32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line

The instant New York Times bestseller that tells the coming of age story of a true French chef and international culinary icon, Eric Ripert. Before he earned his third Michelin star at his iconic restaurant, Le Bernardin, the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef of the Year, became a regular guest judge on Bravo's Top Chef, even before he knew how to make a proper omelet, Eric Ripert was a young boy in the South of France who felt that his world had come to an end. At the age of five, his parents went through a bitter divorce. Eric moved away with his mother, whose new husband, Serge, quickly grew to resent Eric and seemed to delight in making him miserable. The only place Eric felt at home was the kitchen, where his mother tried to cheer him up with lavish meals, and where his friend Jacques, a local chef, introduced Eric to caviar, chocolate mousse, and a future where his lifelong love of food could become something he shared with other people. This memoir is the story of a young chef coming of age, following Eric's life from childhood through his early twenties, where he finds his home in the brutal, exacting kitchens of legendary chefs like Joel Robouchon

About the Author :
ERIC RIPERT is the chef and co-owner of the New York restaurant Le Bernardin, which holds three stars from the Michelin Guide and has maintained a four-star rating from The New York Times for more than fifteen years. He is chair of City Harvest's Food Council, a New York-based food rescue organization, as well as a recipient of the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest honor. He serves as a regular guest judge on Bravo's Top Chef and is the host of his own PBS TV series Avec Eric, which has won Emmy and James Beard awards. Ripert is the author of four cookbooks, including Avec Eric, On the Line, A Return to Cooking, and Le Bernardin-Four Star Simplicity.

Review :
“Passionate, poetical . . . What makes 32 Yolks compelling is the honesty and laudable humility [Eric] Ripert brings to the telling.”—Chicago Tribune   “With a vulnerability and honesty that is breathtaking . . . Ripert takes us into the mind of a boy with thoughts so sweet they will cause you to weep. He also lets us into the mind of the man he is today, revealing all the golden cracks and chips that made him more valuable to those around him.”—The Wall Street Journal   “Eric Ripert makes magic with 32 Yolks.”—Vanity Fair “32 Yolks may not be what you’d expect from a charming, Emmy-winning cooking show host and cookbook author. In the book, there are, of course, scenes of elaborate meals both eaten and prepared. And all the talk of gigot d’agneau, tarte tatin, petits farcis, paupiette de veau and saumon en croute may prompt a dinner reservation at your local French restaurant. But Ripert’s story is, for the most part, one of profound loss, a tumultuous childhood and abuse, both mental and physical.”—Los Angeles Times   “If you’re interested in how successful people become successful—and if you’re not, why aren’t you?—check out 32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line. It’s a great story, especially for people just starting out, since Eric focuses on his formative years. ‘My time at Le Bernardin has been well documented,’ Eric told me, ‘and so I wanted to share what came before then and how my early years as a child and first kitchen experiences shaped my journey.’”—Jeff Haden, Inc. “Heartbreaking. Horrifying. Poignant. And inspiring. I’ve known Eric for years, and I had no idea that this was how it all started. If you want to get a clear picture of where one gets the drive and dedication to be a truly great chef, there is no better or more harrowing account.”—Anthony Bourdain “This book demonstrates just how amazing Eric’s life has been both inside and outside the kitchen. It makes total sense now that he has become one of the greatest chefs in the world today. This is a portrait of a chef as a young man. It’s endlessly entertaining and teaches young cooks how it used to be.”—David Chang   “Eric Ripert is known around the world for his talent and passion for food. I have been friends with him for half his life, but his memoir let me discover more about his past. His journey from Andorra to Manhattan is full of adventure, hard work, and ambition, and it is an inspiration to us all.”—Daniel Boulud   “Eric Ripert’s 32 Yolks is almost as irresistible as his cooking—a suspenseful, scary, and deeply moving memoir. Even with the knowledge of his eventual triumph as one of the world’s greatest chefs, you can’t help wondering as you turn the pages whether he will manage to survive his childhood or his grueling apprenticeship in two of France’s top kitchens. But ultimately his deep, visceral appreciation of food and the joy of cooking make this a lyrical and inspiring story.”—Jay McInerney