"...[An]adventure story, a hold-your-breath-while-you-turn-the-page thriller that's also an anthropological study of the culture of cooking" -- Anthony Bourdain, The New York Times The classic account of what drives a chef to perfection by accaimed write Michael Ruhlman -- —winner of the IACP Cookbook Award In this in-depth foray into the world of professional cooking, Michael Ruhlman journeys into the heart of the profession. Observing the rigorous Certified Master Chef exam at the Culinary Institute of America, the most influential cooking school in the country, Ruhlman enters the lives and kitchens of rising star Michael Symon and renowned Thomas Keller of the French Laundry (and Per Se). This fascinating book will satisfy any reader's hunger for knowledge about cooking and food, the secrets of successful chefs, at what point cooking becomes an art form, and more. Like Ruhlman's The Making of a Chef , this is an instant classic in food writing. “Ruhlman sets out to perform a task even restaurant insiders would find difficult: to delve so deeply into the hearts and minds of a few select chefs that he may discover the essence of haute cuisine. "Amazingly enough, he succeeds—by turning his investigation into an adventure story, a hold-your-breath-while-you-turn-the-page thriller that's also an anthropological study of the culture of cooking.” -- Anthony Bourdain, The New York Times Michael Ruhlman is the author of nine non-fiction books, one collection of novellas, and nine cookbooks (most recently The Book of Cocktail Ratios ) and co-author with various chefs of ten other cookbooks. Best known for writing about food, chefs and the work of professional cooking, he has also written for The New York Times, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Gourmet magazine, and other publications. The Soul of a Chef The Journey Toward Perfection By Michael Ruhlman Penguin Books Copyright © 2001 Michael Ruhlman All right reserved. ISBN: 0141001895 Chapter One Certified Master Chef Exam (or the Objective Truth of Great Cooking) Chef Dieter Doppelfeld leads the way to kitchen station four, followed by twomen in lab coats with clipboards. Brian Polcyn stands before these men attentivebut at ease in a paper toque and chef's whites. He has set his stainless steeltable with cutting board, slicing knife, bain-marie insert filled with hotwater, and latex gloves. Ron DeSantis glances at his clipboard and says, "Chef, would you pleasetell us what you have prepared?" "Duck terrine," Polcyn answers. "Straight forcemeat with seared duck andshiitake mushrooms." "And the sauce?" "Orange-ginger." Polcyn then begins the presentation, first submerging the terrine moldfor several seconds in water simmering on the stove-just enough to warm andloosen it-then upending the terrine mold on his cutting board and lifting it offthe terrine itself. Dieter Doppelfeld, who has run this test for the past nineyears, Ron DeSantis, and the third master chef judge, Fritz Sonnenschmidt, anauthority on terrines, watch silently. Polcyn's movements are unnatural andstiff, almost robotic; clearly he doesn't stand this straight while moving fromstovetop to workstation at his restaurant or breathe so audibly. It's harder todrive a car perfectly when there's a cop on your tail. Having successfully separated the terrine from its mold and pulled onthe gloves, Polcyn removes the slicing knife from the bain of hot water, driesthe blade. He places his left hand on the terrine, rests the knife on its centerin preparation for the first cut, and for a moment holds still. Polcyn measures five feet ten inches between his laced black shoes andhis toque, which conceals abundant, wavy black hair. He is thethirty-seven-year-old chef-owner of Five Lakes Grill, a popular restaurant inthe hamlet of Milford, Michigan, forty-five miles northwest of Detroit. He hasbeen cooking professionally since high school and run the kitchens of some ofMichigan's finest restaurants. He is a food consultant for Northwest Airlinesalong with such luminary chefs as Waldy Malouf, Nancy Silverton, and ToddEnglish. He has twice been a guest chef at the James Beard House in New YorkCity. He has appeared three times in the prestigious Bocuse d'Or competition. Heonce prepared a private meal for twelve for which the host, at a charityauction, had paid twenty-four thousand dollars. But never before in histwenty-two-year cooking career has he been as nervous as he is at this moment,his knife blade paused above this duck terrine, which he has seasoned with aMadeira reduction, inlaid with mushrooms and whole duck breast, and roasted toan internal temperature of 145 degrees. Polcyn inhales sharply, strokes once through the terrine, once back, andhe cannot believe his eyes. The knife has veered right. Polcyn stares at hishands as if they were not his own. The error ensures that the second slice willbe slightly thinner at one end as well. Bu