• No Experience Necessary

  • The Culinary Odyssey of Chef Norman Van Aken
  • By: Norman Van Aken
  • Narrated by: Norman Van Aken
  • Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (57 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
No Experience Necessary  By  cover art

No Experience Necessary

By: Norman Van Aken
Narrated by: Norman Van Aken
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

No Experience Necessary is Chef Norman Van Aken's joyride of a memoir. In it he spans twenty-plus years and nearly as many jobs - including the fateful job advertisement in the local paper for a short-order cook with "no experience necessary."

Long considered a culinary renegade and a pioneering chef, Van Aken is an American original who chopped and charred, sweated and seared his way to cooking stardom with no formal training, but with extra helpings of energy, creativity, and faith. After landing on the deceptively breezy shores of Key West, Van Aken faced hurricanes, economic downturns, and mercurial moneymen during the decades when a restaurant could open and close faster than you can type haute cuisine. From a graveyard shift grunt at an all-night barbeque joint to a James Beard-award finalist for best restaurant in America, Van Aken put his trusting heart, poetic soul, natural talent, and ever-expanding experience into every venture - and helped transform the American culinary landscape along the way.

©2013 Taylor Trade Publishing (P)2013 Recorded Books

What listeners say about No Experience Necessary

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Great Chef Memoir

I'm so glad the audio publisher let Norman narrate his book. It was like listening to an old friend tell a great story.

This book took me back to the early days (late70s, 80's and early 90s) when the American food explosion was so much fun to be part of (and I was) and chefs didn't care about their TV ratings (there was no Food Network yet), but about creating truly great food. There are recipes at the end of each chapter. My favorite is "Latkes with Sour Cream and Caviar" at the end of Chapter 19.

Norman is also a terrific writer ...reminded me a little of Hemingway's prose.. and that's good, since a lot of the book takes place in Key West, a Hemingway hangout. I loved this book. Go buy it. Go listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Felt like I lived this life

So good. Every restaurant he has lived is a story. Key West’s charm dances through the book. His narration is entertaining and witty and real. I absolutely loved this book. A fantastic surprise.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great listen for chefs

I would recommend this book to all Up and coming chefs in Florida area and around the world . Great to hear about what life was like from one of the best South Florida chefs .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Memories

Reminds me a bit of myself, just not with all of the mind numbing success. A great read. And just lends credence to the fact that, anyone that's creative and is strong willed can do it, and have outrageous success.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!