Rating: 
Summary: A must for those starting in the cooking industry
Review: After only reading two chapters in the book, I can see it being just what one needs if they are debating on wether to start a career as a chef. This book is informative and descriptive in the ways of a kitchen. I highly reccomend it.
Rating:
Summary: A must for those starting in the cooking industry
Review: After only reading two chapters in the book, I can see it being just what one needs if they are debating on wether to start a career as a chef. This book is informative and descriptive in the ways of a kitchen. I highly reccomend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Professional Cooks, Beware! What a Disappointment.
Review: As a professional chef, I always love reading about restauranteurs and their experiences, both for inspiration when I'm feeling tapped out creatively, and for validation when I'm feeling burnt out in general. I was really looking forward to reading this, hoping it would be another in the vein of the wonderful "Becoming a Chef" by Dornenburg and Page.It turns out this book is a pale imitation of that classic, a complete wannabee. It has nothing really new to offer to the genre. Though the chefs are as dedicated and passionate as I would expect, it is written as if the assumed audience is a person who doesn't even know how to turn on a stove. The writer never really "gets" the industry, writing with this truly annoying mix of wide-eyed awe and ignorance. Maybe an amateur cook would find it interesting, I just found it boring and repetitive. Mostly, though, this book just needs an editor with a big huge red pen. If you are annoyed and distracted, as I am, by mediocre writing, passive voice, run-on sentences and general literary sloppiness, you will find yourself stopping after every sentence and re-writing it in your mind. I couldn't even finish the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Takes Cover Off Culinary World for All to See & Ponder
Review: Davis provides for those interested in the field as profession to the rest of us interested in the world of chefs and restaurants, an exciting mosaic of stories from those involved. Here are the likes of Bayless and Keller and Flay along with some many readers are not likely to be familiar with: Price and Kearney, et al. They contribute to the culinary mosaic a piece about a topic such as catering, find the right city for a restaurant, etc. From each contributer there are recipes that would be categorized in the intermediate class of skill for the home gourmet to attempt. There are insights and sources for follow-up along with coordinated notes as one reads which serve as referrals to other places in the book where info on a topic may be found. All in all a fascinating read! Unless one is truly passionate about cooking and wants to devote their life, this book might refer them to another career path. However, for the one who is passionate about cooking, this useful work provides ample gems of wisdom and advice from varying perspectives and experiences.
Rating:
Summary: Make the Butternut Shrimp Bisque -- the recipe is GREAT!
Review: Dawn Davis's book is a treasure trove of information for all kinds of foodies -- from the professional chef to hopeful beginners like myself who just love to read about all things food. The stories from the chefs are fascinating -- intimate enough so the reader feels like he or she is in that chef's shoes for the moment. The back of the book is filled with really useful stuff, like names and addresses of cooking schools (both stateside and abroad), lists of cookbooks by the chefs profiled, and information about trade publications. This book makes you feel like a real food insider, which in NYC (or any area for that matter) is a very cool thing to be these days. The recipes are unusual and surprisingly easy to make (not to mention yummy). Impress your friends! The photos are stylish as well. This is a book you will want to display.
Rating:
Summary: Wondefully delicious!
Review: Excellent insite into the restaraunt business. Great "behind the scenes" view of a huge industry.
Rating:
Summary: Fun book
Review: I have to say, the book may not be the best written but I sure didn't notice because the stories were so interesting. I found this a fun book about the industry, and covered chefs not in Dornenberg & Page's books, because these chefs were still on their way up. (The section on Anthony Bourdain read suspiciously like a book review, however.) And as a cook, I found it very inspiring.
Rating:
Summary: This was my favorite birthday gift!
Review: I love restaurants, food, cooking, industry insider information, and I could not have been more pleased with this book! The recipes rock and the writing style is very inviting. I'm a lawyer by day, but after reading IF YOU CAN STAND THE HEAT, well, who knows what next year will bring? Maybe a new restaurant on the block...
Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: I love to cook and I love to read--this book is extremely well written and gives a very accurate portrayal of life in the kitchen (professionally). A "regular" person could enjoy reading this too--it isn't just for chefs or chefs-to-be. There are some very hilarious sections in here--I just loved it!
Rating:
Summary: great book very insiteful
Review: I loved reading the stories and the receipts. I have already tried out one of them and it awsome.
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