The Seasoning of a Chef - My Journey from Diner to Ducasse and Beyond

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All ProductsApparelBabyBeautyBooksClassical MusicDVDDigital MusicElectronicsGourmet FoodHealth & Personal CareJewelryKitchen & HousewaresMagazinesMiscellaneousMusicMusic TracksMusical InstrumentsOffice ProductsOutdoor LivingPC HardwarePet SuppliesPhotoRestaurantsSoftwareSporting GoodsTools & HardwareToysVHSVideo (DVD & VHS)Video GamesWirelessWireless Accessories    by: Doug Psaltis, Michael Psaltis See Larger Image List Price: $24.95 Price: $3.50 You Save: $21.45 (86%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $2.00 Third Party New Price: $3.50 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5092 EAN: 9780767919685 ISBN: 0767919688 Label: Broadway Manufacturer: Broadway Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 304 Publication Date: September 13, 2005 Publisher: Broadway Release Date: September 13, 2005 Sales Rank: 559534 Studio: Broadway Related Items: The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany (Vintage) The Reach of a Chef: Beyond the Kitchen If You Can Stand the Heat: Tales from Chefs and Restaurateurs Turning the Tables : Restaurants from the Inside Out see more Editorial Review: Product Description: The fascinating diner-to-Ducasse true story of a young New Yorker's meteoric rise from his grandfather's Greek diner in Queens to the kitchens of some of the world's greatest restaurants. Meet the man Alain Ducasse called “the best cook in my kitchen”—Doug Psaltis, a culinary Horatio Alger, whose stubborn passion for perfection and dogged idealism propelled him from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of the food world. Doug began working at his grandfather's diner in Jamaica, Queens, when he was just ten years old—barely big enough to haul a sack of potatoes. His next real restaurant job, following a brief stint in college and some time spent in Colorado kitchens, was in Huntington, Long Island, his hometown. Drivingly ambitious and hardworking, he would travel into Manhattan on his days off to work, often for twelve hours or more without pay, in some of New York’s premiere restaurants. He eventually was offered a regular job at David Bouley's new restaurant, Bouley Bakery, where he worked six days a week with double shifts at one of New York’s hottest and most acclaimed restaurants, often leaving the house before dawn and returning home to grab a couple of hours of sleep before taking the train back into the city. From there he went to Alain Ducasse New York, which eventually won four stars from the New York Times. Doug caught Ducasse's eye and was selected as the first American chef in the Ducasse empire and the chef to lead the next Ducasse restaurant in New York, Mix. Running the kitchen of Mix was both a dream job and a formidable challenge. Doug guided the restaurant through many crises in the face of mounting pressure and tension from all sides—before an explosive conclusion. After leaving Mix, Doug was offered a job working for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry, arguably America's restaurant mecca, where he helped lead the kitchen with Keller. Today, just past thirty, he is starting a whole new chapter in a remarkable career—a seasoned chef at last. Filled with rampant egos, cutthroat kitchen politics, and settings ranging from Monte Carlo to Paris and Napa Valley, The Seasoning of a Chef is a real and rare glimpse into the food industry. More than anyone until now, Doug Psaltis reveals vividly and honestly the hardships, sacrifices, and dreams of glory that are all part of becoming a great chef. Customer Reviews Average Rating: Rating: - subtitle " I cook for the rich" With a brother in publishing does that explain how such a dull read was published? Some name dropping and various gossip but not much of how/why the 10 year old became a 'world class' seasoned chef..... I got an advanced review copy and to make it even less interesting there were no photos! Not much of an autobiography!!!! Rating: - From a professional Cook. This book is really the most entertaining for industry professionals, or people who are interested in the inner workings of the restaurant business. There is no talk about specific dishes really, or recipes, or taste profiles. This is the story of one cooks rise from the bottom of the kitchen, to the top of it. Its a very candid and entertaining ride that many cooks go through, including me. Any professional cook can relate to this book and will be glued to it. Most people don't understand the type ... Read More Rating: - Too full of himself While I found the book interesting, based on his tale one would think Mr. Psaltis is the world's best undiscovered chef - maybe he is but wouldn't be nice if he left it to the diner to discover this instead of force feeding it to us. Rating: - I stumbled upon this book....and loved it! Let me say first off: I love biographies. My favorite thing to do is peruse the biography section and pick out ones that look interesting. That's how I found this book, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It was a look into a fascinating world, one I knew nothing about. I learned about the crazy dedication it takes to really become a good chef. I didn't find the author snobby or condesending at all...perhaps because of my lack of knowledge of the industry? I thought ... Read More Rating: - A fun read. A fun read, an interesting insight into some famous kitchens, with contrasts from New York to California. Doug never gets too technical, so anyone interested in the goings-on in a restaurant kitchen can enjoy the book. Would be a good book to read for young aspiring chefs, a little taste of reality. see more Browse for similar items by category: General - Archive - Custom Stores - Specialty Stores - Books - Biographies & Memoirs: General General - Archive - Custom Stores - Specialty Stores - Books - Cooking, Food & Wine: Gastronomy: General General - Archive - Custom Stores - Specialty Stores - Books - Cooking, Food & Wine: General New & Used Textbooks Communication & Journalism

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