In Michael Gibney’s Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line the reader is immersed into a world of culinary arts. Gibney uses vivid detail to illustrate the messy and chaotic, yet impressive atmosphere in an upscale New York restaurant kitchen. The story is unique in that it reads like a fiction book, however it is nonfiction. The demands of the kitchen seem just too high to be true, and Gibney gets his point across very clearly. Working in the culinary world is a challenge with the highest of stakes, but it overall can be a rewarding occupation. The book is written in second person, and the reader takes on the perspective of the sous chef in the kitchen. With that in mind, the reader gets to experience every part of a day in the kitchen, good or bad. The sous chef, being second in command under the executive chef is a huge component to having a successful night at the restaurant. Only the most dedicated people are fit for a position like this. Michael Gibney himself started out as a 16 year old dishwasher in a pub in New York. With hard work and dedication he eventually worked his way to becoming a sous chef by the time he was 28 years old. His personal experience in the culinary world proves to be a wonderful asset in describing the nitty gritty aspects of the kitchen. This piece of nonfiction has a lot to offer for any reader. The specific details of how a kitchen works and how much prep work goes into an evening can bewilder any food lover. No matter how much experience one has in the culinary world, the demands of a restaurant kitchen can be more than overwhelming at times and it is incredibly impressive to see a professional chef handle these demands well. Any reader can come the the conclusion that the culinary world is a respectable and honorable occupation with pressures that seem almost unbearable at times. It is an occupation that often goes unnoticed, but deserves praise and people’s utmost respect.
The book is written in second person, and the reader takes on the perspective of the sous chef in the kitchen. With that in mind, the reader gets to experience every part of a day in the kitchen, good or bad. The sous chef, being second in command under the executive chef is a huge component to having a successful night at the restaurant. Only the most dedicated people are fit for a position like this.
Michael Gibney himself started out as a 16 year old dishwasher in a pub in New York. With hard work and dedication he eventually worked his way to becoming a sous chef by the time he was 28 years old. His personal experience in the culinary world proves to be a wonderful asset in describing the nitty gritty aspects of the kitchen.
This piece of nonfiction has a lot to offer for any reader. The specific details of how a kitchen works and how much prep work goes into an evening can bewilder any food lover. No matter how much experience one has in the culinary world, the demands of a restaurant kitchen can be more than overwhelming at times and it is incredibly impressive to see a professional chef handle these demands well. Any reader can come the the conclusion that the culinary world is a respectable and honorable occupation with pressures that seem almost unbearable at times. It is an occupation that often goes unnoticed, but deserves praise and people’s utmost respect.