Description: In this captivating memoir, republished in a beautiful new edition with French flaps and a foreword by Anthony Bourdain to celebrate his 80th birthday, Jacques Pépin tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in Old World French kitchens to a superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook. We see young Jacques first as a homesick six-year-old boy in war-ravaged France. Working his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurants, he becomes Charles de Gaulle's personal chef.
When he comes to the America, he falls in with the leaders of the country's food revolution: Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, and James Beard. Jacques proves himself to be a master of reinvention, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to develop recipes for Howard Johnson's and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers to become a charismatic TV celebrity. The book includes forty of Jacques's all-time favorite recipes and dozens of photographs from his private collection.Brief description:
The winner of sixteen James Beard Awards and author of over thirty cookbooks, including The Apprentice, Essential Pépin, and Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple, Jacques Pépin is a chef, author, television personality, educator, and artist, and has starred in twelve acclaimed PBS cooking series. His dedication to culinary education led to the creation of the Jacques Pépin Foundation in 2016.
Review Quotes:
"Prose as joyful and rich as the author's food." Kirkus Reviews
".....a delicious book...a joy." -The New York Times Book Review The New York Times Book Review
"The real pleasure of this book is spending time with a thoughtful and sophisticated man, one whose memories and thoughts inevitably turn to food and cooking." - Epicurious
"The kind of well-prepared prose you want to devour slowly." The Oregonian
"A well written, funny, sad, informative and always enchanting account of an incredible career. . . An instant classic." Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential
"A feast." People Magazine
"Pepin writes the way most chefs wish they could cook. . . (The Apprentice) goes down like a feast. . . a worthy indulgence." Gentleman's Quarterly
"An appetizing read." The Oregonian
"A fun chronicle of a half century of progress in the American kitchen." - Saveur