The Soul of a Chef by Michael Rulhman

This book is really three separate novellas, which is a bit jarring at first--what do these three things have in common--but overall it does develop a broader picture about what it means to be a chef in general and specifically in the United States. My spouse and I have been getting more acquainted with what it takes to be in the restaurant business this past year. One reason might be that we invested in a restaurant that opened during COVID. Another is that we have close friends who have fallen more deeply into it, going from cheese production to food service, but I think it is simpler than that. We love to cook and we love to eat. Part 1 focuses on the CMC Exam, which is a professional certification given by the CIA (this is NOT the exam that CIA students take to graduate from the school). He does a fantastic job writing about the exam in a way that has you biting your knuckles with suspense as if you were watching a sports event. His descriptions of the frantic lead-up to service for each section of the test and the judging panels provide serious drama. There is a part of me that has thought about going to cooking school at some point after I stop working full time, a thought that has been dinning since reading more about what you might be in for in that situation, and this extinguished that light all together. Part 2 focuses on Cleveland chef Michael Symon, who was a rising star on the culinary scene at the time and is now an Iron Chef on Iron Chef America. It’s a light-hearted section compared to Part 1 and showcases Symon’s bubbly personality, a critical factor in the success of his restaurant. I loved learning more about Symon’s background, cooking style, personality, and business philosophy after seeing him on numerous cooking shows. He’s kind of a badass and does food his own way while winning respect in the culinary industry. Part 3 focuses on Thomas Keller and “The French Laundry”, widely considered the best chef and restaurant in the country. Ruhlman focuses on how Keller got to where he is despite no formal training and growing up in a family that was never focused on food. The story here is consistent with other depictions of the genius and obsession that characterizes his intensity about food. Someone called him Dr. Seuss' illegimitae child, and I can see that.