The education of a barbarian in the temples of haute cuisine . In the blink of an eye, Bob Spitz turned fifty, finished an eight-year book project and a fourteen-year marriage, had his heart stolen and broken on the rebound, and sought salvation the only way he knew how. He fled to Europe, where he hopscotched among the finest cooking schools in pursuit of his dream.Spitz hit the fabled cooking-school circuit in a series of idyllic European villages, and The Saucier’s Apprentice is a chronicle of his exploits. Combining an outrageous travelogue with gastronomic lore, hands-on cooking instruction, hot-tempered chefs, local personalities, and a batch of memorable recipes, Spitz’s odyssey recounts the transformation of a professional writer―and lifelong kitchen amateur―into a world-class cook.30 illustrations "An inspiring tale of picking up the pieces . . . with a spatula." ― Kirkus Reviews "This author was born to write about all things gastronomic. . . . This rapturously written book about food, and life . . . was a delightful surprise." ― Reader's Digest Bob Spitz is the author of The Beatles , a New York Times bestseller. His articles appear regularly in almost every important magazine and newspaper. He lives in Darien, Connecticut.