The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute by Michael Ruhlman; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Jeff Riggenbach

In the winter of 1996, writer Michael Ruhlman donned a chef's jacket and entered the Culinary Institute of America, known as the Harvard of cooking schools, to learn the art of cooking. His vivid and eye-opening record of that experience, The Making of a Chef, takes us into the heart of this food-knowledge mecca. Here we meet a coterie of talented chefs, an astonishing and driven breed, and experience the pressure and perfectionism of their job. Ruhlman learns fundamental skills and information about the behavior of food that make cooking anything possible. He propels himself and his readers through a score of kitchens and classrooms, from Asian and American regional cuisines to lunch cookery, in search of the elusive, unnameable elements of great cooking. This book was nominated for a 1998 James Beard Foundation award in the Writing on Food category.

"Well reported and heartfelt. Ruhlman communicates the passion that draws the acolyte to this precise and frantic profession." —New York Times Book Review

"Ruhlman's love of cooking bubbles on every page." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Jeff Riggenbach stands in for Ruhlman well as a narrator of this first person account…so well that we can believe he has been the one juggling sauce pans and fighting for the stove space while the teacher waits to grade.” —Jonathan Lowe

“YAs will enjoy Ruhlman's anecdotes about his instructors and his classmates, some of whom are still in their teens…This will appeal to anyone aspiring to a career as a chef as well as to those interested in food preparation, presentation, and the restaurant industry in America.” —,i>School Library Journal

“After reading this title, boot camp and law school will seem like child's play…An enjoyable read…required for aspiring great chefs.” —Library Journal

“It’s a world where, when everything is going right, time halts and consciousness expands. And when a few things go wrong, the earth begins to wobble on its axis. Ruhlamn has the writerly skills to make the education of a chef a visceral experience.” —Amazon.com Review

Michael Ruhlman is the author of twelve books, including The Elements of Cooking and The French Laundry Cookbook. He lives in Cleveland with his wife, daughter, and son; is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and Gourmet; and has a highly popular blog at Ruhlman.com.