Rating: 
Summary: this book is a great review of the CIA
Review: For culinary students: if you don't care about the CIA, then skip this one (read his other book called soul of a chef, it's great). Although it's interesting to learn about the curriculum offered at the CIA, it's not really anything I needed to know in order to succeed in the culinary field.
Rating: 
Summary: Informative, but disappointing
Review: I had a really hard time getting through this book, even though the whole idea of a book about going to culinary school appeals strongly to me.
From my perspective, the execution of this book felt flat. The writing isn't all that great. It's a bit scattered, and the author gets bogged down in details in some places, and this creates a whole series of speed bumps. It's as if he had better notes about some days than he did others and he or his editor didn't have the discipline to pare down those sections. Also, there's no real arc or story, and no clear conflict. He protests too much about the snowstorm issue because I think it's only real drama that happens to him personally through his experience.
As other reviewers have pointed out, the author didn't pony up the cash and time to go through the full coursework at the CIA himself. The school's management provided him an abbreviated version of the class that sidestepped the sort of boring parts. From reading, it's clear that most of the key instructors knew that he was writing a book. Now this does not necessarily mean that one can't write a compelling, plot- or character-driven story based on closely following other people's experiences, as both "House" or "Among Schoolchildren" by Tracy Kidder prove.
In this case, however, something's missing. I didn't come to feel strongly about any character in the book, including the author. Yet, here are young people who have bet small fortunes on their love for the kitchen, who sweated through a challening school only to remain poised on the edge of a difficult, competitive career. Surely, interesting human stories existed all around in him in those kitchens, but instead of capturing them, we got laborious descriptions about how to make stock.
Hence, for me it felt heavy. And, it's a personal feeling after having just finished this one that he fell short of writing a truly "inside" journalistic account of culinary school. It's not a bad book, and it does give a lot of information about culinary school if that's what you're after. I would recommend it to anyone planning to attend the CIA. For me, it just wasn't that great of a read.
Rating: 
Summary: Answers to our questions about the C.I.A.
Review: This is an exceptional "read". My 18 year-old-son will be entering the C.I.A. in the bachelor's program, November, 2004. Food has been his passion since he was standing on a chair helping me (his mother) in the kitchen. Michael Ruhlman's books, this title and "The Soul of a Chef", have explained more about the workings of the Culinary Institute of America than any other research including a visit to the Hyde Park campus. For this we are very greatful. I have purchased several copies of this book and given them to friends, co-workers and relatives so that they might have some idea of what our son will encounter at the C.I.A. and everyone has given the book a great review. Thank you, Mr. Ruhlman!
Rating:
Summary: Easy, Fascinating Read
Review: I am a college senior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. However, I've always had a fondness for cooking, and a sense of awe regarding professional chefs. In this book, Michael Ruhlman Goes behind the scenes at the CIA, recording the classes, instructors, and students. As one might expect, the focus here is primarily on the training of potential chefs.
However, Ruhlman also spends some time thoroughout the book reflecting on his role as a journalist in the kitchen/school, and how his reporting sets himself apart from the skilled chef-instructors. This refelction is a point of interest to me, because as an aspiring newsman, I have to do some research about my story assignments so that I sound somewhat informed while on air, in print, etc. Ruhlman has to deal emotionally and mentally with the idea that he can't truly be a chef, but only go through the motions (more or less), even if he really wants to be one deep down inside. He also has some refelections and thoughts on a cooking career that are quite interesting, and I would imagine, accurate (I don't want to spoil anything)
I quick, easy to follow book for foodies, journalisits, and the curious. Pick it up!
Rating: 
Summary: You'll love it, or hate it
Review:
I really enjoyed this book. So much so, that I recommended it to several friends. These friends either raved about it, recommending it to others, or couldn't even finish it.
I think that the writing style is the reason for this. The book is written in a very journalistic style, which can be heavy-going in full book length, and some people just can't get by this. If you can, though, the content of the book is a fascinating enough "behind the scenes" look at the CIA and the world of the chef.
One minor disappointment in the book is that several students we meet early on are abandoned by the end. We wonder what happened to them -- a quick follow up at the end of the book would have served well.
Still, there's enough here, that, if you rise about the style, even a non-foodie like me will find plenty to like.
Rating:
Summary: Must read for foodies, might be too dense for others
Review: Before saying much about The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute, I have to encourage the select audience that this book appeals to that they should go ahead and read it. If you're thinking of attending culinary school, particularly one that practices the French way of doing things, this book is fairly requisite. For the rest of us though, I think you'd have to be a "foodie" to truly enjoy Michael Ruhlman's book. It's not that it's poorly written. The second half in particular flows very smoothly. The extent to which Ruhlman documented his time spent at Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is just a bit dense for the casual reader.
The book starts off rather abruptly and I wasn't actually aware that Ruhlman wasn't anymore than a student at the beginning. He actually followed a group of students and spent varying lengths of time with them along their two year program. In a way, I felt this detracted from the effectiveness of the book. I could have been roped in more if he had actually been a student and could offer greater insight into how this experience affected a future career. This is somewhat padded later on as he questions whether or not he is truly a cook, and not just a journalist.
Returning to the density factor, the descriptions of classes at CIA and their accompanied dishes and preparatory demands are wonderful . . . if you care. I personally feel a bit more enlighted to know what consomme is, or how a brown sauce is properly prepared (with brown, not blond, roux), and I've always wondered the formal name for the collection of carrot, onion, and celery that's carmelized before making a number of things (mirepoix).
Also, I found it neat that he interviewed all his instructor-chefs along the way. Ruhlman's interest in the subject matter can never be questioned. In fact, as I read the sections which covered these interviews, I wondered how he was perceived by the faculty at CIA. Ruhlman almost portrays his interviewees as being a bit disinterested in their questioner's zeal. It's reminiscent of a rock journalist trying to question a hardened musician who just isn't as "stoked" anymore about talking chord progressions or great albums. I wonder if the chef-instructors really care about the brown roux that Ruhlman feels is so important.
At certain points throughout the book, particularly the afore-implied first half, some higher quality editing would have been in order. No particular complaints; it just seemed to stumble at many points throughout. Ruhlman's growing comfortability with his surounding's might have been responsible. I'm guessing someone could have craftily chopped 50 pages from here though, and no harm would have been done.
Rating:
Summary: An Accurate Portrayal of Life at the C.I.A.
Review: As a proud graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and having attended the C.I.A. at the same time as the author, I can attest to the accuracy of this book. I had several of the same chef/instructors as did the author. (That's Certified Master Chef Ron DiSantis, a culinary badass, in the foreground of the cover photo)The book shows the demanding schedule required of those who wish to attend the hands down best cooking school in America, and possibly the world. It should be required reading for all who want to cook for a living. I like that Ruhlman goes into detail about the life philosophy of "Mise en Place", French for Things in Place. The term, in its strictest sense, means to have all of your ingredients chopped up and arranged logically, all of your pots, pans, and utensils ready to go. In a more general way, it means to be organized and professional. Good term, that. Anyway, it's a good peek into the kitchen. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating behind the scenes look...
Review: at what is required to make it through and excel in America's premier culinary school - the C.I.A. This book is certainly a must read for anyone who has ever entertained notions of taking their home-chef skills a notch further into the world of professional cookery. The information and tales found within will surely scare away potential students who will certainly be in the shock of their lives when confronted with 120 degree kitchens and the uncesasing pressure to turn over 8 plates in 4 minutes (with exacting presicion and perfection, mind you) all while hot splattering grease, insults and angry elbows attempt to jostle you away from focus. Certainly 'Kitchen Confidential,' and this one makes for a holy-duo of sorts for anyone and everyone who has/is currently/knows someone attending a culinary program - if this book doesn't force you to re-think a career plan it will, at the very least, leave you with a further sense of awe and respect for those who endeavour daily in it. bon apetit!
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