Editorial Review

Norman Van Aken began his career as a busboy in a Holiday Inn, Alice Waters was a Montessori teacher before she opened Chez Panisse, Emeril Lagasse began as a dishwasher in a bakery, and Charlie Trotter started in a restaurant called The Ground Round. It is a long way to the top of the culinary charts, and in Read more

Reviews (42)

Very good for upcoming culinary students
I liked this book and found it to give me the inspiration for becoming a chef.When you really love what you do in work, other parts of your life are usually less stressful.I also highly recommend: An invaluable source of information and inspiration!
Becoming a Chef by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page is filled with information that anyone who wants to achieve greatness as a professional chef needs to know, based on the experiences of dozens of America's leading chefs (from Daniel Boulud to Emeril Lagasse to Charlie Trotters to Alice Waters).You find out what first got them interested in pursuing a career as a chef (including early memories of family influences) to what their first steps were (from first jobs to cooking school to externships) and how they made their way up the ladder to success.My favorite chapter is Chapter 9:Persevering In The Face of Reality, in which top chefs admit some of the boneheaded mistakes they made along the way, making it clear that even the greatest chefs faced setbacks along the way.Whenever I question my sanity for wanting to cook for a living (which is at least once a week), I pick up this book, open it to any page, and get inspired by remembering that we're all in it for the love of food and our common passion for cooking things that taste amazing and please others!

Fascinating and invaluable!
"Finally, a book that lets chefs speak for themselves!An insightful look at the complex life of a professional chef.Fascinating portraits of the people who have defined American cuisine -- who they are, and how they got to be where they are today.Anyone who is interested in becoming a chef will find this book invaluable:This is what it takes to make it."Read more

Subjects:  1. Careers - General    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Cooks    6. Food service    7. Methods - Professional    8. Training of    9. United States    10. Vocational guidance    11. Advice on careers & achieving success    12. General cookery   

Reviews (24)

I can't believe I read a how-to book!
Denise Vivaldo has done the food service industry a service of her own in writing this book.As a caterer, I couldn't put it down, I read the entire book in one sitting.If you are considering a catering, or even a restaurant business read this book!I found Vivaldo's insight to be not only helpful, but it pointed out areas of the field I had scarcely considered.
The best of its kind!
After reading several other books on the same topic, I ordered and read this one hoping I'd get at least one important tip from this book that I didn't get from the rest.Much to my surprise, I found that this book was the most informative, useful and up-to-date source I'd come across.It was well organized and very thorough - far more so than The Food Service Professional's Guide.It covers every facet of the business and offers practical advice on how to run a successful catering business and also provides numerous resources in the back that will help you further your career.This book has become my primary source of reference.I can't praise it enough!

Excellent Orientation to Newbies!!
This was the first book my sister and I bought to research home catering and WE HIT THE JACKPOT!This resource is especially helpful because it has a conversational tone and reminds newbies to catering of some important points: you will learn as you go and always keep the profitabililty of the business in mind in all decisionmaking.The author literally reminds readers to "not act like you can't understand the math" and run the business properly from day one.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Caterers and catering    5. Catering    6. Home-based Businesses    7. Management    8. Reference    9. Small Business - General    10. Small Business Management   

Editorial Review

Restaurant Terra provides fine dining in a century-old former foundry. The very personal creation of husband-and-wife chefs Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, the Napa Valley dining spot is noted for its relaxed yet sophisticated cuisine--French- and Italian-influenced cooking that also reflects Sone's Japanese culinary heritage. Read more

Reviews (5)

Outstanding
A book of artistry and inspiration, Terra is sure to please the intermediate to advance chef and their diners. A cookbook and a reference, simply wonderful.

Great resource for special occasions
Great cookbook for those special occasions where you want to spend the time and resources on making something special.The recipes are a little more time-consuming, the ingredients a little harder to find, but the result is wonderful.Jacques Pepin is simpler (and excellent) and French Laundry Cookbook is even more complicated (but also excellent) - Terra is a great in-between. A Masterpiece for the Kitchen
For those of you fortunate enough to have dined at this world class restaurant, Hiro & Lissa'a book needs no introduction.I was fortunate enough to have found Terra shortly after it opened in 1988 (living in St. Helena at the time) & have been hooked ever since.The BEST dishes of their menus past & present are included in this beautifully illustratedbook.Most importantly the instructions are well detailed & the dishes turn out exactly as they do in the restaurant.What more can I say? THIS IS A FABULOUS BOOK!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. California style    3. Cookery    4. Cookery, American    5. Cooking    6. Cooking / Wine    7. Methods - Professional    8. Napa Valley    9. Regional & Ethnic - American - California Style    10. Terra (Restaurant)    11. Florida    12. National & regional cuisine   

Reviews (10)

Brilliant Collection of Inventive and Original Recipes
Wow, chef Bergeron is a genius.Yes, a genius.This book contains dozens and dozens of sophisticated and inventive recipes using vegetables.Wow, and Wow again.A treasure trove!!!!Hey, home cooks out there, you will amaze your friends with any of these recipes.I only wish I had purchased a copy of this book sooner.

Die Hard Mainstream Chefs,Just Try It!
A little bias because Ken is a friend of mine, Ken is a modest down to earth guy---No pun intended.I am not a vegetarian by any means but every recipe that I have used is awesome.You really have to try the Oyster Fried Mushrooms, Watermelon Catsup or The Sea Czar Dressing. I have worked side by side with Ken, who is an incredible wealth of knowledge and expierience as a Vegan. Ken is the 1st World Vegan Gold Medalist at The Culinary Olympics in 92. I am very proud to be considered his friend and very proud of this book. Professional Vegan Cooking
All of the recipes in this book are not only vegetarian they are vegan. They are also scrumptious. I have tried several and it is well worth the trouble of having to scale down the recipes (since this is really createdfor restauranteurs everything serves 10). Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - Professional    4. Quantity Food Production And Service    5. Vegetarian - General    6. Vegetarian cookery    7. Vegetarian cooking    8. Vegetarianism    9. Cooking / Vegetarian   

Editorial Review

Having written about all it takes to become a chef in Read more

Reviews (27)

Illuminating and entertaining, with more drama than opera!
As someone who follows the restaurant scene with the same level of enthusiasm that some teenagers follow Jessica Simpson, I got caught up with all the brouhaha around the debut of the new New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. This got me curious about restaurant critics and their methods and whether anyone had ever studied the subject, which led me to the one-of-a-kind book Dining Out by Dornenburg and Page.I found it incredibly illuminating, not to mention entertaining.The authors dissect every detail of how reviews are written and stars awarded, based on interviews with leading food critics such as Tom Sietsema (now of The Washington Post), S. Irene Virbila (of The Los Angeles Times), and Dennis Ray Wheaton (of Chicago Magazine). They also interview leading chefs and restaurateurs about their views on critics and the power of the press. I've come to learn that there is as much or more drama in the world of restaurants as there is in opera! This book even breaks down what it took to get a four-star review when former restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl was at the helm. A great look at what Ruth Reichl and other top critics do!
As a fan of both Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me With Apples, I've been looking forward to learning more about Ruth Reichl's life as one of America's most influential restaurant critics.This book was a fun look at what Ruth and other top critics do for a living:the secretiveness (and how she used disguises and credit cards with different names), the challenges (such as the weirdest things they've ever eaten, which range from fried worms to braised goat penis!), and the highlights (such as Ruth being told at Le Cirque, "The King of Spain is waiting in the bar, but your table is ready").Dining Out is an enjoyable and informative read for any intelligent reader who loves the world of restaurants and the fascinating people who populate it!

A fascinating insider's look at restaurant reviewing.
I became intrigued by the life of restaurant critics after reading former New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl's wonderful memoirs "Tender at the Bone" and "Comfort Me With Apples" and wanted to learn more about the ultimate profession for people who love to eat (but don't necessarily love to cook).Ruth appears on the cover of "Dining Out" (wearing a beautiful black hat whose brim covers most of her lovely face), and there are lots of photographs of her on the inside as well where she shares some of her hilarious experiences reviewing restaurants.There is probably more about Ruth in this book than any other critic interviewed.One of the authors (Andrew Dorneburg) is a chef who has cooked for Ruth and writes about how nerve-wracking it was when she came in to eat at the restaurant where he was working at the time and she was recognized (despite the fact that she went on to buy numerous wigs and wore various disguises on other visits to other restaurants in order to remain anonymous).I never realized how much a critic's opinion can sometimes make or break a restaurant.I also enjoyed reading Ruth's list of her favorite restaurants across the United States (the back of the book is kind of a restaurant guide, and mentions different critics favorite restaurants in cities across the US) and hope that someday I can eat at every one of them!Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Appetizers    4. Essays    5. Food Service Management    6. Food service    7. Food writers    8. Interviews    9. Methods - General    10. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    11. Restaurants    12. United States    13. Cooking / American / General    14. Food manufacturing & related industries    15. Media, information & communication industries    16. Restaurant & pub guides   

Editorial Review

With his ubiquitous Food Network cooking programs, Read more

Reviews (16)

Great recipes and A simple cooking
Some are difficult. I was hoping he would talk more about his excellent but short-lived sitcom. That is why I shorted the book one star. Lets all kick it up a notch and buy this book. Time to eat,delicisious Great recipes and also book brings the Greatest Chef to my home.
Emeril is the Truth in the Kitchen
don't go many days without peeping out Emeril doing His Magic in the Kitchen.the Man got skills for days.a tight funky Band&the way he blends His food is always on point.this Book is another example of why the Man is the Best at His Craft.

One of the most useful cookbooks ever
Uncomplicated but delicious recipies. Even through all the status and hype Emeril remains down to earth and offers cookbooks which, like his shows, offer recipies busy people can use regularly. Very useful for everyday cooking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Methods - General    5. Methods - Professional    6. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    7. Regional & Ethnic - Cajun & Creole    8. Cooking / Cajun   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (6)

Wonderful Resource!
We have lived in the Naples area for the past year, but found more wonderful local sources for food and wine in one weekend using this well-researched guide than we found in the whole previous year!Much of life in Southern Italy is governed by word-of-mouth, and Carla Capalbo has done the hard work for anyone interested in the wonderful array of local food, wine, and olive oil available here.Brava!

I would review it if I had received it from Amazon
Still waiting for delivery of the book that I paid for over a month ago. Contrary to popular opinion Cape Town is a first world city with a decent postal service. I want the book to accompany me to the Naples area shortly and will be extremely disappointed if I have to leave without it. If a client has opted for expedited shipping perhaps you should take it upon yourselves to check that this is possible otherwise you should remove the option from your website

Great book!
I consider myself fortunate to unexpectedly pick up this book the day we left for southern Italy. At the last minute, I decided I needed guide book(s) and this caught my eye. Because of The Food and Wine Guide to Naples and Campania, we experienced far more of the excellent food and wine of the area than we would have ever done on our own. And we met wonderful, warm Campanians anxious to share their fresh and delicious food and hospitality with us. This book directed us to a wonderful agritourismo where we spent two nights and had outstanding meals, with most of the food fresh from the farm. We dined in restaurants off the beaten path, sitting with locals and savoring the experiences made possible by this exceptional guide book.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Europe - Italy    3. Quantity Food Production And Service    4. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    5. Restaurants    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Travel Guides    9. CAMPANIA_DESCRIPTION AND TRAVEL    10. COOKERY, ITALIAN    11. FOOD HABITS    12. Food & Drink / Cookery    13. GROCERY TRADE    14. ITALY_GUIDEBOOKS    15. Italy    16. NAPLES (ITALY)    17. RESTAURANTS_ITALY    18. Restaurant & pub guides    19. Travel / Europe / Italy   

Reviews (3)

where does he get this stuff?
the information imparted in the text is questionable, and the directives are sloppy.it is neither a guide for housewives nor resource for professionals.a disappointment.

very informative book for an advanced cook
we found this book to be very instructive towards developing a buffet for a large amount of people.It is a book geared towards professional chefs. a majority of the recipes are the basics required to create a standardbuffet.the more advanced chef will use these as a guide for moreinventive dishes.

At least its a start
Finally a book that tries to educate American cooks about the fabulous art of french garde manger cooking.Alas, it is best used by those who have advanced cooking skills as it presents ideas, more than formal instruction.Many of these dishes are difficult, and there are no directions, illustrations or tips on how to give these dishes the finished look they deserve ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buffets (Cookery)    2. Cookery (Cold dishes)    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - General    6. Garnishes (Cookery)    7. Methods - Professional    8. Quantity Food Production And Service    9. Quantity cookery    10. Quantity cooking    11. Reference    12. Cooking / Baking    13. General cookery   

Reviews (1)

Partial review
Haven't has much opportunity to review in depth, but the book seems to contain the information as expected and is presented OK. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Cookery    3. Cookery, Marine    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Methods - Gourmet    7. Methods - Quantity    8. One-dish meals    9. Sailing - General    10. General cookery    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Home Economics (General)    6. Methods - Quantity    7. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    8. Southern States   

Reviews (3)

Excellent resource!
I found this book to be exceedingly helpful in starting up my catering business.It provides a complete overview of the busiiness, how it should operate, what you should know, and how to make it successful.It's a terrific choice for a new business owner, or one considering the business of catering.

too vague and general
this book is more about general catering, rather than how to start your own business.after reading this book, i did not feel i knew what my next steps were.a much better book is "how to start your own home-based catering businees" by denise vivaldo.she writes about legal ramifications, insurance, budgets (with worksheets and what % normally is spent on food, service, etc), business plans (with excerpts from her own), menu examples, and resources!i found that book very, very, very imformative on how to start a legitimate business

This book isn't even vaguely worth the price.
I'm sorry I wasted my money on this book; I'd seen it mentioned in various catalogs but hadn't been able to find it in my bookstores, so I didn't know what I was getting. It offers only a glib tone with mostly unhelpful anecdotes and an absolute dearth of useful details. You'll probably know even less about starting a home-based catering business after reading it than before. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Caterers and catering    5. Catering    6. Home-based Businesses    7. Management - General    8. Methods - Quantity    9. Small Business Management    10. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    11. Hotel & catering trades    12. Restaurant & pub guides   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Home-based Businesses    5. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    6. Methods - Professional    7. Tablesetting    8. Advice on careers & achieving success    9. Business & Economics / Home-Based Businesses    10. Hotel & catering trades    11. Small businesses & self-employed   

Reviews (1)

Very good book for culinary students
I used this book as a reference for my hot foods classes in culinary school and found it to be quite helpful.It was very descriptive and helped me to get an edge in the kitchen.For my baking classes I used the following which were just great:Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - General    4. Methods - Professional    5. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    6. General cookery    7. National & regional cuisine    8. USA   

Reviews (4)

It Lacks Pictures...
When I ordered this book, I was impressed by the title and the beautiful marzipan rose on the cover. I am very disappointed to find out that it lacks pictures. It has NO pictures at all. The font and the layout are very nice and the instructions are clear. Most of the recipes are set as menus and the ingredients are not hard to find. However, I do not enjoy reading the recipes nor feel like trying them because I do not know what they will look like. I have had the book for about a year and have not tried any of its recipes yet.

Valentine Day Treat
I loved it!I will be using this book to cook something special for my girlfriend for valentines day.

What a great book....
I love this book ! It is so wonderfully written and interesting.The authors are so creative in the way in which they have organized the book---Bravo and well done ! A must for Valentine's Day or any otherspecial day for someone you love. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. General    6. Holiday - General    7. Menus    8. Methods - Cookery for Two    9. Methods - Professional   

Subjects:  1. Quantity Food Production And Service    2. Restaurants    3. Travel    4. Travel - General    5. Travel - United States    6. Travel Guides - U.S.    7. United States - Pacific - Las Vegas    8. United States - West - Pacific (General)    9. Nevada    10. Restaurant & pub guides   

Reviews (1)

big disappointment
Unfortunately this book is filled with ordinary recipes with a lot of bragging and inflated ego. Not worth the price. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buffets (Cookery)    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Methods - Gourmet    6. Methods - Quantity    7. Methods - Special Appliances    8. Quantity cookery    9. General cookery   

Reviews (3)

the complete package
As a Dad who cooks I found variety, nutrition and speed in the plans set out in this well written excellently communicated cookbook. Concepts which before were alien to me became crystal clear and I created my own weekly meal plans to go along with the series that are outlined in the book. The kids actually joined in on the making of some of the plans and true to her word (the author) they actually relished those meals more than the others. Most meals they tried and liked, some a lot and some so so but that's kids and that was miles ahead of where I was three months ago.

To its credit, it's very healthy
It does contain many very healthy recipes (which, I know some others do not, so this may be just what you're looking for), however, they're simply NOT things I could get my family to eat.
Yes, You Can Eat At Home More
This book is perfect for anyone who finds themselves eating out waaaay too often, just because they can't face pulling together a meal after a hectic day.The idea here is to cook something each week that can spin off a number of easy-to-prepare meals.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Health & Healing - General    4. Methods - General    5. Methods - Quantity    6. Cooking / Culinary Arts & Techniques   

Reviews (4)

Extremely helpful reference book
Love this book.This book has words I never even heard before.It is the type of book that every culinary student and professional should have with them at all times. Another book I found very helpful were the Study Guide for the National Servsafe Exam and the Study Guide for Baking and Advanced Baking.These books have very good questions with answers and even explanations.All these books can be found under Patrick Leonardi. A very smart and talented author.

Have U ever wondered how to spell "hors d' oeuvre" correctly
Or what about how to pronounce the wine "Gew�rztraminer"? Or my personal favorite "Cr�me Fraiche" pronounced (krem fresh) Chef's Companion, The
Excellent, Every Chef should have a copy of this book on their desk.The perfect dictionary for any Culinary Arts student. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Dictionaries    5. Food    6. Methods - Professional    7. Reference    8. Cooking / Reference    9. Food & Drink / Cookery    10. Reference works   

Editorial Review

Daniel Boulud's Manhattan restaurant, Daniel, is considered one of the nation's top dining spots. But in 1999, Read more

Reviews (22)

Interesting even if you're not a chef.
Enjoyed the book and I'm no chef.I actually bought it for business purposes (consulting with a restaurant owner) and found it great on customer service and the ins and outs of restaurant managment.It made me hungry simply reading about the fabulous food.Easy and quick read with interesting personal stories.

Fly on the Wall of an Amazing Kitchen
Another interesting book from Leslie Brenner. This time we are behind the scenes at the elegant Daniel, in the kitchen & the dining room. the passions, problems & incredibly hard work involved with making a great meal are objectively laid out for you by the author.

Repetitive, sycophantic, but interesting, to a point.
How many times you can describe a 'typical' lunchtime in the same restaurant kitchen without sounding repetitive?It was interesting the first few times but this book drags on and on, everyone is wonderful except for the maitre d', Daniel Boulud is a genius who travels a lot.Characterisation is this cook is tall, this one is French, that one is a woman with permanent pms (ok, the author didn't say that, exactly).The staff get pissed off and leave after a year or less.Some people go to market to buy provisions.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Boulud, Daniel    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Daniel (Restaurant)    6. Essays    7. General    8. Hotel And Restaurant Management    9. Methods - Professional    10. Cooking / General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Contracting out    5. Food Service Management    6. Food service    7. Industrial feeding    8. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    9. Management    10. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    11. Hotel & catering trades