Millions of people fantasize about leaving their old lives behind, enrolling in cooking school, and training to become a chef. But for those who make the decision, the difference between the
dream and reality can be gigantic��specially at the top cooking school in the country. For the first time in the Culinary Institute of America�� history, a book will give readers the firsthand
experience of being a full-time student facing all of the challenges of the legendary course in its entirety.
On the eve of his thirty-eighth birthday and after shuffling through a series of unsatisfying jobs, Jonathan Dixon enrolled in the CIA (on a scholarship) to pursue his passion for cooking. In
Beaten, Seared, and Sauced he tells hilarious and harrowing stories of life at the CIA as he and his classmates navigate the institution�� many rules and customs under the watchful and
critical eyes of their instructors. Each part of the curriculum is covered, from knife skills and stock making to the high-pressure cooking tests and the daunting wine course (the undoing of
many a student). Dixon also details his externship in the kitchen of Danny Meyer�� Tabla, giving readers a look into the inner workings of a celebrated New York City restaurant.
With the benefit of his age to give perspective to his experience, Dixon delivers a gripping day-to-day chronicle of his transformation from amateur to professional. From the daily
tongue-lashings in class to learning the ropes��ast��t a top NYC kitchen, Beaten, Seared, and Sauced is a fascinating and intimate first-person view of one of America�� most famous
culinary institutions and one of the world�� most coveted jobs.
From the Hardcover edition.
