Customer Reviews

The Saucier's Apprentice: One Long Strange Trip through the Great Cooking Schools of Europe

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

After just going on a 2 month tour through Europe at the age of 51, I thought this book would extend the pleasure of my trip. NOT! His whiney, self-important, self-centered view of every aspect of his trip really bugged me. Even his writing style: labored similes, over indulgent use of foreign words, expectation that everyone shares his world view just made it harder to get through. I kept waiting for the moment when he would learn some kind of life lesson and curb his infantile behavior. A little humility would have gone a long way.

Bob Spitz rambling account left me thinking that his time would have been better spent on an analyst's couch rather than at cooking schools. The author's narcissism is left unchecked and, therefore, he rarely accepts responsibility for his situation or poor attitude. I would gladly return the book and send the money directly to him for his therapy fund.

Knowing one of the people he cited, as well as her wonderful place, I found several instances of misinformation. We spent 2 weeks there - he spent 3 days. One wonders about the remainder of the book. Food/travel books are my favorite reads, and I have an extensive library to prove it. This one is not a keeper.

This book was so full of misinformation that it was a struggle to read. It was unreal to see the mistakes. Restaurants spelled incorrectly, villages set in the wrong geograhic locale, horrific descriptions of people. One cannot believe the arrogance of this author. After spending months each year in France for over a decade, I found his description of French attitudes so wrong. The attitude of the French to Americans is wonderful.Their customs are different than ours. Did this arrogant writer do any research?

Conclusion: I have yet to try the recipes given, but they can't be worse than the actual book. This is a "library book" at best.

I have to agree with all the other reviewers who have commented the following:

* Mr. Spitz whines and cries throughout most of the book about an unrequited love interest.

* Mr. Spitz comes over narcissistic, arogant, rude, obnoxious, spoiled, snobby and other adjectives I'm sure I'm missing... He scorns some people for not knowing the difference between a bain-marie and a... I forgot, but you get the point.

* The book is not a page turner.

* The book is not cohesive. I don't feel there's a strong point to the story, although he somewhat comes to some closure at the end.

Mr. Spitz is a very lucky man to have had an amazing experience cooking through Europe. His sour tone, childish pouts and air of superiority make this book, at best, 2/5. 1/5 if the recipes are bad. As another reviewer noted, a little humility would do Mr. Spitz wonders.

The title of choice is never explained in the book: I thought at some point the author would wind up as a saucier apprentice in a professional kitchen, but he does not. Nor does he attend "The Great Cooking Schools of Europe". There are plenty of large reputable schools with extensive programs in Europe. But instead, he attends obscure programs offered by solo cooks of dubious reputation or programs designed by Michelin-starred chefs who just entertain rich housewives with demos and lots of wine. So the author ended up not learning anything and being quickly bored with the experience, and so was I, reading about it. If he was really serious about learning how to cook, there were plenty of exciting renowned programs with a professional orientation that would have made for a more interesting experience for him and a better read for us.
If you are interested in learning about real professional cooking schools (still treated with a light tone), I would rather go with Julia Child's My Life in France or the modern version on the same topic, Kathleen Flynn's The Sharper the Knife.

I started this book with some hope. Here he was, a published author looking for direction; cooking up a storm with a group of friends. He slips off on a dream adventure (for foodies) that nobody else could afford or arrange. What do we get? An amazingly immature person constantly whining about everyone else when it is clear he is A**hole # 1. He has the most amazing opportunities laid at his feet obviously because of pulled strings related to his publishing success, and he scoffs and dismisses them. As I read it, and yes I actually read the whole thing, I kept wondering where his editor was. How could a publisher let this drivel out? Did they actually read it? He should have simply left it in his journal and saved us the pain of suffering through it.

The only reason it could eek out one star is that he offers some very interesting recipes that I plan to try. Don't waste your time.

This was one of the most self indulgent pieces of writing that I have ever stumbled across.

Sure, you're having a mid-life crisis and a glass-is-half-empty sort of guy. But why take it out on the world and, even worse, on your readers?

If like good food writing or a journey of discovery of self through world experiences, stay as far away from this book as you can.

Bob's an utterly self-absorbed yet complex character hoping to escape his relationship unhappiness by plunging into an intense regimen of cooking classes in France and Italy. He's the guy you pick out on the first day of any and every international guided tour, the guy who'll do his darndest to make everyone around him as miserable as he is. Willing to be indignant by slightest of slights and the most minor inconveniences, Bob is hugely entertaining as the clear source of all his problems. Relationship troubles? Hmmmm.

I laughed out loud when he received his comeuppance from a fellow traveler who refused to put up with even one minute of his sulking petulance. Once in a while Bob glimpses himself for who he really is, resulting in a hilarious moment of forced sensitivity and spirituality. The perfect book to take along on a vacation for anyone who's ever traveled or ever cooked.

I purchased this book after reading some of the reviews here. After reading the book I was disapointed. The book has some good receipts and he travels to some great places. But his overall tone is depressing. He complains through out the book and makes a few off color remarks (in regards to Jews).