Life, On the Line is not a cookbook, it is the story about a driven chef who began working in his family’s restaurant at the early age of five and rose to worldwide prominence. It is written in two voices, one Chef Grant Achatz of Michelin starred Chicago restaurant Alinea and his partner, Nick Kokonas.
The book starts at a monumental moment in Chef Achatz’s life, when he was diagnosed with stage IVb squamous cell carcinoma. Achatz wrote, “The cancer was located primarily in my tongue and was a tumor that took up more than 50 percent of the visible part.” This is devastating for anyone to face let alone a chef, who is so reliant on his sense of taste. For most, this diagnosis would have been enough to shut anyone down but Achatz, like all things in his life, would not buckle or go away to await his fate. Head on and with determination he went through a brutal course of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.At this time he is in remission and his sense of taste has returned.
Ever wonder what makes one person stand out from all the rest? What makes them the star and the others the followers? In Life, On the Line you see the star, the stand out and his awakening to new avenues in cuisine. The hard work, hours upon hours needed to be the best. This is not a restaurant expose, this is a biography. A gripping story, compelling. You will find yourself cheering Grant to succeed and move up to a taller toque, a more important position in the kitchen.
Never give up
Achatz never gave up; he would send one, two, three, four and more resumes to the kitchens where he wished to work. These weren’t the neighborhood restaurants; these were nationally recognized fine dining establishments – Charlie Trotter's Restaurant and The French Laundry. The bar was high and Achatz was a chef who could raise the bar.
About one third into the book, Grant’s partner and co-author Nick Kokonas begins his story and his affiliation with Achatz. Kokonas and his wife recognizing the genius of Achatz when he was working at Trio in a Chicago suburb and how they became part of the of Chef Achatz story.
Must read
For anyone looking to become a chef Life, On the Line should be required reading. There are plenty of stories about Chef Achatz, Alinea and his new restaurant concept “Next” by all the big papers and on line e-magazines. This column is about the book, Life, On the Line and whether you should add it to your personal library. For me, the insight into one man’s passion and single minded focus was well worth the read.
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