"The Soul of a Chef"

Just a little mention of the book I just finished - The Soul of a Chef by Micheal Ruhlman. I very much enjoyed the depth he found in the lives of several chefs, each with their own styles, personalities, motivations and personal paths. I would only recommend it to those who LOVE to read about food and restaurants. But if you do, it's great. He begins with observing the Certified Master Chef 10 day exam at the CIA in New York, following 7 people through their experiences. Then follows with a second part on an accomplished young chef in Ohio and his first restaurant. In the 3rd and last part he writes of the time he spent with Thomas Keller at the French Laundry in Yountsville, CA, when he was co-writing the French Laundry cookbook. The descriptions of these last two chefs, physically, emotionally and again the driving forces behind them was vivid and left me reflecting about the entire book much more than I would have thought possible. Again, it's a good read for someone obsessed with food and the culinary world, suggesting some very interesting insights into the who and why and the ambiguous definition of a chef. And a must read for anyone interested in opening a restaurant as was Kitchen Confidential.