The Soul of a Chef

The Journey Toward Perfection

By: Michael Ruhlman

Narrated by: Donald Corren

Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In his second in-depth foray into the world of professional cooking, Michael Ruhlman journeys into the heart of the profession. Observing the rigorous Certified Master Chef exam at the Culinary Institute of America, the most influential cooking school in the country, Ruhlman enters the lives and kitchens of rising star Michael Symon and the renowned Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. This fascinating audiobook will satisfy any listener's hunger for knowledge about cooking and food, the secrets of successful chefs, at what point cooking becomes an art form, and more.

Like Ruhlman's The Making of a Chef, this is an instant classic in food writing—one of the fastest growing and most popular subjects today.

©2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.; 2001 Michael Ruhlman (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Something New For the Cook in Me

I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this book. I like to cook so I bought it. I found it very interesting and picked up a few cooking tips to boot. The book is about the mind set of people who live to cook and their different approaches and histories. I loved the authors pace and his approach to covering these people. Nice job.

Loved It!

Stories, recipes, so many great descriptions you can taste the words! I can't wait to do more cooking, and enjoying the food of others. A+

Made Me Want to Stop Driving and Cook

Everything about the book was perfect!
So very inspiring. Hope to visit Per Se on an upcoming trip.

Excellent book

I loved every minute of this book. Must Read, I couldn't believe how in depth he gets in each story.

Better than the first one!

I didn’t write a negative review about the first (The Making of a Chef) because the content was rather good, but the reader was downright awful. Changing readers for the second book made all the difference and the content was just as interesting and enjoyable as the first one was.

Ruhlman finally gets the narrator he deserves.

Having been so terribly disappointed with the uninformed monotone of the narration of Michael Ruhlman’s “the Making of a Chef” I was hesitant to try his second in the series “the Soul of a Chef”. Donald Cotten was tremendous. Just a fun, fun listen. I recommend this book to anyone who likes the modern era of food network, celebrity chef, locavore dining....and especially those like myself who cling desperately to the Old School, A. Escoffier classic cuisine, without which none of the modern era culinary universe would be meaningful. Thanks Audible.

The American Work Ethic Meets Food And Wine

According to Ecclesiastes, there are four things that God gives to man to make life enjoyable: bread, wine, the work of your hands and sex. In America, the protestant work ethic has emphasized the one to its own detriment. But here, where bread, that is food in all its forms, is the focus of the protestant work ethic, well then we begin to see life become enjoyable again.
The book starts with the CMC test at the Culinary Institute of America. It tracks six chefs taking this beast of a test and documents their triumphs and failures as well as the pros and cons of the test. The book then turns to look at other chefs running restaurants. Some of these chefs have taken the CMC others have not. It talks about their successes. It makes you want to eat. It makes you want to cook. It makes you want to travel and spend money on food.
Most especially, it makes you want to visit the French Laundry in Napa Valley California. Much of this book centers on Thomas Keller and the menu at the French Laundry. It becomes rather autobiographical concerning him and his pursuit of perfection in the kitchen that led to the success of this famed restaurant. This is definitely the American (protestant) work ethic meets food and wine in a rags-to-glory-story that is encouraging and inspiring.
I enjoyed the book. It was fun to learn the ins and outs of restaurant cooking, and what goes into becoming a chef. Most of the book concentrates on French and French-influenced cooking. This is something I knew a lot less about before reading this book and it makes me want to try a few things and learn more in this avenue.

So intriguing to know what chefs do.

I Loved the French Laundry section. Wow!!! I want to go now and eat there!!

Fascinating

What a great book, I really loved it, the story of the different chefs is beautiful.

Good Fun, Even if You Don't Cook!

I'm not a Kitchen Goddess, rather silly, actually (Seriously--I recently ordered Seared Ahi Tuna and discovered... that sucker's RAW!). But even I know about tension, failure, boisterous personalities, and the drive for perfection. "The Soul of a Chef" chronicles all that and then some.
We open to the enormous pressure to become a Certified Master Chef, follow with a wonderful chef who just makes you feel good, and end with the near perfection of The French Laundry (this latter part, by the way, was the only part I felt that made the book drag a bit).
Along the way is the devastation of having a PERFECT Duck Tureen that is OH NO! Spoiled by unfortunate knife skills. Humidity causing Crepe Crises! Overcooked pasta (Blasphemy! And: The delivery guy can wait... pasta can't)! Respecting food so much that you'll kill your own rabbits, thank you very much (Note: Rabbits scream).
And food combinations that'll have you scratching your head. Only dreamers and geniuses think like that, and God bless them, they're usually right.
Add to this an author whose own studies of cooking have him hungry (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) to seek out food, cooking, creatives, misery and you have a winner of a book. Especially since, when out with one of the most famous food critics, all he can think of is, "I've GOTTA remember to say that next time I'm out," you know you're in the hands of someone who can laugh at himself.
Except for the last part dragging a bit, it's a veritable love song to Thomas Keller, this is a fun book that'll have you cheering for the underdog, groaning when heat makes the shell of the creme brulee soft, and wishing that every chef, sous chef, line cook you know has such wonderful heart. Fine narration, great content, and may I say it? My stomach growled...