Behind-the-Scenes at Restaurants

I'm fascinated by behind-the-scenes or backstory looks at restaurants; I hate cooking, but I love eating, so I'm amazed at the level of knowledge and devotion that goes into creating a delicious meal with speed, precision, and a sense of hospitality and welcome at a restaurant. It's a jarring juxtaposition to see how chaotic and frantic things can be behind the scenes, in order to create a totally relaxing, satisfying dining experience for a customer.

The most spectacular restaurant in the world : the Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the rebirth of New York

Tom Roston

eBOOK
History

The remarkable story of a restaurant on top of the world-built by a legend, destroyed in tragedy-and an era in New York City it helped to frame In the 1970s, New York City was plagued by crime, filth, and an ineffective government. The city was falling apart, and even the newly constructed World Trade Center threatened to be a fiasco. But in April 1976, a quarter-mile up on the 107th floor of the North Tower, a new restaurant called Windows on the World opened its doors-a glittering sign that New York wasn't done just yet. In The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World, journalist Tom Roston tells the complete history of this incredible restaurant, from its stunning $14-million opening to 9/11 and its tragic end. There are stories of the people behind it, such as Joe Baum, the celebrated restaurateur, who was said to be the only man who could outspend an unlimited budget; the well-tipped waiters; and the cavalcade of famous guests, as well as everyday people celebrating the key moments in their lives. Roston also charts the changes in American food, from baroque and theatrical to locally sourced and organic. Built on nearly 150 original interviews, The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World is the story of New York City's restaurant culture and the quintessential American drive to succeed.

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Learn about the personalities and food behind the iconic World Trade Center restaurants!
- Anne W

Give a girl a knife : a memoir

Amy Thielen

641.5092 /Thielen
Memoir

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A sensual experience accompanying a Midwestern farmhouse-inspired cook to the fast-paced world of New York City's finest restaurants!
- Anne W

Sweetbitter

Stephanie Danler

eBOOK
Memoir

"A year in the life of a young woman who comes to New York to discover herself"--

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Fascinating coming-of-age story set in the enthralling world of a famous New York City restaurant, where the author spends a year as a waitress.
- Anne W

Hotbox : inside catering, the food world's riskiest business

Matt (Cookbook author) Lee

647.95 /Lee
History

"Hotbox exposes the real-life drama behind cavernous event spaces and soaring white tents, where cooking conditions have more in common with a mobile army hospital than a restaurant. Known for their modern take on Southern cooking, the Lee brothers steeped themselves in the catering business for four years, learning the culture from the inside-out. It's a realm where you find eccentric characters, working in extreme conditions, who must produce magical events and instantly adapt when, for instance, the host's toast runs a half-hour too long, a hail storm erupts, or a rolling rack of hundreds of ice cream desserts goes wheels-up. Whether they're dashing through black-tie fundraisers, celebrity-spotting at a Hamptons cookout, or following a silverware crew at 3:00 a.m. in a warehouse in New Jersey, the Lee brothers guide you on a romp from the inner circle--the elite team of chefs using little more than their wits and Sterno to turn out lamb shanks for eight hundred--to the outer reaches of the industries that facilitate the most dazzling galas. You'll never attend a party, or entertain on your own, in the same way after reading this book."--Book jacket.

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I never knew the history and techniques of catering were so fascinating!
- Anne W

Kitchen confidential : adventures in the culinary underbelly

Anthony Bourdain

eBOOK
Memoir

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Anthony Bourdain spills all the tea and it's super enjoyable.
- Anne W

Fast food nation : the dark side of the all-American meal

Eric Schlosser

eBOOK
Health

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Learn some origin stories and trivia of iconic brands and an American way of life! Also, be depressed.
- Anne W