Genre: Non Fiction/Food
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I am a foodie and love reading about experiences in the food industry, so I was looking forward to reading Karen Stabiner's book, Generation Chef: Risking It All for a New American Dream. While not a bad look into the life of a new chef, I would have liked to have had a glimpse into the chef's life outside the restaurant, too. It is difficult to imagine the fortitude it took for a young man in his twenties to put himself in $700,000 worth of debt to follow his dream. This young sous chef was able to formulate a plan, find investors and open up a restaurant in one of the toughest cities in the world, New York City. After all, "if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere," and Jonah Miller is a "go big" kind of guy. "Huertas" opened in Lower Manhattan several years ago with the help of Nate Adler, Luke Momo and sous chef, Jenni. Nate and Luke had both invested several thousand dollars for a small stake in the business, and between these four there was a great deal of experience and desire to succeed.
It was fun watching them build their dreams. There were successes and failures in this business as in all businesses. The anxiety of waiting for the critics' evaluations of the restaurant was obvious. Jonah knew certain critics could make or break his business, and I enjoyed reading about how the staff prepped when they realized "Mr. Bianco" party of two was actually Pete Wells from the New York Times.
I also enjoyed reading about other restaurant owners and the trials and tribulations they went through to keep their restaurants afloat. Sometimes diners forget how very difficult it is to get all the parts working in order to present us with a consistently delicious meal. Since the owner can't be everywhere, he/she must rely on his staff - from executive chef to busboy - to care about giving exemplary service. This is obvious as we read Stabiner's descriptions, and I, for one, wouldn't have the strength to watch disgruntled customers walk out of my dream.
I admire Jonah's loyalty when he promotes from within and hope his restaurant continues to grow in this city that is known for its fickleness where restaurants are concerned. This is a good read for those who enjoy good food and the story behind its delivery to our tables.
- Beverly
Publisher - Penguin Group(USA) LCC
Date of Publication - September 13, 2016
It was fun watching them build their dreams. There were successes and failures in this business as in all businesses. The anxiety of waiting for the critics' evaluations of the restaurant was obvious. Jonah knew certain critics could make or break his business, and I enjoyed reading about how the staff prepped when they realized "Mr. Bianco" party of two was actually Pete Wells from the New York Times.
I also enjoyed reading about other restaurant owners and the trials and tribulations they went through to keep their restaurants afloat. Sometimes diners forget how very difficult it is to get all the parts working in order to present us with a consistently delicious meal. Since the owner can't be everywhere, he/she must rely on his staff - from executive chef to busboy - to care about giving exemplary service. This is obvious as we read Stabiner's descriptions, and I, for one, wouldn't have the strength to watch disgruntled customers walk out of my dream.
I admire Jonah's loyalty when he promotes from within and hope his restaurant continues to grow in this city that is known for its fickleness where restaurants are concerned. This is a good read for those who enjoy good food and the story behind its delivery to our tables.
- Beverly
Publisher - Penguin Group(USA) LCC
Date of Publication - September 13, 2016
