Heat

An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany

By: Bill Buford

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

From one of our most interesting literary figures - former editor of Granta, former fiction editor at The New Yorker, acclaimed author of Among the Thugs - a sharp, funny, exuberant, close-up account of his headlong plunge into the life of a professional cook.

Expanding on his James Beard Award-winning New Yorker article, Bill Buford gives us a richly evocative chronicle of his experience as “slave” to Mario Batali in the kitchen of Batali’s three-star New York restaurant, Babbo.

In a fast-paced, candid narrative, Buford describes three frenetic years of trials and errors, disappointments and triumphs, as he worked his way up the Babbo ladder from “kitchen bitch” to line cook...his relationship with the larger-than-life Batali, whose story he learns as their friendship grows through (and sometimes despite) kitchen encounters and after-work all-nighters...and his immersion in the arts of butchery in Northern Italy, of preparing game in London, and making handmade pasta at an Italian hillside trattoria.

Heat is a marvelous hybrid: a memoir of Buford’s kitchen adventure, the story of Batali’s amazing rise to culinary (and extra-culinary) fame, a dazzling behind-the-scenes look at a famous restaurant, and an illuminating exploration of why food matters. It is a book to delight in, and to savor.

©2006 William Buford (P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

A Globe & Mail Best Book of 2006
A New York Times Notable Book of 2006
Short-listed - James Beard Award

“Sharing Buford’s table talk is a pleasure not to be passed up.” (Michael Redhill, The Globe and Mail)

“A dazzling and funny account of two magnificently mad years.” (The Guardian)

“[Buford] excels at vibrantly colourful descriptive writing. . . . What shines through is the story of Bill Buford falling in love with food, and his passionate journey of learning.” (Vancouver Sun)

Fantastic - Funny and Informative

Absolutely enjoyable and I learned a ton about what it is like to become a cook by working in some of the world's best kitchens. Lots of funny stories and anecdotes. Highly recommended.

great author great reader

not sure what the negative review of the reader was about, I found him captivating and mesmerizing, as well as fun. and it is written flawlessly. what a food adventure!

If you're a foodie - you must read this book.

Would you consider the audio edition of Heat to be better than the print version?

This is a unique story from extended research from the author. It is very educational and entertaining. It'll keep you interested. I read the book and then later listened to the audiobook. The audiobook, as usual, was a much richer experience. Story telling is so much more entertaining.

What did you like best about this story?

The adventures in Italy were very interesting and enlightening.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended and certainly worth the time and credit.

Wonderful

This book is wonderful. If you are heavily interested in cooking, food, and respect those that dedicate their lives to producing great food...then this book is for you.

Outstanding

thought this was a very well written book and enjoyed it from start to finish

Excellent Story, a must for cuisine lovers

Loved this book. loved the detail. Reader delivered the goods in terms of irony and tone. My only criticism would be the command of his voice surprises the reader with his lack of Italian pronunciation. De Medici (hard "c") Sangioves (no "e" at end) and countless other missteps. I mean just a little homework please!

Cook’s view: A peak in the kitchen

Story was a delightful trip from Babbo’s to Tuscon white cows. Quick read, informative and easy to digest. Food is from the heart.

Excellent story, difficult narrator

Well worth it for the material, once you get past the drill of the author.

Amazing, true and well written story, but I wish the author narrated it himself

Bill Bufford describes a very true reality of what a cook’s job is. He also does it in a very entertaining way, very well written book.
But I absolutely disliked the narration. In comparison to his 2nd book, Dirt, this one was narrated without any feelings expression, or passion. I’d say it really brought down the listening experience for me… I’m glad I’ve listened to the 2nd book first, which was narrated by the author himself, so I could imagined how he would have done it and stocked to listening until the end.

For Riley

Any additional comments?

I am writing this review for a friend to be able to find and then follow me. Apparently this is the only way to view someone else's Library at the moment...