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Book Review: Sous Chef by Michael Gibney

Sous ChefSous Chef by Michael Gibney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I consider myself a mini-foodie.  I love to try new things, but I put a limit to what new things I would consider. I love watching cooking shows and I try to experiment in the kitchen.  I've read a number of memoirs by celebrity chefs and I'm fascinated with their journeys but they never talk much about what goes on inside a kitchen on a normal day.  That aspect alone really excited me about this book.

Michael Gibney takes the reader through a typical day in the life of a sous chef. It's a crazy, hectic experience, one I never see myself surviving. He does in it by writing this book in second person singular, or using 'you' to describe the action; you do this, you know that, Chef says to you. I both enjoyed this style and was annoyed at parts.

I watch a lot of the cooking competition shows and most if not all of the contestants smoke.  I never understood why, to my knowledge smoking destroys your palate.  This can be observed on the ever present taste test challenge, a smoker almost always incorrectly guesses a 'simple' flavor.  Gibney addressed my complaint in a few scenes where Chef yells at you for smoking.

This book was not purchased for my branch but is in the system. I can't wait to start recommending it to patrons.

I received an advanced eBook copy through Netgalley for an honest review.

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