of a career spanning nearly half a century, from his mother's utterly simple cheese soufflé to his wife's pork ribs and red beans.
The Apprentice is the poignant and sometimes funny tale of a boy's coming of age. Beyond that, it is the story of America's culinary awakening and the transformation of food from an afterthought to a national preoccupation.
318 pages, Hardcover
Published April 10, 2003
About the author
Jacques Pépin
80 books206 followersLibrarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. For the epidemiologist, see Jacques Pepin.
Jacques Pépin (born December 18, 1935) is a French-born American chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist. Since the late 1980s, he has appeared on American television and has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine and other publications. He has authored over 30 cookbooks, some of which have become best sellers. Pépin was a longtime friend of the American chef Julia Child, and their 1999 PBS series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home won a Daytime Emmy Award. He has been honored with 24 James Beard Foundation Awards, five honorary doctoral degrees, the American Public Television’s lifetime achievement award, the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2019 and the Légion d'honneur, France's highest order of merit in 2004. --Wikipedia
Jacques Pépin (born December 18, 1935) is a French-born American chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist. Since the late 1980s, he has appeared on American television and has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine and other publications. He has authored over 30 cookbooks, some of which have become best sellers. Pépin was a longtime friend of the American chef Julia Child, and their 1999 PBS series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home won a Daytime Emmy Award. He has been honored with 24 James Beard Foundation Awards, five honorary doctoral degrees, the American Public Television’s lifetime achievement award, the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2019 and the Légion d'honneur, France's highest order of merit in 2004. --Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 1, 2014
Gregarious, devoted to family, an avid skier, and a student of French literature who once considered an academic career are not the traits one might associate with one of the most well-known and influential contemporary American chefs. However, these are some of the surprising qualities to be found in Jacques Pépin.
As a child he experienced the privations of World War II. He was a locavore long before the term even existed. During the summer he was sent to the Lyon countryside as farm labor in exchange for food. The experience nurtured an abhorrence for waste as well as a keen appreciation for quality ingredients. A vivid passage recollecting his apprenticeship describes true free-range chickens: “It was natural that the first real dish I prepared on my own at Le Grand Hôtel de l'Europe would be chicken. Fertile, with gentle hills, scattered groves, and small rivers and lakes, the Bresse region is known for producing the best chickens in France. Its soil, low in phosphoric acid and calcium, yields a great variety of worms and insects, choice food for these free-range birds, which are distinguished by their blue feet, white plumage, and red cockscomb, the colors of the French flag.” (p.64)
He completed the traditional 3-year apprenticeship in 1952, learning to judge the meat's doneness by touch (the chef there did not believe in puncturing the meat in order to test it); and in another lyrical tribute to the humble chicken he states: “When le poulet chante (the chicken sings), I knew that the layers of fat had clarified, signifying that the chicken was nearly done.” (p.59) Of course, the real action was in Paris, and he finally gained a position at Le Plaza Athénée, which he likens to the “big leagues.” There he learned the formidable techniques handed down from the time of Escoffier.
When drafted into the Navy, he was saved from the front lines of the Algerian War, though not from the ire of martinets, by his chef's credentials, and the French officer corp's insistence on edible food! (His official cook's exam required the preparation of eggs bénédictine, a poached egg on a toast slice of brioche, lined with ham and capped with hollandaise sauce garnished with a slice of truffle – only in France!). In a convoluted move, he was able to get assigned to the Secretary of the Treasury, and later to the President of France. At the time of his discharge he was personal chef to President de Gaulle.
He could have stayed in Paris, but restless curiosity drove him elsewhere, this time to the United States, working under Pierre Franey at Le Pavillon in New York City. Pépin makes some interesting observations about American food. He found the produce and herbs to be milder. It was his first exposure to a supermarket. He was surprised at the limited types of vinegar, oil and mustards, and when he asked about mushrooms, he was directed to the canned goods aisle. The food world of the early 1960's was very different. Pépin embraced the new opportunities and became part of a generation of American tastemakers: James Beard, Craig Claiborne, Julia Child, and Helen McCully. Pépin's contributions to the American culinary revolution began in the commissaries of Howard Johnson and spread to the authorship of cookbooks, teaching, and television appearances, endeavors that continue through the present.
If you are already familiar with Jacques Pépin, or have seen his telecasts, this book will prove enjoyable, despite its lack of literary drama. Pépin maintains a controlled emotional detachment from these events that contrast with his enthusiasm for food and technique. However, each chapter concludes with a recipe, which illustrates the ways he combines his professional training with the limitations of the home cook.
As a child he experienced the privations of World War II. He was a locavore long before the term even existed. During the summer he was sent to the Lyon countryside as farm labor in exchange for food. The experience nurtured an abhorrence for waste as well as a keen appreciation for quality ingredients. A vivid passage recollecting his apprenticeship describes true free-range chickens: “It was natural that the first real dish I prepared on my own at Le Grand Hôtel de l'Europe would be chicken. Fertile, with gentle hills, scattered groves, and small rivers and lakes, the Bresse region is known for producing the best chickens in France. Its soil, low in phosphoric acid and calcium, yields a great variety of worms and insects, choice food for these free-range birds, which are distinguished by their blue feet, white plumage, and red cockscomb, the colors of the French flag.” (p.64)
He completed the traditional 3-year apprenticeship in 1952, learning to judge the meat's doneness by touch (the chef there did not believe in puncturing the meat in order to test it); and in another lyrical tribute to the humble chicken he states: “When le poulet chante (the chicken sings), I knew that the layers of fat had clarified, signifying that the chicken was nearly done.” (p.59) Of course, the real action was in Paris, and he finally gained a position at Le Plaza Athénée, which he likens to the “big leagues.” There he learned the formidable techniques handed down from the time of Escoffier.
When drafted into the Navy, he was saved from the front lines of the Algerian War, though not from the ire of martinets, by his chef's credentials, and the French officer corp's insistence on edible food! (His official cook's exam required the preparation of eggs bénédictine, a poached egg on a toast slice of brioche, lined with ham and capped with hollandaise sauce garnished with a slice of truffle – only in France!). In a convoluted move, he was able to get assigned to the Secretary of the Treasury, and later to the President of France. At the time of his discharge he was personal chef to President de Gaulle.
He could have stayed in Paris, but restless curiosity drove him elsewhere, this time to the United States, working under Pierre Franey at Le Pavillon in New York City. Pépin makes some interesting observations about American food. He found the produce and herbs to be milder. It was his first exposure to a supermarket. He was surprised at the limited types of vinegar, oil and mustards, and when he asked about mushrooms, he was directed to the canned goods aisle. The food world of the early 1960's was very different. Pépin embraced the new opportunities and became part of a generation of American tastemakers: James Beard, Craig Claiborne, Julia Child, and Helen McCully. Pépin's contributions to the American culinary revolution began in the commissaries of Howard Johnson and spread to the authorship of cookbooks, teaching, and television appearances, endeavors that continue through the present.
If you are already familiar with Jacques Pépin, or have seen his telecasts, this book will prove enjoyable, despite its lack of literary drama. Pépin maintains a controlled emotional detachment from these events that contrast with his enthusiasm for food and technique. However, each chapter concludes with a recipe, which illustrates the ways he combines his professional training with the limitations of the home cook.
January 12, 2008
actually read The Apprentice last year, after picking up the book at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in Napa Valley while on vacation. Both Roy and I read it, and both loved it. I have always liked Jacque Pepin’s TV shows (most memorable moment was when he was fixing some giblet dish, and for the liver, he said in his French accent “this, you feed to the dog”). He is one of those people who has had an amazing talent, and has picked his course in life, not just going the direction that tradition would take him. I recommended this for our book club for this month, with the incentive that I would cook some of the recipes. So, I picked up the book, and had a hard time picking recipes because I would start reading the book again, completely derailing plans for choosing a recipe or two. But, I have finally picked recipes, and will do the Egg’s Jeanette, Mussels Ravigote, and Roast Leg of Lamb Provincial as well as a Tomato and Zucchini Salad and an Apple Tart from other Jacque Pepin recipe books (yes, I have several). And in honor of my recent trip to Italy, we will start with Bellini's! So – Pagerturners – please come hungry on Wednesday!
July 30, 2019
Have never seen his show but have tried his recipes. This was a very enjoyably memoir. The "apprenticeship" process of becoming a chef in France was enlightening. I especially liked Pepin's many references to French country cooking, using game and foraging to create the masterpieces France is so known for. An easy, well-written and honest memoir.
May 26, 2022
This definitely wasn't a bad book... but without a doubt it re-re-re-inforced my complete lack of interest in the entire autobiography genre. I mean, I guess lots of people have heard of him and are interested in his story? But I definitely hadn't and was moderately underwhelmed - as I usually am when I read autobiographies - with his life. Nice to see that he did all that cooking and whatnot, but it didn't strike me as a particularly weighty life.
BUT at least it read fast (always a winning aspect for any book club read, for me)! And I wish I had any desire whatsoever to try to cook any of the recipes included. There seems to be some delights therein and maybe I'll try to do some? ..... Hahahahahaha! (never)
BUT at least it read fast (always a winning aspect for any book club read, for me)! And I wish I had any desire whatsoever to try to cook any of the recipes included. There seems to be some delights therein and maybe I'll try to do some? ..... Hahahahahaha! (never)
July 20, 2015
I love his positive attitude and his continuum of cooking videos that are available on the web. The book would be of interest only to fans. I learned, in the main, that his mother bought a series of distressed restaurants in small French towns, revived them to success and then sold them and moved on. She is the source of his passion for cooking and his entrepreneurship. Also interesting, Jacques worked for Howard Johnsons, as an executive chef, for quite a while before becoming the celebrity he was/is today.
September 13, 2011
This was a really nice bio of Jacques Pepin's life; it highlighted his early enthusiasm for cooking. Lots of nice photos round out the verbiage.
August 6, 2014
3.5 stars
What a nice autobiography. I liked that it had a mixture of culinary history with Pepin's life history. I also liked how this book was unpretentious and humble which is always refreshing in a celebrity book. It was not about showing off or name dropping but about telling the story, as it should be. This book also felt very honest and was very well written and entertaining. Pepin has had a remarkable life. You feel like one of Pepin's friend while reading the book which I greatly appreciate.
Pepin really loves food and his love for the culinary arts shines in this book from beginning to end. He quit school at a young age and worked his way up starting as an apprentice in French kitchens. His parents also owned and operated restaurants during the war. He ended up working for the President of France. After that job, he came to America and, wanting the American cooking experience, worked for a fast food company called Howard Johnson's. Then he worked for (I guess the first ever) soup kitchen. From there he ended up writing cookbooks, working with Julia Child on TV, and even opening a restaurant with his wife for a short while.
He is a highly motivated man. He went back to school as an adult because he wanted a college degree. He even thought about having a career in academia. He eventually started teaching others about food after a horrible car accident which he miraculously recovered from but which made it hard for him to work in a commercial kitchen.
I loved reading about his culinary adventures, although his adventuresome eating made me a little squeamish (basically only one chapter). I love, love, love when a book like this includes recipes because chef autobiographies are greatly enhanced with this addition. Plus, pictures are included.
There was one small typo in the book though which isn't such a big deal but it always bothers me when a published book has a typo.
What a nice autobiography. I liked that it had a mixture of culinary history with Pepin's life history. I also liked how this book was unpretentious and humble which is always refreshing in a celebrity book. It was not about showing off or name dropping but about telling the story, as it should be. This book also felt very honest and was very well written and entertaining. Pepin has had a remarkable life. You feel like one of Pepin's friend while reading the book which I greatly appreciate.
Pepin really loves food and his love for the culinary arts shines in this book from beginning to end. He quit school at a young age and worked his way up starting as an apprentice in French kitchens. His parents also owned and operated restaurants during the war. He ended up working for the President of France. After that job, he came to America and, wanting the American cooking experience, worked for a fast food company called Howard Johnson's. Then he worked for (I guess the first ever) soup kitchen. From there he ended up writing cookbooks, working with Julia Child on TV, and even opening a restaurant with his wife for a short while.
He is a highly motivated man. He went back to school as an adult because he wanted a college degree. He even thought about having a career in academia. He eventually started teaching others about food after a horrible car accident which he miraculously recovered from but which made it hard for him to work in a commercial kitchen.
I loved reading about his culinary adventures, although his adventuresome eating made me a little squeamish (basically only one chapter). I love, love, love when a book like this includes recipes because chef autobiographies are greatly enhanced with this addition. Plus, pictures are included.
There was one small typo in the book though which isn't such a big deal but it always bothers me when a published book has a typo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2017
It's hard for me to give this book anything but five stars because I absolutely love Jacques Pepin. I have been been watching him on TV for years, I have a few of his cookbooks, and he actually signed my copy of The Apprentice when I met him after a cooking demonstration.
So yes, I gave this book five stars because I have a very pro-Pepin bias. (If I didn't know Pepin, I might have given this four stars.) However, there is a lot to love here even if you don't know Pepin!
Pepin's life story is quite incredible and his fun-loving personality shines through in The Apprentice. Growing up in World War II France with little food, he learned a lot from his mother, who was also an inspiring figure. Pepin worked in and, by busting his chops, achieved notoriety at some of the biggest restaurants of Paris and the US. (JFK offered him the job of white house chef! And Pepin turned it down because he had already cooked for the government in France and didn't think it would be worth the work!) He was in the the US at the exact time that food and cooking exploded into the mainstream. He also helped make that explosion possible through his work alongside food legends like James Beard, Julia Child and Craig Claiborne. He had so many awesome life experiences that I couldn't even list them all here.
Through it all, Pepin became the quintessential American chef and I highly recommend The Apprentice to anyone interested in food or cooking.
So yes, I gave this book five stars because I have a very pro-Pepin bias. (If I didn't know Pepin, I might have given this four stars.) However, there is a lot to love here even if you don't know Pepin!
Pepin's life story is quite incredible and his fun-loving personality shines through in The Apprentice. Growing up in World War II France with little food, he learned a lot from his mother, who was also an inspiring figure. Pepin worked in and, by busting his chops, achieved notoriety at some of the biggest restaurants of Paris and the US. (JFK offered him the job of white house chef! And Pepin turned it down because he had already cooked for the government in France and didn't think it would be worth the work!) He was in the the US at the exact time that food and cooking exploded into the mainstream. He also helped make that explosion possible through his work alongside food legends like James Beard, Julia Child and Craig Claiborne. He had so many awesome life experiences that I couldn't even list them all here.
Through it all, Pepin became the quintessential American chef and I highly recommend The Apprentice to anyone interested in food or cooking.
July 11, 2011
One of the best food memoirs I've read. Readers interested in French culture & cooking and food history or the evolution of a profession should put this at the top of their lists. I found it particularly compelling as a work narrative, as it tells the story of how a passion for cooking grew out of family and fellowship and into an extraordinary career. Food historians and gossips will love the intimate portraits of Howard Johnson, Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey and James Beard, among others. I particularly enjoyed Pepin's descriptions of his foraging missions and home renovations on Long Island and in Connecticut, as well as his insightful commentary on food trends and, especially, his summary of his academic career at Boston University. If I ever decide to return to graduate school, the first place I will turn is to the M. A. program in gastronomy that he helped launch there in 1992. I look forward to reading the selections he lists as part of his dissertation proposal on French literature and food. Excellent memoir all around!
July 7, 2013
I used to have a date with Jacques, every Saturday, at 12:30 when "Fast Food My Way" was on PBS. I could listen to that man all day. I also loved his approach to food. French, but not "haute cuisine". It was great to recently find a copy of "The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen".
This is a warm, lovely look back over his life, even the rough patches. I laughed out loud at his description of being sent on an errand as an apprentice (this is something that continues today, on a smaller scale) and at his description of arriving in Quebec City on his way to New York. His apprenticeship and working up the ranks is fascinating, especially to anyone with a cooking background. Relationships and interactions with Julia Child, James Beard, Alice Waters and so many other famous chefs make for great reading. Jacques chose his own way, and didn't just do things because it was expected. This made for a much more interesting life, much to our luck.
This is a warm, lovely look back over his life, even the rough patches. I laughed out loud at his description of being sent on an errand as an apprentice (this is something that continues today, on a smaller scale) and at his description of arriving in Quebec City on his way to New York. His apprenticeship and working up the ranks is fascinating, especially to anyone with a cooking background. Relationships and interactions with Julia Child, James Beard, Alice Waters and so many other famous chefs make for great reading. Jacques chose his own way, and didn't just do things because it was expected. This made for a much more interesting life, much to our luck.
December 4, 2012
A rich life described with humor and grace. There is an amazing lack of pretense in his writing and in his approach to food - especially for one trained in the classic French Brigade system. Pepin started his life in the kitchens of his mother's small town restaurants, left school at 13 to become a restaurant in a larger restaurant in a larger town. He was the chef in his own kitchen by the age of 16, worked his way to Paris and the Plaza Athenee, then became De Gaulle's chef. After a few years of this, still in his 20's, he came to the US.
The book is filled with kitchen stories and stories of his friends and family, and a nice collection of tasty and very approachable recipes.
The book is filled with kitchen stories and stories of his friends and family, and a nice collection of tasty and very approachable recipes.
August 25, 2008
What an amazing man and artist. Jacque Pepin is inspiring not only because he is a great chef, but because he sees possibility and makes something of it throughout his life.
Mr. Pepin writes of kinship with African American cuisine and culture. He shares his regret that many people were not promoted up through the culinary ranks as their similarily talented White co-workers. As someone who recognizes this inequality and one with such great influence, I hope that Jacque Pepin will address this issue and correct the inequality.
Mr. Pepin writes of kinship with African American cuisine and culture. He shares his regret that many people were not promoted up through the culinary ranks as their similarily talented White co-workers. As someone who recognizes this inequality and one with such great influence, I hope that Jacque Pepin will address this issue and correct the inequality.
January 27, 2018
I am a HUGE Jaques Pepin fan. I DVR every episode of his TV shows and have many of his recipes in my list of go to dishes. I have really gotten to like the guy. His shows with Julia are classics. I have his DVD set on the basics of cooking that are just wonderful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about his background and he came to be and the influences that brought him to his current position. The book was written in 2003 and covers all the old stuff, it left me wishing for a new one fleshing out his life since then.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about his background and he came to be and the influences that brought him to his current position. The book was written in 2003 and covers all the old stuff, it left me wishing for a new one fleshing out his life since then.
June 15, 2021
The baby picture of an eight-month-old Jacques Pepin, found in between the pages of this delightful if safe autobiography, is beyond adorable. He doesn't even look real but more like a doll with a full head of hair.
While enjoyable, I hope one day a definitive, more substantive, biography will be written about this fascinating chef.
As a side note: unsurprisingly but still a bit unsettling is the frequent descriptions of butchering animals. Granted, I totally get it but it still didn't make those parts particularly appealing for me to read about.
While enjoyable, I hope one day a definitive, more substantive, biography will be written about this fascinating chef.
As a side note: unsurprisingly but still a bit unsettling is the frequent descriptions of butchering animals. Granted, I totally get it but it still didn't make those parts particularly appealing for me to read about.
October 4, 2012
Read this for my foodies book club. Wonderful story of how Jacques Pepin transformed his life - not only once but several times. An inspiration for anyone who believes they can't make a life change. In terms of the cooking content, the story is more about his life than "how to cook", although each chapter ends with a recipe. I'm told that one must not miss the "Eggs Jeanette" as a better than ever deviled egg recipe.
April 6, 2009
I remember watching Jacques Pepin on PBS when I was younger, and thinking that it was funny just to hear him talk, with his very French accent.
This book is an absolutely wonderful memoir of his childhood in France, and growing up in and around the turmoil of post-war France.
When I finished this book, I had a new found appreciation of Pepin - he just seemed like a great guy to know.
This book is an absolutely wonderful memoir of his childhood in France, and growing up in and around the turmoil of post-war France.
When I finished this book, I had a new found appreciation of Pepin - he just seemed like a great guy to know.
July 15, 2016
Jacques Pepin writes with a voice that reminds me of a jovial friend at my dinner table. An easy read, spanning all of the chef's life to 2003. The recipes throughout are simple and thoughtful, and feel like they've been perfected over the years. Chef has always seemed to me to be someone you'd love to be around- his memoir reflects that.
April 6, 2014
I really enjoyed Jacques Pepin's humor and amazing life as he goes from France to the United States. He has wonderful stores about all the people he worked with and the friends he made in the US . His journey through the changing of the guard in cuisine in the 50-70's is priceless.
June 11, 2015
A very enjoyable read after some intense and heavy reading. Who knew HoJos had employed some of the best French chefs in the world! Can't wait to try the recipes in the book. Great read for anyone interested in cooking and the culinary world.
June 17, 2017
Having heard a lot about this book, I had high expectations. Guess what, it lived up to it. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading experiences of Jacques Pépin. It is written in such a way that the author himself is sharing his experiences personally with you.
What a great book!
What a great book!
October 3, 2018
Spare me the headcheese, frogs, raw scallops, liver mousse, and rabbit. Otherwise, I was entranced by Jacques's story: from French country life to American TV fame. This was a fascinating and fun read. Recommended for any kitchen lover.
November 15, 2018
Not a cookbook (but there are a few) but follows the life and career of Jacques Pepin. I first watched his cooking shows on PBS but now better understand how he got there from rural France to the US!
March 31, 2023
What a fascinating life! My favorite chef of all time. I have learned so much about cooking from his shows but I learned about his humbleness and humanity from his book. I have given this book as a gift to my friends who love food and cooking.
November 22, 2012
The magnificent chef writes well about a fascinating life. The only thing that I had trouble with is that he did and still does eat frogs. C'est la vie.
May 16, 2013
Delightful. Cheery, in the author's true voice, and remarkably well indexed.
August 22, 2013
A charming memoir that's easy to read. It's been fun to try some of the recipes sprinkled throughout the book.
June 25, 2013
Had excellent reviews, and lived up to them.
Nice easy read, but also captivating.
Lots of recipes, but they looked a little daunting
Nice easy read, but also captivating.
Lots of recipes, but they looked a little daunting
January 22, 2015
Recommended and not just for foodies.
December 2, 2020
Great read and insights into one of France’s/America’s most well known chefs.
September 30, 2021
a lot of fun
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews