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Summary: An Eyeopener
Review: To attend the CIA has always been a dream of mine. To finally get to have a peek behind those walls and into the kitchens, was such a pleasure. This book was fantastic, Michael Ruhlman touched on so many different facets of the food industry through the CIA and their Chefs and students. But what amazed me most was the passion that I felt when I read this book. Anyone who loves to cook or just wants a small glimpse into the most well known cooking school in the world, should definitly read this book.
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Summary: The REAL CIA
Review: Noboday could possibly convey what it's like behind the scenes at Amaerica's top chef's school as well as Michael Ruhlman has. Like many others, I read this book before attending the CIA. I didn't really beleive that things could be as hard and exciting as he made them out to be. But after 2 of the most excrutiating/rewarding years of my life, I now look back on this book as if it were my own memoirs, he is that accurate. A wonderfully written book that will please anyone, whether you're a cook or just eat like one.
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Summary: You have to read this book
Review: Buy this book, read this book - then get into your kitchen and feel inspired to create something amazing. For those of us who love to play around with food, wine and cooking - this is an inspirational read. You will never take eating at a good restaurant for granted again. I eat out a lot - maybe too much, and never really thought about the process and techniques which went into each dish I ordered. Reading this book makes you stop and appreciate the effort which goes into food at this level. At one point many years ago, I thought briefly about becoming a chef - but after this read, now have absolutely no doubts of the level of commitment and work it requires. The descriptions are so precise you can sense the aromas of almost every creation. Just buy the bloody thing, you won't regret it. I originally bought this as a gift for somebody else, now I have to get another copy for her. I want to read this again.
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Summary: Great Vicarious Thrill
Review: Like many of the other reviewers of Ruhlman's excellent book, I also have a secret fantasy about being a chef and wanted to get a sense of what it takes to become one. In addition to describing the experience in the labs or kitchens that make up the daily life of CIA students, he also provides insight about his fellow students and the faculty there. Ruhlman's descriptions of the people are terrific, and makes the varied group seem quite real. It's unfortunate that Ruhlman did not go through the full training experience... his telling on the externship and how aspiring chefs develp would be lots of fun. Last... the follow-up book, Soul of a Chef, is also excellent reading.
Rating:
Summary: Very good book
Review: This book is a great one...If you ever even consider steping onto the CIA campus I think that you should read this book first... it talks about Ruhlman's experiences and his hardships at the CIA it is truely a wonderful book.
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Summary: A Must-Read for Educators in Any Field
Review: The chefs didn't just make food in this book--they made the book! Yes, the creation of food and student chefs was certainly covered, but it was the creators of those students who shone magnificently for me. They are the true stars of this book, and not by any means just as chefs. These men and women who teach at the Institute provide the best example of stellar teaching I've ever seen. Their enthusiasm is immeasurable, their endless pursuit of knowledge, inspiring and awe-inspiring. Pompous? If ever I meet a CIA chef I will honor them as they deserve to be; they are educators of the highest order. As a teacher who loves my job and subject matter, I am thrilled to know that such beings exist. I'm a lousy cook, but a damned good teacher, I think. This should be required reading for education majors and educators in any field!
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Summary: Author responds to "Reader from NY"
Review: I'd like to respond to the inaccuracies in comments by "reader from NY" (2/18/01). I did make it completely clear that I neither attended, nor graduated from, the CIA. I did in fact take entire classes, I was graded, I did take practicals. I did not have problems following the dress code or keeping my knives sharp, as "reader from NY" evidently did. I did not buddy up to chefs but I did interview as many as I possibly could. I was never wined and dined by administration. Furthermore I vividly described the extraordinary burden my fellow students were under. I also describe my own individual situation as both a writer and a student, with my own burdens (this was specifically addressed in a chapter called "The Storm"). I welcome criticism and abhor inaccuracies, especially from people who haven't read the book and felt the grudging remarks from "Reader in NY" ought to be corrected.
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Summary: Ruhlman didn't really ATTEND the CIA
Review: Though rather simplistic and lacking in depth, Ruhlman's representation of the school and its students was accurate as far as it went. His descriptions of food were less than appealing, and the truth of the matter is that though Ruhlman did audit some classes at the CIA, he categorically DID NOT attend the school. I was a student at the CIA during Ruhlman's romantic, starry-eyed journey into the life of a culinary student, and although he attended classes periodically, he did so strictly from the point of view of a writer. He was not tested, did not take a class in its entirety, did not have thousands of tuition dollars riding on his first and fourth term practical exams, buddied up with the chefs, and was wined and dined by the Institute's administration. In order to accurately write the book, Ruhlman should have attended the CIA just like any other student, without drawing so much attention to himself, struggled to spend 8 to 12 hours a day at the school while also supporting himself financially. He should have lost precious points because his tie wasn't straight, his knives weren't sharp enough, his hair was sticking out of his toque or his sideburns were too long. He should have felt the real pressure the REAL chefs in training felt every day when they walked through the doors of a new kitchen to start from scratch with a chef whose reputation would make him nauseous a full week before he even started class. I don't have a problem with writers getting a cursory view and writing their impressions of something, and I'm certain people would have enjoyed (or not enjoyed) this book just as much had Ruhlman more accurately described his "attendance" at the CIA. Those of us who went through the entire culinary program and survived would tell a much different tale. Ruhlman should have respected all of us enough to at least let the general public know that his experience at the CIA was vastly different than that of the real students at The Culinary Institute of America.
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Summary: A peek inside the complex world of culinary education.
Review: Through Mr. Ruhlman's book, I experienced what life at the Culinary must be like. It gave me an appreciation for the planning, commitment, dedication, and stamina that today's culinary professionals must embody. It is clear that Mr. Ruhlman enjoyed his time at the Culinary and he reports fairly and accurately. Because of my background in educational administration, the pace of education (students gradutating to be replaced with new students every three weeks!) was most astounding to me, as was the sheer volume of food generated by the institution. Mr. Ruhlman is to be commended on capturing the life of a student of culinary education. This book should be required reading for all those considering a career in culinary arts.
Rating:
Summary: great insight into a world apart
Review: We've all heard the horror stories of med school, of law school, of driver's ed. Well, learing to cook has entered the fray. It's amazing to read about the dedication required, the skills one is expected to master, even the politics behind the scenes. A great read from all lovers of food, and those who pursue excellence in any field.
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