As someone who works in kitchens, I found myself wanting to tell the author-repeatedly- that staging in a restaurant feels nothing like working there. She receives a lot of praise and seems to do well as an intern, but her self-congratulating tone gets old quickly.

She does do a good job of dispelling the notion that kitchen work is exciting or glamorous- it's often repetitive and tedious, especially for new initiates- and I think it's been a while since someone has made that point in print. She also raises some issues that any woman entering professional kitchen life will have to grapple with eventually (questions of family, hierarchy, work environment). Considering all the hype and excitement surrounding culinary careers right now, I think that overall this provides a pretty sober look at what the world is really like, and it would be good reading for anyone who is thinking about spending 40k+ on culinary school.

The brief sections that describe her romantic life- or lack thereof- don't seem to fit into the overall story, and I have to wonder if her editor asked for their inclusion to increase the 'human interest' aspect of the book. Similarly, her writing about friendships is the weakest and seems forced at times.

I was actually more interested in hearing about what she did when she decided to leave professional kitchens, but none of that transition was included in the book.