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(More customer reviews)The best dinners are those slowly savored with friends and loved ones. Years afterward, one might still recall much of the fare of a memorable evening, the warm ambiance and the stylish décor, or an incredible waiter, a magnificent seafood dish, soufflé, or the fifty year old Bordeaux. In France, Guide Michelin starred restaurants are intended to be the ultimate French dining experience employing the best chefs, lush furnishings, unparalleled service and a magnificent wine cellar.
Yet, unless one is accustomed to formal French dining, there is a certain apprehension, the dread of committing some unpardonable dining room faux pas that will draw glares from the haughty staff and muted mirth from in-the-know fellow patrons. Andrew Todhunter invites the reader along to a memorable dinner at Taillevent, the world renowned three star restaurant and, arguably, the best restaurant in the world. Todhunter shares his apprehension and appreciation of this dinner-of-a-lifetime at the mecca of haute cuisine.
A Meal Observed will not leave the reader drooling over the cuisine served nor will it divulge secret recipes from the celebrated Parisian restaurant. What it will do is reveal to the reader the dedication of those who have chosen cooking as a career and the complexities of flawless performance night after night.
The premise of each of the book's chapters is to unhurriedly savor every exciting course from amuse-bouche to the complimentary cognacs that conclude the evening and to recognize the varied skills of the maître d', table captain, sommelier, head chef, sous-chef, pastry chef and the entire kitchen "brigade." The author incorporates not only apt descriptions of the courses laid before him but sprinkles in reminiscences of his own culinary life, a few interesting philosophical observations as well as a smattering of gastronomic history. Todhunter served several months as a sort of apprentice - reporter at large at Taillevent before making the anonymous dinner reservation for he and his wife.
A Meal Observed is more than just a recitation of ingredients of artistically arranged plates. The author interviewed several of the chef/craftsmen that daily toil long hours in obscurity, many with minimal pay, their years of endeavor, their singular mindedness, their near maniacal dedication to churning out masterpiece after masterpiece. Unlike much of America, where advancement is the goal and each rung on the ladder a mere stopping off point, European culture is still tied to apprenticeship and mastering the job at hand - imbuing each step of the career path with proud accomplishment. In the end, the reader is left with a deeper appreciation not only of the glorious presentation of food but the intricacies of preparation, coordination and management of a world class restaurant.
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