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Knives at Dawn: America's Quest for Culinary Glory at the Bocuse d'Or, the World's Most Prestigious Cooking Competition
Sizzling sauté pans. Screaming spectators. Television cameras. A ticking clock.
Fasten your seatbelt for the Bocuse d’Or, the world’s most challenging and prestigious cooking competition, where the pressure and the stakes could not be higher. At this real-life Top Chef, twenty-four culinary teams, each representing its home nation, cook for five and a half grueling hours. There are no elimination rounds—the teams have only this chance to cook two spectacular platters of food to be judged by a jury of chefs. Prize money, international acclaim, and national pride are on the line.
Knives at Dawn is the dramatic story of the selection and training of the 2009 American team, overseen by a triumvirate of revered culinary figures, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jérôme Bocuse, icons portrayed here in intimate detail that only the author’s unparalleled behind-the-scenes access could yield. The stars of this chefs-as-athletes story, Timothy Hollingsworth and his assistant, or commis, Adina Guest, both from the celebrated The French Laundry in Yountville, California, are up against a determined, colorful cast of international competitors. All the hopefuls meet in an arena in Lyon, France, for the ultimate competition, where technical and mental fortitude and split-second decisions can make all the difference in the world. With its riveting details and revelatory depictions of chefs in action, Knives at Dawn delivers fascinating insights into what drives chefs in their pursuit of excellence and perfection.
Fasten your seatbelt for the Bocuse d’Or, the world’s most challenging and prestigious cooking competition, where the pressure and the stakes could not be higher. At this real-life Top Chef, twenty-four culinary teams, each representing its home nation, cook for five and a half grueling hours. There are no elimination rounds—the teams have only this chance to cook two spectacular platters of food to be judged by a jury of chefs. Prize money, international acclaim, and national pride are on the line.
Knives at Dawn is the dramatic story of the selection and training of the 2009 American team, overseen by a triumvirate of revered culinary figures, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jérôme Bocuse, icons portrayed here in intimate detail that only the author’s unparalleled behind-the-scenes access could yield. The stars of this chefs-as-athletes story, Timothy Hollingsworth and his assistant, or commis, Adina Guest, both from the celebrated The French Laundry in Yountville, California, are up against a determined, colorful cast of international competitors. All the hopefuls meet in an arena in Lyon, France, for the ultimate competition, where technical and mental fortitude and split-second decisions can make all the difference in the world. With its riveting details and revelatory depictions of chefs in action, Knives at Dawn delivers fascinating insights into what drives chefs in their pursuit of excellence and perfection.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
42 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Friedman
38 books29 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Andrew Friedman is the author of Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll: How Food Lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits and Wanderers Created a New American Profession (2018), and producer and host of the independent podcast Andrew Talks to Chefs, currently in its sixth year. He is also the author of Knives at Dawn: America’s Quest for Culinary Glory at the Legendary Bocuse d’Or Competition (2009), co-editor of the internationally popular anthology Don’t Try This at Home: Culinary Catastrophes from the World’s Greatest Chefs, and co-author of more than twenty-five cookbooks, memoirs, and other projects with some of the United States’ finest and most well-known chefs. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor within the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at the Culinary Institute of America. An avid tennis player, he co- authored American tennis star James Blake’s New York Times bestselling memoir Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life (2007), and was for several years a TENNIS magazine editor-at-large. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Andrew Friedman is the author of Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll: How Food Lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits and Wanderers Created a New American Profession (2018), and producer and host of the independent podcast Andrew Talks to Chefs, currently in its sixth year. He is also the author of Knives at Dawn: America’s Quest for Culinary Glory at the Legendary Bocuse d’Or Competition (2009), co-editor of the internationally popular anthology Don’t Try This at Home: Culinary Catastrophes from the World’s Greatest Chefs, and co-author of more than twenty-five cookbooks, memoirs, and other projects with some of the United States’ finest and most well-known chefs. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor within the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at the Culinary Institute of America. An avid tennis player, he co- authored American tennis star James Blake’s New York Times bestselling memoir Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life (2007), and was for several years a TENNIS magazine editor-at-large. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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February 2, 2011
Oh, where to begin... I had high hopes for this book. As a foodie-lite with a chef for a husband, Top Chef is one of the few television shows that we watch on a regular basis. I've been interested in the Bocuse d'Or since it was mentioned on the show and this book sounded like a good read.
I was wrong. This book has some major issues.
1. It starts...... incredibly....... slow. Seriously. I can be patient through a few pages worth of background and development, even a few chapters if it's well written. However, in this case there was far too much background information given and it was as dry and boring as an overcooked piece of ahi. I understood the need for it - many people have no idea what the Bocuse d'Or is and it would take some explaining to make it clear, but this went above and beyond. It was so tedious that I almost gave up but slogged through with the hope that things would really pick up once we got to the training/competition portion of the book.
2. I was wrong, it didn't pick up much at all. It was slightly more bearable but at this point, I was reading it quickly for the sake of getting it over with.
3. For a competition as intense and exciting as the Bocuse d'Or, very little of that emotion and intensity was communicated through the writing. There was some feel of urgency sometimes but it never felt... exciting like I thought it should have.
4. Just an FYI - if you don't want the ending spoiled, don't look at the pictures in the middle of the book until after you've finished reading the text. They give it away and that annoyed me to no end.
5. At the end, it felt like the book deflated like a punctured balloon and then died away. Not good.
In summary, the book is slow and boring and the descriptions, while overdone are lackluster to the point of being disinteresting (more a transcript than anything). As a foodie, it's one of the most boring books about food and food competition I've ever read.
I was wrong. This book has some major issues.
1. It starts...... incredibly....... slow. Seriously. I can be patient through a few pages worth of background and development, even a few chapters if it's well written. However, in this case there was far too much background information given and it was as dry and boring as an overcooked piece of ahi. I understood the need for it - many people have no idea what the Bocuse d'Or is and it would take some explaining to make it clear, but this went above and beyond. It was so tedious that I almost gave up but slogged through with the hope that things would really pick up once we got to the training/competition portion of the book.
2. I was wrong, it didn't pick up much at all. It was slightly more bearable but at this point, I was reading it quickly for the sake of getting it over with.
3. For a competition as intense and exciting as the Bocuse d'Or, very little of that emotion and intensity was communicated through the writing. There was some feel of urgency sometimes but it never felt... exciting like I thought it should have.
4. Just an FYI - if you don't want the ending spoiled, don't look at the pictures in the middle of the book until after you've finished reading the text. They give it away and that annoyed me to no end.
5. At the end, it felt like the book deflated like a punctured balloon and then died away. Not good.
In summary, the book is slow and boring and the descriptions, while overdone are lackluster to the point of being disinteresting (more a transcript than anything). As a foodie, it's one of the most boring books about food and food competition I've ever read.
August 2, 2011
This account of the U.S. team's pursuit of the 2007 Bocuse d'Or reads like a sports story. Well it should. When the author is not writing about food, he is writing about professional tennis. The quest for the gold has eluded the United States since the inception of the competition in 1987. Based on one 5-1/2 hour performance by one chef and one assistant, the awards (gold, silver and bronze) are awarded to the team which presents the best fish platter and the best meat platter overall. Other similar contests occur in Lyon at the same time under similar sponsorship: one for pastry, another for bread baking. While not technically the culinary "Olympics" (which occurs every four years in Germany at the International Exhibition of Culinary Art), this is considered by many to be the preeminent cooking competition in the world. This book follows the U.S. organizing committee's efforts to make the U.S. team more competitive, the selection of Mark Hollingsworth and his commis (assistant) Adina Guest -- both of Thomas Keller's French Laundry in California -- as the U.S. representatives, their training and preparation, and the actual competition in France. It is unnecessary to be a culinary junkie to be captivated by this story; reading it might turn a person into one.
January 5, 2010
This is a seriously in depth look at the Bocuse D'Or competition, and more specifically, why the USA has never done well there. It focuses on the most recent competition in 2009, and follows the US competitors from qualifying and all the way through the contest itself. The level of access to the chefs and the supporting crew is really unprecedented, and Friedman takes full advantage in describing the thinking that went into creating the elaborate dishes required for this amazing contest. Good stuff, a must for Top Chef fans (Season 3 winner Hung Huynh makes an appearance).
April 16, 2012
I listened to this as an audiobook, which was interesting because of the accents that the reader chose to use. It brought a little more life to book than I think I would have otherwise gotten had I read it to myself. Overall, I very much enjoyed it. I was surprised that written descriptions of the food and cooking process could be so visual with just words. I was a little frustrated with the number of people the author chose to describe. It got confusing and detracted a little bit from the story.
February 18, 2013
The Bocuse d’Or was founded in 1987, and is held every other year in Lyon, France. Each country’s team (a chef and one assistant) is assigned a meat and a fish to be prepared and presented in the space of 5-1/2 hours.
It is apt that all of the library subject headings for this book contain the word “competition,” for this book will appeal to anyone curious about that world. Psychologically, it involves a near obsession for perfection, a shrewd assessment of the opposition and the judging process, and total and public psychic exposure. Each chef devotes months developing the menu with its multiple layers of sauces and garnishes. Each preparation is a reflection of personal taste and signature flourishes epitomizing finesse rather than ostentation. The execution of the menu demands a special synergy between chef and assistant – a dance with both military precision and symmetry of motion. Coach Roland Henin sums it up: “Competition doesn’t form character; competition reveals character.”
This book also provides a glimpse of a close world of mentoring and apprenticeship. It is a unique world that passes on attitudes and approaches while at the same time allowing change and evolution. Personal relationships are held in high regard, and an attitude of mutual respect prevails, even during the most stressful moments. Thus, we get affectionate and deferential glimpses of the shrewd and accomplished Paul Bocuse, and of his and his son’s close friend, Daniel Boulud, the hub of an immense circle of successful chefs. Boulud once worked for Paul Borcuse, and mentored Gaven Kaysen, a veteran of the 2007 competition. Boulud also once worked with and is close friends with Thomas Keller, who trained and employs chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Keller, in turn, was an apprentice of Roland Henin, whom they recruit to coach Team USA committee. Assistant Adina Guest is recommended to the team by Hollingsworth’s chef de partie. Unlike many “all-star” teams, this one confronts obstacles with bold efficiency that would excite the admiration of any businessman. Networking, strategic public relations, intelligence gathering, and above all, aggressive fund-raising are essential elements to making the team competitive.
Finally, the book provides plenty of high-drama as the chefs cope with inevitable surprises. At the Team USA trials in Orlando Chef Sbarga frets: “The oven cooked perfectly, and we are not used to a perfect oven.” Kaysen recounts his own Bocuse D’Or experience. At the moment of presentation his sheet of chicken wings go missing. An assistant admits: “I ate them.” He had mistaken them for garbage. “I wanted to stab him in the face,” Kaysen recalls, but there was nothing to be done.
In short, this story’s appeal extends beyond the food epicure. It’s exciting and well-written. I read this book some time ago, but wanted to add it for comparison to two more recent books which examine the same world: THE SORCERER'S APPRENCTICES, and LIFE ON THE LINE. This book tended to emphasize the more collegial relationships because of the Olympics collaboration. I think the other two recognize a more dissociated and nomadic aspect to the world of culinary ambition.
It is apt that all of the library subject headings for this book contain the word “competition,” for this book will appeal to anyone curious about that world. Psychologically, it involves a near obsession for perfection, a shrewd assessment of the opposition and the judging process, and total and public psychic exposure. Each chef devotes months developing the menu with its multiple layers of sauces and garnishes. Each preparation is a reflection of personal taste and signature flourishes epitomizing finesse rather than ostentation. The execution of the menu demands a special synergy between chef and assistant – a dance with both military precision and symmetry of motion. Coach Roland Henin sums it up: “Competition doesn’t form character; competition reveals character.”
This book also provides a glimpse of a close world of mentoring and apprenticeship. It is a unique world that passes on attitudes and approaches while at the same time allowing change and evolution. Personal relationships are held in high regard, and an attitude of mutual respect prevails, even during the most stressful moments. Thus, we get affectionate and deferential glimpses of the shrewd and accomplished Paul Bocuse, and of his and his son’s close friend, Daniel Boulud, the hub of an immense circle of successful chefs. Boulud once worked for Paul Borcuse, and mentored Gaven Kaysen, a veteran of the 2007 competition. Boulud also once worked with and is close friends with Thomas Keller, who trained and employs chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Keller, in turn, was an apprentice of Roland Henin, whom they recruit to coach Team USA committee. Assistant Adina Guest is recommended to the team by Hollingsworth’s chef de partie. Unlike many “all-star” teams, this one confronts obstacles with bold efficiency that would excite the admiration of any businessman. Networking, strategic public relations, intelligence gathering, and above all, aggressive fund-raising are essential elements to making the team competitive.
Finally, the book provides plenty of high-drama as the chefs cope with inevitable surprises. At the Team USA trials in Orlando Chef Sbarga frets: “The oven cooked perfectly, and we are not used to a perfect oven.” Kaysen recounts his own Bocuse D’Or experience. At the moment of presentation his sheet of chicken wings go missing. An assistant admits: “I ate them.” He had mistaken them for garbage. “I wanted to stab him in the face,” Kaysen recalls, but there was nothing to be done.
In short, this story’s appeal extends beyond the food epicure. It’s exciting and well-written. I read this book some time ago, but wanted to add it for comparison to two more recent books which examine the same world: THE SORCERER'S APPRENCTICES, and LIFE ON THE LINE. This book tended to emphasize the more collegial relationships because of the Olympics collaboration. I think the other two recognize a more dissociated and nomadic aspect to the world of culinary ambition.
December 31, 2015
Dull. Took nearly a year to read.
There are two things to understand about me in order to really get this review. 1) I read exceptionally fast, naturally. Yesterday I read a 361 page book before finishing the last 25% of a second book and finishing off this one, and I did a number of other things besides reading over the course of the day. 2) I have a nearly fanatical obsession with food and can talk about it, read about it, think about it, even search Amazon for deliverable ingredients, at any time for any length of time. I not only find the political history of the plant that gives us nutmeg and mace fascinating, I find nutmeg and mace fascinating.
And yet it took me nearly a year to complete this book, which I eventually only managed by making it the only book I would allow myself to read in the ladies' room (in the bath or whatever I might be doing in there), and I was bored to tears by it.
"He transferred the mousse to a Cryovac bag (in which items that will be cooked sous vide are vacuum packed), flattened it out with the back of his knife, snipped a few inches off the top, and sealed it in the Cryovac machine. He transferred the bag to his cutting board and used a rolling pin, then the back of his knife to gently level the mousse as evenly as possible. He set the bag in a sheet pan and poured boiling water over it to cook it, a fog of steam blanketing his work surface."
That quote? That's one single paragraph of a long section describing in that much detail every tiny aspect of...one of the early practices back in Napa, long before they'd even fully determined what the full menu was. That is what the book consists of. Description after description of every minute aspect of every single bit of preparation over the course of 3 months. When a particular aspect of the menu is done the same way every time? It's described every time. Since I already knew the results of the competition (like I said, I'm obsessive about food), reading about how thinly the bacon was sliced this time, then that time, compared to how they wanted it sliced, really didn't grab me.
I like Hollingsworth much better in this book than through his Tumblr, where I followed him for a time but found him displaying an attitude I found shallow. I'm from the Bay Area and lived 6 years in Southern CA (where he has recently relocated), and it's like his Tumblr and Instagram are pandering to stereotypes instead of portraying a real person. That might inform parts of why this book did little for me, but considering I had already started reading it before I started following him, and found the two versions of him so divergent, it's unlikely. I quite liked Guest, by the way.
Not worth spending any more words or time on this review. It should have been right up my alley, instead I found it dull as dishwater.
There are two things to understand about me in order to really get this review. 1) I read exceptionally fast, naturally. Yesterday I read a 361 page book before finishing the last 25% of a second book and finishing off this one, and I did a number of other things besides reading over the course of the day. 2) I have a nearly fanatical obsession with food and can talk about it, read about it, think about it, even search Amazon for deliverable ingredients, at any time for any length of time. I not only find the political history of the plant that gives us nutmeg and mace fascinating, I find nutmeg and mace fascinating.
And yet it took me nearly a year to complete this book, which I eventually only managed by making it the only book I would allow myself to read in the ladies' room (in the bath or whatever I might be doing in there), and I was bored to tears by it.
"He transferred the mousse to a Cryovac bag (in which items that will be cooked sous vide are vacuum packed), flattened it out with the back of his knife, snipped a few inches off the top, and sealed it in the Cryovac machine. He transferred the bag to his cutting board and used a rolling pin, then the back of his knife to gently level the mousse as evenly as possible. He set the bag in a sheet pan and poured boiling water over it to cook it, a fog of steam blanketing his work surface."
That quote? That's one single paragraph of a long section describing in that much detail every tiny aspect of...one of the early practices back in Napa, long before they'd even fully determined what the full menu was. That is what the book consists of. Description after description of every minute aspect of every single bit of preparation over the course of 3 months. When a particular aspect of the menu is done the same way every time? It's described every time. Since I already knew the results of the competition (like I said, I'm obsessive about food), reading about how thinly the bacon was sliced this time, then that time, compared to how they wanted it sliced, really didn't grab me.
I like Hollingsworth much better in this book than through his Tumblr, where I followed him for a time but found him displaying an attitude I found shallow. I'm from the Bay Area and lived 6 years in Southern CA (where he has recently relocated), and it's like his Tumblr and Instagram are pandering to stereotypes instead of portraying a real person. That might inform parts of why this book did little for me, but considering I had already started reading it before I started following him, and found the two versions of him so divergent, it's unlikely. I quite liked Guest, by the way.
Not worth spending any more words or time on this review. It should have been right up my alley, instead I found it dull as dishwater.
March 1, 2011
An engaging insider account
Before listening to this book, I knew little of the Bocuse d'Or other than having seen members and advisers of the 2009 team on the reality TV show Top Chef. But no matter -- hard-core and casual foodies alike will enjoy this account of chef Thomas Hollingworth and his commis Adina Guest's pressure-cooker-like preparation and participation in the 2009 competition. There's enough background filled in to educate the reader about the methods and philosophy of cooking that underlies the Bocuse d'Or as well as vividly rendered portraits of the men and women who compete, judge, and support the competition.
Of course, what really drives the narrative forward is the excitement of finding out who wins. I won't give that away; suffice it to say that those who deserved to win did so. The fact that the U.S. team had so little time to prepare (only 3-1/2 months) and that Hollingsworth and Guest continued their usual jobs until just weeks before the competition certainly gave them underdog status. Author Friedman does a terrific job of laying bare the struggles and doubts that Hollingsworth wrestled with along the way, particularly his determination to stay true to the style of cooking he had been schooled in at his home kitchen, The French Laundry.
As soon as I finished this account, I raced to the internet to find out who had won the 2011 competition and to view photos of the food from that competition. I'm certainly glad I held off until after I finished the book, however, as I have to say that Friedman's descriptions of the food were in some ways more tantalizing that the photos of the very formal, structured platters that take top honors at the competition. This is rarefied cooking, indeed; one I have no experience with. Still, having seen the photos of the food made the competition's techniques and effects clearer, and in particular Hollingsworth's decision to serve cod rolled in a fine green powder of pistachio.
I'm glad I listened to the book rather than read it for several reasons. First, there was no easy way to "cheat" and look ahead to see who had won, which preserved the pleasure of narrative tension. Second, I could actually be in the kitchen, say,listening to accounts of Guest's impressive knife skills, while I was at the cutting board myself, struggling to peel potatoes -- a humbling comparison indeed. And lastly, I enjoyed the reader, Sean Runnette, who did a great job with all the difficult culinary terms as well as an impressive variety of voices and accents, everything from Daniel Boulud's French ebullience to an Australian chef's wry laconism.
Before listening to this book, I knew little of the Bocuse d'Or other than having seen members and advisers of the 2009 team on the reality TV show Top Chef. But no matter -- hard-core and casual foodies alike will enjoy this account of chef Thomas Hollingworth and his commis Adina Guest's pressure-cooker-like preparation and participation in the 2009 competition. There's enough background filled in to educate the reader about the methods and philosophy of cooking that underlies the Bocuse d'Or as well as vividly rendered portraits of the men and women who compete, judge, and support the competition.
Of course, what really drives the narrative forward is the excitement of finding out who wins. I won't give that away; suffice it to say that those who deserved to win did so. The fact that the U.S. team had so little time to prepare (only 3-1/2 months) and that Hollingsworth and Guest continued their usual jobs until just weeks before the competition certainly gave them underdog status. Author Friedman does a terrific job of laying bare the struggles and doubts that Hollingsworth wrestled with along the way, particularly his determination to stay true to the style of cooking he had been schooled in at his home kitchen, The French Laundry.
As soon as I finished this account, I raced to the internet to find out who had won the 2011 competition and to view photos of the food from that competition. I'm certainly glad I held off until after I finished the book, however, as I have to say that Friedman's descriptions of the food were in some ways more tantalizing that the photos of the very formal, structured platters that take top honors at the competition. This is rarefied cooking, indeed; one I have no experience with. Still, having seen the photos of the food made the competition's techniques and effects clearer, and in particular Hollingsworth's decision to serve cod rolled in a fine green powder of pistachio.
I'm glad I listened to the book rather than read it for several reasons. First, there was no easy way to "cheat" and look ahead to see who had won, which preserved the pleasure of narrative tension. Second, I could actually be in the kitchen, say,listening to accounts of Guest's impressive knife skills, while I was at the cutting board myself, struggling to peel potatoes -- a humbling comparison indeed. And lastly, I enjoyed the reader, Sean Runnette, who did a great job with all the difficult culinary terms as well as an impressive variety of voices and accents, everything from Daniel Boulud's French ebullience to an Australian chef's wry laconism.
May 7, 2012
My friend Liz gave this to me for my birthday so I jumped into the whole new crazy world of intense cooking competitions. Wow. I had no idea.
Knives at Dawn written by Andrew Friedman tells the story of well known chefs, Daniel Boulud and the French Laundry's Thomas Keller, working to improve the United States chances of winning the Bocuse d'Or, considered to be the most prestigious cooking competition in the world, and one that heavily favors European chefs. It's about creative technique, taste, presentation, and timing. When you see that description in print it doesn't seem like such a big deal. But it is and it takes months if not years to prepare.
From my blog: http://arizonatraveler.blogspot.com/2...
What I found most interesting was the background of the chefs themselves. Especially the ones I was more familiar with such as Boulud and Keller. They in turn bow to the great French chef, Paul Bocuse, now 85 years old.
For as long as I can remember chefs have been treated like rock stars so I was surprised to read it was not always the case. Friedman writes the following about Bocuse, "he is widely recognized as the first of his comrades to march proudly into the dining room to commingle with the clientele, an act of emancipation that helped his professional brethren migrate from the heat of the kitchen to the glare of the spotlights."
Quoting Alain Sailhac, another living French culinary legend, "We chefs and celebrity chefs owe so much to Bocuse; we were domestiques, now we are nobility," said Alain Sailhac. "Sailhac remembers that when he was a young cook in France, before the Bocuse reformation, he would conceal his profession from young women he was courting; if forced to confess that he worked in a restaurant, he would claim that he was a chef de rang, or dining room captain, which had more cachet."
While this book is about the competition itself, it also covers the culture of some of the top kitchens and training of its staff. There is also little tidbits such as this one, "in competition a combination of textures is essential: the three primary ones being 'crisp/cruchy, meaty, and soft.' By way of illustration, ....apple pie a la mode,..the most popular dessert in the world, has all three: the crust is crunchy, the apple is meaty, and the ice cream is soft." Doesn't apple pie sound good right now?
If you are interested in the culinary world this book is worth reading.
Knives at Dawn written by Andrew Friedman tells the story of well known chefs, Daniel Boulud and the French Laundry's Thomas Keller, working to improve the United States chances of winning the Bocuse d'Or, considered to be the most prestigious cooking competition in the world, and one that heavily favors European chefs. It's about creative technique, taste, presentation, and timing. When you see that description in print it doesn't seem like such a big deal. But it is and it takes months if not years to prepare.
From my blog: http://arizonatraveler.blogspot.com/2...
What I found most interesting was the background of the chefs themselves. Especially the ones I was more familiar with such as Boulud and Keller. They in turn bow to the great French chef, Paul Bocuse, now 85 years old.
For as long as I can remember chefs have been treated like rock stars so I was surprised to read it was not always the case. Friedman writes the following about Bocuse, "he is widely recognized as the first of his comrades to march proudly into the dining room to commingle with the clientele, an act of emancipation that helped his professional brethren migrate from the heat of the kitchen to the glare of the spotlights."
Quoting Alain Sailhac, another living French culinary legend, "We chefs and celebrity chefs owe so much to Bocuse; we were domestiques, now we are nobility," said Alain Sailhac. "Sailhac remembers that when he was a young cook in France, before the Bocuse reformation, he would conceal his profession from young women he was courting; if forced to confess that he worked in a restaurant, he would claim that he was a chef de rang, or dining room captain, which had more cachet."
While this book is about the competition itself, it also covers the culture of some of the top kitchens and training of its staff. There is also little tidbits such as this one, "in competition a combination of textures is essential: the three primary ones being 'crisp/cruchy, meaty, and soft.' By way of illustration, ....apple pie a la mode,..the most popular dessert in the world, has all three: the crust is crunchy, the apple is meaty, and the ice cream is soft." Doesn't apple pie sound good right now?
If you are interested in the culinary world this book is worth reading.
February 19, 2016
Listened to the audiobook. Normally my reading diet consists strictly of sci fi and fantasy but I found this book fascinating. I am an avid home cook who grew up on a diet of Food Network TV. Never seen Top Chef though. I had never heard of the Bocuse d'Or before this. After reading this, I wish every US team's journey was so chronicled. At least give us a TV special! The audience is there, I promise.
To me this was a book that showed me new parts of the food scene (that I mostly can't afford) and amazed me with people's mad chef skills. We went to Yountville shortly after I finished reading this book and I visited the outside of the French Laundry and its garden and sort of creepily stared through the bushes at the kitchen. I did get to eat at Ad Hoc, which was still yummy. But I digress. I think if you love cooking you will love this book. Its the story of people who are passionate about food in all of its myriad forms. I think it might also inspire the average home cook to reach for new heights of kitchen technique or food experiences such as improving one's knife skills or saving up for dinner at Daniel or The French Laundry.
I especially liked the bit towards the beginning when Adina Guest is trimming the tape and everyone's impressed. I thought that the philosophy of the French Laundry kitchen, basically strive for perfection at all times because you can't just turn that mentality on and off, is a good one to live by.
To me this was a book that showed me new parts of the food scene (that I mostly can't afford) and amazed me with people's mad chef skills. We went to Yountville shortly after I finished reading this book and I visited the outside of the French Laundry and its garden and sort of creepily stared through the bushes at the kitchen. I did get to eat at Ad Hoc, which was still yummy. But I digress. I think if you love cooking you will love this book. Its the story of people who are passionate about food in all of its myriad forms. I think it might also inspire the average home cook to reach for new heights of kitchen technique or food experiences such as improving one's knife skills or saving up for dinner at Daniel or The French Laundry.
I especially liked the bit towards the beginning when Adina Guest is trimming the tape and everyone's impressed. I thought that the philosophy of the French Laundry kitchen, basically strive for perfection at all times because you can't just turn that mentality on and off, is a good one to live by.
September 7, 2014
An interesting telling of the 2009 USA Bocuse d'Or team story. I'm an avid "Top Chef" (Bravo-TV) watcher, and an episode during one of the last couple of seasons included a challenge to the five or so remaining contestants to produce a "Bocuse d'Or-like" series of dishes with the requisite fancy plating. It was pretty interesting and led me to this book. The USA team has never won the bi-annual competition, but some serious focus and money has come into play in this country, starting with the 2009 USA team, so it will be interesting to see how the USA fares in coming competitions. The Bocuse d'Or itself is held in Lyon, France, which many view as the REAL home of serious food in France, not Paris. The book does a good job of providing the reader with "You are there!" blow-by-blow action, and clearly author Andrew Friedman had a lot of exposure to both the team members, those who competed to gain a spot on the team, and to the chefs and backers who supported the USA. He does have an at times overly enthusiastic "Gee, whiz, this is so darn cool!" writing style, which can be distracting, but, well, the whole thing really is kind of cool. This is a good read for foodies and chef groupies.
March 5, 2013
I imagine that this book would be pretty boring to people whose entire exposure to the culinary world is the garish, overwrought spectacle of the Food Network. The Bocuse d'Or, one of the most prestigious and difficult cooking competitions in the world, takes months--or preferably years--of training and preparation for five hours in a kitchen with the world looking on. This ain't no Cupcake Wars.
The author, Andrew Friedman, is actually a sports writer, and you can see how that was an advantage writing about a competition like this - the book starts out slowly with a lot of build up and introductions to the various players in the 2009 competition, but by the time that actual event occurs, you're turning the pages almost frantically. I already knew the end result of Team USA's participation, but still, my heart was pounding for the team. Friedman manages to capture the chaos and cacophony of the competition as if you were watching it live. I especially liked the photo pages, which gave faces to all those names and even showed the food the team presented at the competition.
Like I said, not everyone is going to enjoy this book, but if it's a subject you're really into, I highly recommend it.
The author, Andrew Friedman, is actually a sports writer, and you can see how that was an advantage writing about a competition like this - the book starts out slowly with a lot of build up and introductions to the various players in the 2009 competition, but by the time that actual event occurs, you're turning the pages almost frantically. I already knew the end result of Team USA's participation, but still, my heart was pounding for the team. Friedman manages to capture the chaos and cacophony of the competition as if you were watching it live. I especially liked the photo pages, which gave faces to all those names and even showed the food the team presented at the competition.
Like I said, not everyone is going to enjoy this book, but if it's a subject you're really into, I highly recommend it.
February 13, 2013
I can't cook, but am fascinated by "foodie" books--I loved Kitchen Confidential, Bill Buford's "Heat," and "Julie & Julia," among others. And there are elements of KNIVES AT DAWN that are similarly compelling--the tryouts to find an American competitor for the Bocuse d'Or, the challenges of fielding a viable U.S. team, and the ways in which personality conflicts or miscommunications created stumbling blocks for the French Laundry chef who takes on the challenge.
That said, I didn't love the writing here--at times the descriptions felt awkward or flat, and the narrative lacked the tension a competition memoir so often requires. Another issue (though one I'm not sure could be helped) is the fact that the photo insert in the center of the book essentially gives away the results of the competition, and thus spoils itself. Not sure how this could have been helped, given that a photo of the finalists seems like an obvious inclusion, but nonetheless, it weakened the second half of the book for me. I'd suggest to other readers that they save the photos for the end!
That said, I didn't love the writing here--at times the descriptions felt awkward or flat, and the narrative lacked the tension a competition memoir so often requires. Another issue (though one I'm not sure could be helped) is the fact that the photo insert in the center of the book essentially gives away the results of the competition, and thus spoils itself. Not sure how this could have been helped, given that a photo of the finalists seems like an obvious inclusion, but nonetheless, it weakened the second half of the book for me. I'd suggest to other readers that they save the photos for the end!
July 15, 2012
This book was a truer 3.5 than 4. It was extremely interesting, and taught me a great many things about cooking, international competitions, and talked about numerous interesting people. It suffered from a lack of focus, peppering political content into a book on chefs, and an over dramaticized ending. I think this suggested it would have been better as a memoir than a "historical non-fiction" book.
My wife and I really enjoyed this book overall. The first bit was quite engaging, and moved to a variety of scenes. You will learn quite a bit not just about the 2009 competition featured as the primary subject matter, but cooking techniques, chef personalities, etc.
If only it stayed true to itself. As it was, I was glad to have read the book and would recommend it to those interested in cooking, chefs, etc. I'd pick up something by either of the primary protagonists also because I enjoyed their portrayal.
My wife and I really enjoyed this book overall. The first bit was quite engaging, and moved to a variety of scenes. You will learn quite a bit not just about the 2009 competition featured as the primary subject matter, but cooking techniques, chef personalities, etc.
If only it stayed true to itself. As it was, I was glad to have read the book and would recommend it to those interested in cooking, chefs, etc. I'd pick up something by either of the primary protagonists also because I enjoyed their portrayal.
June 18, 2011
I am pretty sure that I've been able to finish all of my Food for Thought book club books...until this one. I so wanted to like it. After all, I had no prior knowledge of the Bocuse d'Or, and was intrigued to read about it from the perspective of the U.S. candidate and his commis. Yet the writer ruined it for me. It's tough to read, not engaging, and began to feel like work. If I can't finish a book in a month, that book is not for me. I also didn't like the style it was written in--it felt weird to me how the inner thoughts and opinions of Timothy Hollingsworth (and all the other 'characters' too) were presented. Instead of feeling like I was really getting how Timothy felt, I kept wondering how much time the author spent watching him, and how extensively he interviewed Timothy. I would have preferred a third-person account of the training involved. Oh, well.
January 26, 2014
Had no idea of the pressure and passion that surrounds the Bocuse d'Or competition, nor the scope and scale of the event. Knives at Dawn is an almost hour by hour rundown of French Laundry's Chef Timothy Hollingsworth and commis, Adina Guest in the year leading up to the 2009 competition. Amazing insight into the philosophy and culinary strategies of Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse who brought American chefs into the competition, raising awareness for the competition in the US, and through the event, recognition of US trained chefs in Europe. It's a real tribute to those who have dedicated years if not careers to the elevation of American excellence in food preparation and presentation.
May 14, 2010
Detailed account of the Bocuse d'Or Culinary competition. Learned a great deal about completing at this level, and after reading this book, know that I would never be interested (even if capable)of pursuing this as a goal. I'm delighted to occasionally produce a great recipe or two, but the food created at the Bocuse d'Or is more objects d'art than something to eat. However, I can admire the skill it takes to get to this level of cooking. TEAM USA has never one a medal since the beginning of the competition in 1987. Did they finally appear on the podium for 2009? I'll leave you dangling on that one.
January 18, 2013
This book brought to light a side of the culinary world I knew very little about as it follows Timothy Hollingworth's journey to the Olympics of food as the first seriously sponsored and recognized American team. I enjoyed the descriptions of the dishes and the processes in creating them, as well as hearing stories about many interesting chefs and restauranteurs. I also appreciated the suspense created around the finale--something that seems pretty rare in most non-fiction works. This was enjoyable to listen to while driving in the car, but it probably wouldn't have made a gripping-just-one-more-chapter read.
March 6, 2010
This was much better than I expected -- I had seen some press on it when it first came out and didn't think I was interested, but then it was sitting on display at the library when I went to pick up some books I had on hold, so I checked it out as well on impulse. I'm glad I did. I even saw the Top Chef all about the Bocuse d'Or, and didn't really get what it was about. This book gives a much, much better sense of it; the drama, the personalities, the pressure, the skill....it was a surprisingly exciting read.
July 29, 2010
First off, this is not a cookbook, it tells the story of the USA culinary Chefs attmpting to become a cooking force to be reckoned with. In Europe, the Bocus d'Or Competition is aired on TV, a popular cooking competition. It is NOT to be confused with Iron Chef or Food Networks "Challenges". The chefs interested in becoming a member of their country's team train and then compete. It was a great read to see what goes into cooking serious grub ... I mean cuisine.
I highly recommend this to my fellow foodies.
I highly recommend this to my fellow foodies.
March 14, 2011
This was a great book about the Bocuse d'Or competition and all of the preparations by the American team prior to the contest in Lyon, France. It was just a fascinating account and, although I knew the outcome, I was still sitting on the edge of my seat. The author made it very exciting.
I was left with the impression that the American chef did not take advantage of all of the resources offered to him and put off his preparations - which, in turn, made his efforts hurried and not what they could have been.
I was left with the impression that the American chef did not take advantage of all of the resources offered to him and put off his preparations - which, in turn, made his efforts hurried and not what they could have been.
February 12, 2013
I want to like this, but it's starting to feel like a slog. It's one person's experience of another person's preparations for an event that isn't culturally relevant in the United States. Would have been a lot more fun with more stories from other countries, and stories from past competitions. Not sure I'll ever pick this back up.
Oh! And the full color photograph section in the middle is hilariously bad. The pictures are so small, everything looks like blurry blobs of sushi. We get lovely hi-res shots of seemingly every chef named in the book, but no close ups of the food in question.
Oh! And the full color photograph section in the middle is hilariously bad. The pictures are so small, everything looks like blurry blobs of sushi. We get lovely hi-res shots of seemingly every chef named in the book, but no close ups of the food in question.
August 6, 2010
I decided not to round up to 3 stars for a couple reasons. I thought the writing was just plain weak. He also (IMHO) simplified descriptions more than necessary. Let's face it mostly foodies are going to read it & we're well versed in the concepts he mentions. I also could have rated it higher, because several main characters are from The French Laundry (and therefore feel "local" to me), but that wouldn't necessarily fly for people outside the major good food cities in the US.
July 1, 2010
Eh. If you're a fan of "Top Chef", you'll like this book. It reads like the transcript of a Food Network game show, which is okay, but gets old quickly. I didn't care for any of the characters (why does it seem that working in a kitchen inevitably turns you into a pompous ass?), I didn't care that they won, I didn't care about the trials and travails they endured to win. Everything was terribly superficial, pedantic and insignificant. A quick read, quickly forgotten.
July 19, 2010
I enjoyed reading this book, but it was very technical. I like to cook, I like watching chefs cook, but there were many things I didn't understand in this book. However, I read it with interest. I remembered while I was watching "Top Chef Las Vegas" on Bravo that they featured a challenge that gave a chef an opportunity to compete. Kenny was the winner. I watched the episode again to see how the main character of this book interacted, but it barely showed him. At any rate, I learned something.
December 9, 2010
I am not a fan of Top Chef or any other competition-based reality cooking shows, but this book caught my attention because of the connection to Thomas Keller and the French Laundry. The book started a little slow, but quickly held my interest. I enjoyed the storyline, as well as the background about some famous chefs. I also really enjoyed the details about the creation of the menu and the intricacies of preparing the food. If you are a foodie or really enjoy cooking, this is a good read.
July 9, 2011
This book was slow going, at first, with the first 40-50 pages mostly focusing on background, setup and dramatis personae. After that, the author delves into the competition and preparation in extensive and exhaustive detail. I wish the pictures had been more focused on the kitchen and menu rather than the people - follow the development of the competition menu was completely engrossing, and I'd have liked to see some visuals!
January 29, 2010
The book was interesting to see how the US tried to succeed better than they had in the past at the prestigious Bocuse d'Or, but all thoughout the book, all I kept thinking was "I wish there were pictures to show what they were describing and cooking." I think this would have made a better and more interesting documentary than a book.
February 4, 2010
Awesome book if you like Cooking enough to understand all of the technical terms and to understand who all the big name chefs are. If you understand the playing field it's really enjoyable. be sure to check out the Bocuse d'Or website to see photos of the platters to help you appreciate the techniques and presentation.
May 1, 2010
Really interesting book - great story but the telling of the story was a tad dry. The reader clearly understands the intricacies of the process and the pressure of preparing for the Bocuse D'Or but the book itself falls a little flat. If you're a "foodie" it's worth reading and learning about this fascinating international culinary competition.
April 14, 2012
Great book, even better in my second read through. As a chef, and a former culinary student who competed - doing show platters and the like it was easy to identify with what was going on and the stress involves. Still trying to figure how, some found this boring and hard to read..maybe they were actually reading a different book?
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