Whether you are a chef, aspiring to become one or simply someone that enjoys exciting tales about food these are all reads for you. In no particular order find the top books recommended by food experts, chefs and foodies for a new perspective in the culinary lives and careers.
1. Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
A novel by Gabrielle Hamilton where she tells the truth behind her life before opening her applauded restaurant, Prune, in New York. Everything from the hardships she affronted to the successes she has accomplished today. Experience a story through the kitchens she has inhabited in her life since childhood to the ones in France, Greece, and Turkey where she was welcomed and fed by strangers and truly grasped what hospitality is really about. Expect the stories to get personal as she lays out flat her raw feelings about cuisine, balancing a family and all the things in between. Experience all emotions in this self-narrated novel; passion, humor, grit and a whole lot of epicness!
2. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
After a successful culinary career, the legend, Anthony Bourdain shares his experiences in all preambles of life both personal and professional. He shares real-life experiences about ‘sex, drugs, bad behavior and haute cuisine’. It was a trip to France when he was 9 where he discovered that cooking and food were going to lead his life journey. This book takes you through a series of Bourdain’s life events that marked his career: dealings with the Mafia, drug dealers, shady restaurant owners, and the overall culinary culture. His own tales in his own words are beyond the imaginable, hold on tight to this emotional rollercoaster!
3. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
From an 8 am-5 pm secretary job to chef. Julie Powell tells her own life story on how she decided to leave life as she knew it to pursue her long life dream of cooking. After challenging herself to make all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” a renewed life full of opportunities was all at her reach. This comes to show that when one truly wants something there is risk involved but at the end through hard work, it all pays off. Also, find it in major motion picture written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.
4. Talking With My Mouth Full by Gail Simmons
A successful career that unleashed after a lost college student made a list of all the things that she was passionate about: eat, write, travel and cooking. Through this book, Gail lets all her readers into an inspiring yet unusual life path to culinary success. Kitchen memories with her mom and making homemade wine with her dad sparked her inner chef to, later on, consider this as a life career. Keeping alive a dream she had almost forgotten about is what in the end saved her in a way. Some of Gail’s accomplishments today include being a writer, an assistant to Peter Kump at Vogue and a formidable judge for Top Chef, just to name a few.
5. Sous Chef by Michael Gibney
Get a spoonful of what goes behind closed kitchen doors at some of the most prestigious upscale restaurants in New York. A second person narrative that lets you into the raw detail of what it takes to present an exceptional plate of food. In a scene where there is little to no room for error, you will feel what a Sous Chef’s expectation of delivery is like. A tale full of adrenaline that allows you to experience the feelings, frustrations, anger, and relief that go on in the kitchen. This honest story lays things exactly as they are to prepare any aspiring chefs for what the future holds. This narrative makes for greater appreciation and thought to not only those in the kitchen but those on the other side of the counter, at the end of the day the chefs over demand themselves in order to provide a remarkable experience for everyone that comes through those doors. Now simply get a different and raw perspective of what actually goes on beyond your beautifully cooked plate.
There you have it the top 5 book picks by chefs! Next time you need a good travel buddy, a good read for the morning coffee or simply a way to unwind pick up one of these books you’ll be in for a treat!