Read Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line by Michael Gibney Online

Sous Chef Job Description What is a sous chef Sous chef is one of the most sought after position in the culinary industry Read our article now to have a complete sous chef job description and Sous Chef Training Learn What it Takes to Become a Sous Do you know what a sous chef does or how much he or she can earn Find out what kind of education you need to become assistant to the executive chef. Sous Chef in Wimborne BH Chefs for Chefs Ltd View details and apply for this Sous Chef job in Wimborne BH with Chefs for Chefs Ltd on Caterer We are currently working alongside a beautiful Family run Breville BFPXL Sous Chef Food Why the Breville Sous Chef Food Processor Every Breville product begins with a simple moment of brilliance The Breville Sous Chef began with the observation that PolyScience CHEF Series Sous Vide PolyScience CHEF Series Sous Vide Commercial Immersion Circulator Kitchen Dining DM s Esoteric Programming Languages Chef Introduction Chef is a programming language in which programs look like recipes NEW Additional syntax specifications added July, , marked in red. Bryan Voltaggio Chef Bryan Voltaggio is a true son of the Chesapeake, born and bred in Frederick, Maryland By the young age of and after having served as sous chef and executive Why Cook Sous Vide Modernist Cuisine Cooking sous vide is easier than its fancy name might suggest You simply seal the ingredients in a plastic bag you can also use a canning jar and place them in a Chef and cook job description Job Search Snagajob If you re quick on your feet and not afraid of heat and knives , consider a job as a chef or a cook. The Difference Between a Cook and a Chef The Thank you for correcting my understanding about the difference between a chef and a cook I hope many of those who work in the culinary field have seen this ellaboration.

Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line Reviews

• 
  Snotchocheez

  The single biggest thing I miss from leaving Los Angeles more than a decade ago is its vast array of restaurants. My preference usually swings toward those purveyors of the outré dishes as delectably described by Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic of the LA Times Jonathan Gold, rather than the trendy bistros and brasseries that garner Zagat raves and Michelin Stars. (Quite frankly, there's just nothing more gastronomically appealing than scoring a Korean taco from a mobile truck, or discovering The single biggest thing I miss from leaving Los Angeles more than a decade ago is its vast array of restaurants. My preference usually swings toward those purveyors of the outré dishes as delectably described by Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic of the LA Times Jonathan Gold, rather than the trendy bistros and brasseries that garner Zagat raves and Michelin Stars. (Quite frankly, there's just nothing more gastronomically appealing than scoring a Korean taco from a mobile truck, or discovering the tiniest mini-mall nasi goreng parlor.) That doesn't mean, though, that I'm not interested in the fine dining segment of the restaurant industry. Though I cringe at the idea of frequenting $75-per-cover establishments, i'm certainly interested in those with a passion for food (and its preparation). You (er, I) read frightening statistics of how over 90% of non-corporately-owned restaurant start-ups fail in their first year, and wonder why anyone would even bother trying to succeed in a field where the cards are so stacked against you. Or if you've worked behind the scenes in the corporate restaurant industry (as I had when I was in LA, working in the HR department for a mid-to-low-end full service Mexican restaurant chain), you know those that work in the back-of-the-house are are compensated shittily, and work like dogs (12-to-15-hour days are not uncommon for employees exempt from the Wage And Hour Law, like Managers, Chefs and Sous Chefs) to keep their establishments running. Who the hell would be crazy enough to subject themselves to that kind of torturous career move?
  
  Michael Gibney, in his fascinating book Sous Chef, which is informed by his more than a decade working in the fine dining service sector, endeavors to explain why. Unlike the myriad cooking shows proliferating of late featuring superstar chefs flaunting their successes like Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, or (*cringe*) Guy Fieri, Gibney takes us in the trenches, showing us 24 hours in the life of a sous chef in a successful West (Greenwich) Village eatery. He inserts the reader front and center, using the patois and argot of the industry (thankfully explained in the back of the book with an extensive glossary), of the restaurant's nerve center, the kitchen. It's a gruesome portrait Gibney paints, and would probably scare the crap out of anyone with less than an undying ardor for the Culinary Arts, but it's one of the truest, grittiest looks at the food service industry you'll likely ever read. ...more
• 
  Mo

  *I received an ARC through a GoodReads contest. My thanks to the author.
  
  This book tells you everything you ever wanted to know and more… MUCH more… about what goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen of a fine dining establishment. I considered this to be a bit overwhelming, as I am not in the food industry, and this was much more information than I ever wanted or needed. However, I read every single word and have the glazed eyes to prove it.
  
  
  
  I think this book is more suited for those who current *I received an ARC through a GoodReads contest. My thanks to the author.
  
  This book tells you everything you ever wanted to know and more… MUCH more… about what goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen of a fine dining establishment. I considered this to be a bit overwhelming, as I am not in the food industry, and this was much more information than I ever wanted or needed. However, I read every single word and have the glazed eyes to prove it.
  
  
  
  I think this book is more suited for those who currently work in the restaurant business, or are contemplating entering it. (And I know a few restaurants where I would love to have some of their staff read this!) Here's a small sample from the book.
  
  "The green-lips are ready when they’ve all gaped their maws. The orange meat is supple and glimmering. The liquor from the mussels has bubbled together with the butter and wine and soubise to form a viscous emulsion that coats the whole pan. They’re finished with a few drops of lemon juice and a flutter of fine herbes; a quick toss in the pan and into the bowl. The gambas come off when their spotted heads go coral red and a caramel-colored sear veils the opalescent white of the flesh. They land in a terra cotta cazuela on a pillow of black romesco, and finish with a dusting of pimento dulce, a sprinkle of bottarga di tonno, a stalk of compressed scallion, a parsley pluche. The herring come off as soon as their aluminum flesh goes umber. You pop them on a drop tray, pass them to Chef for plating. And just like that, you’re out with the apps." - Sous Chef
  
  It’s obvious that this guy knows his stuff. I just wish he hadn’t felt compelled to share ALL of the details with me.
  
  Anyone thinking about making a career in this upper eschelon of the industry should definitely read this. I could actually image this becoming required reading at some establishments. Since I am not in the industry, it had limited appeal for me, and I can’t imagine it having wide appeal to the general populace. Since this had made it to the best sellers list, I thought it would be a little more of a tell-all instead of a TELL ALL.
  
  If you are in the business, this would probably rate at least 4 stars. If you are not, more like 2 stars. I’ll split the difference.
  
  NOTE: A working knowledge of Spanish would be helpful to you, as most of the kitchen staff seem to speak that language and no translations are provided. You can usually discern the meaning when taken in context, but not always.
  
  
  
  ...more
• 
  Jessica

  I bought this on sale today and could not put it down. Written in second person, you feel as if you are there in the kitchen. Luckily, I love TV chef shows, so I had some familiarity with the terminology. I love this kind of behind-the-scenes book.
• 
  Larry H

  I'd rate this 4.5 stars.
  
  From the moment I realized I loved to cook (and realized I was good at it), I had a dream of becoming a chef someday, of perhaps having my own little restaurant, where I could decide a menu based on what looked good at the market, and cook for people who loved food. Sure, television shows like Top Chef and Hell's Kitchen made being a chef look a little less appealing, but those shows are enhanced for their dramatic value, right?
  
  Michael Gibney's terrific book, Sous Chef: 2 I'd rate this 4.5 stars.
  
  From the moment I realized I loved to cook (and realized I was good at it), I had a dream of becoming a chef someday, of perhaps having my own little restaurant, where I could decide a menu based on what looked good at the market, and cook for people who loved food. Sure, television shows like Top Chef and Hell's Kitchen made being a chef look a little less appealing, but those shows are enhanced for their dramatic value, right?
  
  Michael Gibney's terrific book, Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line, has made me realize that the reality is more like the latter than the former. Gibney has cooked in some of the nation's finest restaurants, and clearly knows his stuff. If someone with his skills and experience can still have nights from hell, what chance do some of us mere mortals have?
  
  Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line follows Gibney on a day working at a New York City restaurant. He's one of two sous chefs working with a talented chef, who gives both Gibney and his compatriot a great deal of responsibility and latitude in the kitchen, but expects a great deal, too. You see just how much work it is to produce the food you get to enjoy in a restaurant, how many people are involved, how many crises may occur in the preparation, plating, and serving of the food. You get to understand why your food sometimes comes out under- or over-cooked, or perhaps missing a crucial component listed on the menu. These responsibilities, coupled with the breakneck pace of a day in the fishbowl-like atmosphere of a restaurant kitchen, when many sous chefs and others have been out late drinking the night before, can be overwhelming.
  
  "The sous chef (from the French meaning "under chef") is the lieutenant, the executor of Chef's wishes. He is at Chef's side seventy hours a week or more, for good or bad, a perpetual Mark Antony to Chef's Julius Caesar."
  
  This book makes you feel like you are there on the line with Gibney. You get to experience his highs and his lows, work through the challenges thrown at him, and weather the emotional issues he battles. Gibney writes in a conversational style peppered with bravado and lots of culinary terms (luckily there's a comprehensive glossary at the back of the book)—there's even a good deal of (untranslated) Spanish dialogue thrown in as he chronicles his conversations with dishwashers, salad chefs, and other kitchen staff.
  
  If you're a foodie, fancy yourself a chef without a restaurant, or have ever thought about a culinary career, this is a book for you. It doesn't glamorize the sous chef's role; it presents a fairly realistic picture of a day in a fairly busy, fine dining restaurant, without stooping to clichés or creating stereotypical characters. I really enjoyed this a great deal, although it did reinforce that I was wise not to pursue a career as a chef after I went to culinary school. (I like having some balance in my life. Call me crazy.)
  
  "Without a kitchen there is no restaurant; without a strong line there is no kitchen." I know the next time I go out to eat at a restaurant, I'll think a little bit harder about the blood, sweat, and tears (hopefully not too much of the first two) that went into the preparation of the food, and how much I have the sous chef to thank. And I thank Michael Gibney and his great book for that reinforced awareness. ...more
• 
  Kate

  Thanks to Random House for an ARC which I received last year and only picked up this year. Michael Gibney tells the story of a day in his life as a sous chef in a high end New York kitchen. I was a waitress in college and I have friends in the food industry, so the material was not unfamiliar. I initially had trouble getting into the story, but once I got used to the style, I sailed through. He writes very well, about the food itself, the preparation and the hectic nature of a professional kitch Thanks to Random House for an ARC which I received last year and only picked up this year. Michael Gibney tells the story of a day in his life as a sous chef in a high end New York kitchen. I was a waitress in college and I have friends in the food industry, so the material was not unfamiliar. I initially had trouble getting into the story, but once I got used to the style, I sailed through. He writes very well, about the food itself, the preparation and the hectic nature of a professional kitchen. At times, I felt a little bogged down by repetition, especially during Service, but it reiterated how every plate needs to go out of the kitchen as perfect as possible. For all of us who watch Julia, Jacques and way too much Food Network, this is a quick, fun read about the industry. It made me glad, I was on the other side of the plate, while increasing my respect for all who work in restaurant kitchens. ...more
• 
  Perri

  We following our narrator's 24 hour whirlwind experience in an upscale restaurant. I learned it might be good to arrive ahead of the crush to receive optimal attention to your meal. I learned a lot of fancy french words like my new favorite soigne (swan-ya) from the verb Soigner meaning tended to, looked after, cared for. In the kitchen, basically the strive for perfection-first quality ingredients, prepared with the best technique and served beautifully... to every guest. I learned about the hi We following our narrator's 24 hour whirlwind experience in an upscale restaurant. I learned it might be good to arrive ahead of the crush to receive optimal attention to your meal. I learned a lot of fancy french words like my new favorite soigne (swan-ya) from the verb Soigner meaning tended to, looked after, cared for. In the kitchen, basically the strive for perfection-first quality ingredients, prepared with the best technique and served beautifully... to every guest. I learned about the hierarchy in the kitchen and because of the brutal pace, the importance maintaining that order- working harmoniously together in confined space, understanding each other's roles and respecting authority "Yes Chef!" And I learned I wouldn't last 15 minutes in the restaurant business. I have a fascination with the food industry knowing the hard work and sacrifices required. It seems chefs must have a undeniable drive, even passion to cook. Four stars bien sur! ...more
• 
  Bekah

  I love cooking, love watching cooking shows, especially competitions (like Chopped and Iron Chef), so I went into this book thinking that I would love seeing behind the scenes. I am sure I would have, had it been written by someone else. But right from the start, I knew it was going to be horrible. The author read the preface and could barely muster even an ounce of enthusiasm. If the author doesn't even seem to give a damn about what he wrote, how the hell can the reader be expected to? This wa I love cooking, love watching cooking shows, especially competitions (like Chopped and Iron Chef), so I went into this book thinking that I would love seeing behind the scenes. I am sure I would have, had it been written by someone else. But right from the start, I knew it was going to be horrible. The author read the preface and could barely muster even an ounce of enthusiasm. If the author doesn't even seem to give a damn about what he wrote, how the hell can the reader be expected to? This was everything I hated about non-fiction works, the reason I usually avoid reading memoirs or the like. He was arrogant, self-serving, insufferable and a total bully to his fellow employees and "friends". Perhaps he exaggerated the way people behaved and spoke to be seen as edgy or cool, but it backfired. ...more
• 
  Jillyn

  Four and a half stars, rounded up.
  
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  Sous Chef is a nonfiction book that lets the reader experience what it is like to be a sous chef in a kitchen for a twenty-four hour period of time. The pressures, defeats, victories, and the massive amount of work are all beautifully illustrated in the text, immersing the reader in the culinary world and all it has to offer.
  
  When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. In addition to being a foodie to the core, I'm also the daughter of an executive chef. I' Four and a half stars, rounded up.
  
  ---
  
  Sous Chef is a nonfiction book that lets the reader experience what it is like to be a sous chef in a kitchen for a twenty-four hour period of time. The pressures, defeats, victories, and the massive amount of work are all beautifully illustrated in the text, immersing the reader in the culinary world and all it has to offer.
  
  When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. In addition to being a foodie to the core, I'm also the daughter of an executive chef. I've pretty much grown up in the kitchen and in the industry, and I'm no stranger to just how intense things on the line can be. I was curious to gain this first hand experience from a chef himself about what a typical day was like, and I was not disappointed.
  
  I'm actually really surprised by what I'm about to say, but I loved that this book was written in second-person. It made it completely easy to sink yourself into the story and become the character in the book. It enabled me to feel things like guilt or pressure personally, as though the head chef was really mad at ME or that I actually did a great job cooking, even though I was reading a book on a train.
  
  The writing itself is vivid and descriptive. Whether Gibney is talking about the other kitchen workers or the delicious dishes being prepared, you can picture it clearly in your mind and damn near smell the food on the fire and hear the familiar hum of a kitchen working in sync.
  
  Though personally I knew most of the culinary terms or phrases, Gibney includes a glossary in the back in case the reader is unsure of things like foods or cooking techniques. It's extremely helpful and explains a lot that can help with comprehension of the story.
  
  Honestly, I wish it didn't end. I knew the twenty-four hours were up, but I didn't want them to be. I read this in one sitting, and was so sad when I ran out of pages. To me, that's the ultimate sign of a great book. I recommend it to foodies and cooks alike, and even those who are just interested in learning more about the life. Fans of Kitchen Confidential should check it out especially. There is profane language at times but it's true to the kitchen life.
  
  Thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books & Goodreads Firstreads for my copy[ies] of this book. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose. ...more