The Making of a Chef

Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute of America

By: Michael Ruhlman

Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach

Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In the ultimate food-lover's fantasy, journalist Michael Ruhlman dons chef's jacket and houndstooth-check pants to join the students in Skills One at the Culinary Institute of America, the most influential cooking school in the country. His goal is to document the training of America's chefs from the first classroom to the Culinary's final kitchen, the American Bounty Restaurant. The result becomes more than a rote reportage of a school for cooks. Ruhlman learns to cook as though his future depends upon it, and this complete immersion enables him to create the most vivid and energetic memoir of a culinary education on record.

©1997 by Michael Ruhlman (P)1998 by Blackstone Audiobooks

Dull narration

What did you like best about The Making of a Chef? What did you like least?

The story was interesting, however the narrator's performance was dreadful. He spoke in a complete monotone.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Making of a Chef?

The descriptions of the curriculum and the preparation that goes into a restaurant meal was very interesting.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narration was dull. The narrator seemed to be doing a cold reading of the text. There were awkward pauses (probably poor editing) and it was next to impossible to determine which character was supposed to be speaking.

Did The Making of a Chef inspire you to do anything?

Not really, I was just interested in the subject and thought it would be a good "read".

Soundtrack

It is a book that anyone wishing to learn how to run life or any business should read/hear. All the basics of it are covered, in euphemisms. It is also a reading that should be mandatory to all who thinks of going into the food/hospitality sector. It is the soundtrack to “The Professional Chef” by C.I.A..

poor pronunciation

I am a graduate of the CIA, and can confirm the accuracy of this discription having met most of the chef instructors personally. however the pronunciation of the jargon is a real problem for me. very well read otherwise.

A writer and a chef, documents CI of America

I loved this audiobook. A student documents his experience of training at the Culinary Institute of America.

Good story, awful recording

Great story, narrator was awful. Simple. lots of mid sentence pauses and stops. Voice of the narrator almost caused me to return this.

Thoroughly enjoyed

A good book if you're into food and cooking, if you wonder what goes on at the Culinary Institute if America. The narrator puts odd pauses between sentences and mispronounces a few words, but he has a great voice and those things did not detract from my enjoyment.

Detailed and interesting explanations of training to be a chef

Highly recommend this for insight and background. You feel like you’re there and you learn a lot

Great listen, only downside is the narration

The story is very entertaining and informative. On the other hand, the narrator did a terrible job...incorrect pronunciation, random pauses, and just bland reading.

Be careful...

I quite enjoyed hearing all the little details that go into the making of a chef at the CIA but I don't think it is for everyone. Even if you think you are interested please listen to the preview as I had a difficult time listening to the narrator. VERY DRY, took me a couple of hours to get passed the narrators monotone emotionless voice.

Narration hasn't improved with passage of time

since the last review was a few years ago, they havn't re-recorded it and the narration spoils the experience. Maybe the author should have read this book. I searched for books narrated by this author and will avoid any of them. I love culinary tales and it should have been wonderfu, operative word SHOULD. Try 'My Life in France' 'The Making of a Chef' both of these have gifted narrators.