Author: Marcus Samuelsson
Having read the first chapter, I can now guess that the book cover has Berbere spread, in which the title is written in perfect alphabets. Its a touching search for his mother who passed away when he was 3. I almost teared up at the end of first chapter.
As I read the wordy letters of some dishes, I am reminded that Ikea food too is from the place where the author grew up. The author's first encounter with management of pantry began at his grandmother's house.
Before jumping into cooking dream full time, the author had another dream- soccer. A playground which looks down upon underbuilt even if skilled.
Before jumping into cooking dream full time, the author had another dream- soccer. A playground which looks down upon underbuilt even if skilled.
Its the professional kitchens where the interns and the novices are to bow a 'Yes, Chef' for everything, that the title of the book is derived from.
The division of
the book into three chapters boy, chef and man says it all. That it’s a bildungsroman.
By the end of his boyhood, he owned a coveted set of cooking knives and a
kitchen boy experience at a restaurant. That’s telling of where the boy is
headed. Geographically, he wanted to get to France Switzerland
Having reached
his goal, hurtling through a pregnancy and two funerals that he couldn’t
attend, at a QA with cooking students, ‘What are some of the modern cooking
trends in Africa ?’ was the tipping point. His
search to find his roots became his diving board into manhood too where the
self he had made until then had a hefty price attached to it as it was under
another person’s tutelage. Everywhere he goes, he cooks to show ‘honor, respect
and love’. His food was appreciated by awards, TV show win, preparing state
dinner. His restaurant ‘Red Rooster’ is about letting the past and present speak from the same place. Just like in his life where he embraced his past by taking up the responsibility of his natural father's family from another marriage.
Chef
Samuelsson’s life is similar to the others in the hours that he had to put in
scut work. His life is different too from other chefs. We hear how it is tough
for chefs to have a life. The author got around it by getting to the top fast
and then found time to tie up the lose ends in his life – finding identity,
building family bonds.
In the kitchen,
he learns of the rituals where mentors let the best stage at other famous
kitchens. Demographics in there.
