32 Yolks

Eric Ripert & Veronica Chambers (Random House, 2016)

32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line, a coming-of-age story, takes readers through Ripert’s childhood in the South of France and his teenage years in Andorra, where he was first introduced to the kitchen by a renowned local chef. His desire to not only cook, but to become the best, eventually led him to some of the most celebrated and demanding restaurants in Paris, working under legendary chefs Joël Robuchon and Dominique Bouchet, trying to survive the intense, exacting environments of their kitchens. Along the way, Ripert is challenged to come to terms with the premature death of his father, to overcome the isolated experience of military school and to ultimately seek comfort and solace in the routines of the kitchen. Filled with Ripert's most personal and defining life moments, 32 Yolks is the first part of his journey to New York City and Le Bernardin.