The Devil in the Kitchen

I've never been inclined to watch any of Gordon Ramsay's television shows, like Hell's Kitchen or Kitchen Nightmares. Ramsay seems like a mean guy. He's always yelling and cursing at the chefs, which doesn't seem entertaining. But Gordon Ramsay got his start working for Marco Pierre White, who until I read The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness, and the Making of a Great Chef, I knew nothing about. Forget Ramsay. Forget Anthony Bourdain. White is a real bad-ass chef. White was the first British chef, as well as the youngest chef, to be awarded three Michelin stars. And he didn't get those stars by being a nice guy. White recounts his rise to fame and success in this entertaining memoir. He is known for his temper and demanding perfection. He's famous for giving his chefs a "bollocking" and tossing out customers who complain. I loved these anecdotes. Just once.... Despite his adrenaline and nicotine-fueled lifestyle, White does not succumb to drugs and alcohol, as so many other famous chefs have admitted to, which is refreshing. The other thing I loved about White: when he had enough, White gave back his stars and retired from the kitchen. He points out that a lot of chefs, once they become famous, stop cooking but pretend that they are still at the stove, while they are really in front of the camera or off doing something else. He didn't want to lie to his customers. Although he continues to own restaurants, his focus is no longer on the stars, but on enjoying the food.