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Aculinary legend tells his story, from boyhood in wartime France to stardom in America, and shares favorite recipes: "A delicious book...a joy."The New York Times Book Review
In this memoir, the man Julia Child called "the best chef in America" tells of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Award-winning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nation's tastes in the bargain.
We see Jacques as a homesick six-year-old in war-ravaged France, working on a farm in exchange for food, dodging bombs, and bearing witness as German soldiers capture his father, a fighter in the Resistance. Soon Jacques is caught up in the hurly-burly action of his mother's caf, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulle's personal chef, watching the world being refashioned from the other side of the kitchen door.
When he comes to America, Jacques falls in with a small group of as-yet-unknown food lovers, including Craig Claiborne, James Beard, and Julia Child, whose adventures redefine American food. Through it all, he proves to be a master of the American art of reinvention: earning a graduate degree from Columbia, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to work at Howard Johnson's, and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers once again to become a charismatic leader in the revolution that changed the way Americans approached food. Also included are approximately forty favorite recipes created in the course of his career, from his mother's utterly simple cheese souffl to his wife's pork ribs and red beans.
"Fascinating."The Washington Post
"Beguiling."The New Yorker
"As lively and personable as Pepin himself."The Boston Globe
This is a lovely, fun memoir, with lots of interesting information about rural life in France, the melding of French and American cooking in the 60's and 70's in the U.S., and even a back story about Howard Johnson's. ( )
My family doctor saw me reading _Yes, Chef_, and she suggested this book to me. I enjoyed the stories of Pepin's early years. It was also interesting to see how his path differed from that of Samuelsson, the subject of _Yes, Chef_. What was similar was the influence of many different cuisines to the two chefs' styles and the importance of food in tradition and binding people together. ( )
Ah, this is a keeper! A memoir full of interesting bits of history (it begins with his childhood during WWII in France), lots of food stories and insights into the people who played a role in his life and career. Reading this felt like sitting around a table after dinner with a glass of wine and reminiscing with an old friend. He was not shy of telling some unflattering tales, but also not focused on them. Learning about what it took to become a chef, and how it has changed, along with how cooking has changed, was absorbing. In addition to all of that, he includes a recipe at the end of each chapter, his charming sepia ink drawings, and some great photos. ( )
It's a nice book. Pepin talks about his life and how it has revolved around food. I learned a lot about how food was developed for chain restaurants and the recipes were pretty good. ( )
It's a nice book. Pepin talks about his life and how it has revolved around food. I learned a lot about how food was developed for chain restaurants and the recipes were pretty good. ( )
I dedicate this book to my two brothers, Roland and Bichon, whose love of good food, of wine, of family, and especially of life is reflected in this book. They departed too early but will always be part of my life.
First words
My mother made it sound like a great adventure.
Quotations
Last words
"I'm not sure whether I enjoyed catching those fish or cooking them more," he said. I felt the same way.
Aculinary legend tells his story, from boyhood in wartime France to stardom in America, and shares favorite recipes: "A delicious book...a joy."The New York Times Book Review
In this memoir, the man Julia Child called "the best chef in America" tells of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Award-winning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nation's tastes in the bargain.
We see Jacques as a homesick six-year-old in war-ravaged France, working on a farm in exchange for food, dodging bombs, and bearing witness as German soldiers capture his father, a fighter in the Resistance. Soon Jacques is caught up in the hurly-burly action of his mother's caf, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulle's personal chef, watching the world being refashioned from the other side of the kitchen door.
When he comes to America, Jacques falls in with a small group of as-yet-unknown food lovers, including Craig Claiborne, James Beard, and Julia Child, whose adventures redefine American food. Through it all, he proves to be a master of the American art of reinvention: earning a graduate degree from Columbia, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to work at Howard Johnson's, and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers once again to become a charismatic leader in the revolution that changed the way Americans approached food. Also included are approximately forty favorite recipes created in the course of his career, from his mother's utterly simple cheese souffl to his wife's pork ribs and red beans.
"Fascinating."The Washington Post
"Beguiling."The New Yorker
"As lively and personable as Pepin himself."The Boston Globe
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