On the Line: How One Great Restaurant Made it to the Top and Stayed There

Description

"On The Line" is an exciting tale of how a restaurant stays on top for over 25 years - the hard work and fierce discipline, the checklists and systems, the precarious balance between order and chaos, the joy of making irresistible food. We meet everyone at le Bernardin from the chef de cuisine and "sauce whisperer" to a sous chef working the saute station and find out exactly what they do (sometimes down to the minute). Most diners are unaware of what goes on behind those swinging kitchen doors and Eric Ripert gives an insider's look at how excellence in food and service is maintained and made memorable.Curious foodies and diners will find answers to all their restaurant questions: What, and where, is the 'line' or 'pass'? How does one tiny pastry kitchen yield over 500 desserts, 1,500 cookies, and 1,250 petit-fours a day? How much does it really cost to make decadent dishes like Baked Lobster with Wilted Romaine, Squash, and Candied Ginger (GBP 13.97), or organically grown farm raised Osetra caviar (GBP 20.90) - and that doesn't even include labour! After peeking inside every pantry, walk-in, and drawer in the office, readers will be amazed at the miracle that is a four star dining. Informative, illuminating, and a wee bit gossipy, "On The Line" brims with fascinating facts, bold personalities, and all the pleasure of a delicious three-course meal.

Christine Muhlke is an editor at The New York Times. She has written for Vogue, Vanity Fair, Food & Wine, and other publications. Eric Ripert is the co-author of the recently published On the Line: Inside the World of Le Bernardin, and chef and part-owner of Le Bernardin, awarded four stars by The New York Times, three stars by the Michelin Guide, and rated best restaurant in New York by Zagat. He is a frequent guest on such national shows as Bravo's Top Chef, Today, Charlie Rose, Martha, and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. He has opened two new restaurants, 10 Arts in the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton and Westend Bistro in Washington, D.C. You can watch Eric Ripert in action on his forthcoming television show Avec Eric and on his Web site, www.aveceric.com.

Starred Review: "A behind-the-scenes look at the famed New York restaurant Le Bernardin, this stunning and informative book takes readers into the inner sanctum, where they view firsthand the blend of science and artistry that makes this Michelin three-star eatery legendary. Chef Ripert and New York Times writer Muhlke recount the restaurant's history, from its founding in 1986 by Gilbert and Maguy Le Coze, through Ripert's joining the team in 1991, to the present day. This thorough guide to how the restaurant operates teaches about various kitchen stations, tools of the trade, key personnel and their duties, how new dishes are born and what it's like to spend a night "on the line." Great attention is also paid to the diner's experience, evidenced by the restaurant's "129 Cardinal Sins" (from chipped glassware to servers without a sense of humor). Recipes include ultrarare charred sea scallops with smoked sea salt; pan-roasted monkfish with truffled potato foam and red wine-brandy sauce; and wild Alaskan salmon, morels and spring vegetables in a wild mushroom pot-au-feu. A huge treat for industry insiders, fans of Le Bernardin and foodies everywhere, this book is a must-have for anyone with a passion for food." (Dec.) - Publishers Weekly