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I read about this book in a magazine. It enticed me with a multiple-choice quiz based on facts within the book, which is a real-life account of a waitress who who worked at famed chef Thomas Keller’s New York restaurant Per Se.
In three quick and quippy questions (with corresponding answers) it alleged that many Per Se diners eat so much at the four-star destination that they vomit. And that a rich couple requested a table for three so their Alf-like stuffed animal could join them for dinner (sounds like something I would do, just for fun, provided those around me got the joke). And that employees were required to get permission to change their hairstyles.
These juicy tidbits baited me, but they also put me off. I am a huge Thomas Keller fan–and not just because he’s always gracious when I see him and invites me to the restaurant’s holiday party even though we are just casual acquaintances. Or because he was kind enough to offer a quote for the back cover of my book “The Last-Minute Party Girl,” and openly celebrates his love for In N Out Burger.
The man is one of the most brilliant culinary minds of our time, and because I have so much respect for everything he does I can’t help but feel protective. I don’t warm up to the idea of a tell-all–especially because if you have had the Thomas Keller four-star experience you would say, “OF COURSE his staff has to get permission to change their hair! Duh!”
Keller’s culinary adventure doesn’t merely live on the plate or in the room decor. It is in every single nuance–each sight, sound, rhythm, taste, and smell of the dining experience. It’s dining drama at its most exquisite and detailed and the staff is a seamless part of the act. A mohawk would SO disrupt the harmony.
Besides, when people are paying big bucks for dinner they tend to look harder for anything they can classify as a flaw.
So, being an unofficial Keller club member I had mixed feelings about whether to buy the book. But I just popped onto Amazon and read some of the first reviews. (The book came out less than a month ago.) It seems as though the contents are less salacious than I thought. Perhaps I’ll grab a copy next week…If you’ve already read it, please let me know whether it’s worth checking out!
Erika Lenkert
Technorati Tags: thomas keller, service included, book
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HWJ | 22-Oct-07 at 8:56 am | Permalink
Erika,
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a review copy and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It was nice to read a juicy foodie tale by someone other than the Chef. I still love Thomas Keller and agree he is a visionary, her book didn’t sway me on that. Another great book to read is Kathleen Flinn’s tale about her cooking school experiences at the Le Cordon Bleu.
Anna | 17-Nov-07 at 9:51 am | Permalink
Not sure how I stumbled on ths blog, but it’s very fun. Thought I would note that I read both ‘Service Included’ and ‘The Sharper Your Knife’ by Kathleen Flinn. I enjoyed both, but I felt that the writing skill of these two authors are leagues apart. You can tell Kathleen Flinn is a seasoned writer and that Damrosch is newer to the game. I liked the insider’s look at life inside a high-end restaurant, but I didn’t identify with her. But with ‘The Sharper Your Knife,’ I was in tears and laughing during parts of the book; by the end, I felt like I had really bonded with her.
I agree - if you liked this title, you’ll like The Sharper Your Knife, too.
Great blog.