Good Grape Wine Company

Written a couple years ago, it's a pretty good overview of what's going on today in food and restaurants. It includes brief but well done interviews with chefs and food industry professionals, and manages to focus on many different aspects of the food business.

The interviews cover a wide range of topics like training, chefs as entreprenuers, restaurant location, mentors, regional cusines and such and are interesting to read as well as informative. The book also includes some recipes following each chapter, and has useful appendices with sources of information about the food business.

Among those interviewed are celebreties like Tony Bourdain, Rick Bayless, Bobby Flay and Thomas Keller but the roster consists mostly of people best known only to the inner circle of foodies.

This would be a very interesting and useful read for somebody new to food literature or thinking of entering the business.


Where's the heat?   June 17, 2002
 7 out of 11 found this review helpful

What a bore! I bought this book thinking it would be just as good as the ones written by Ruhlman, Donenberg, etc. but this wasn't in the same league!
The writing was bad. The tales were just anecdotes, ho hum although I'm sure they would have fared better in the hands of a more capable writer. Ms. Davis didn't quite bring out the passion, the intensity that these chefs bring to their work. I felt like i was going through celebrity profiles in some food magazine (which would have given a better read, I think!)
Save your money, there was no heat in this book!


A very good book   February 25, 2002
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

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!


Takes Cover Off Culinary World for All to See & Ponder   December 28, 2001
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

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.


Fun book   August 8, 2001
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

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.