Very enjoyable book for people interested in professional kitchens. I think I hate the concepts that drive elBulli and the type of cuisine they serve but it was still fascinating. Book is enhanced by Google so you can see many of the dishes described and diners reactions to the food. Or the art. However you choose to view it.

Give me good old fashioned local farm to table food instead! ( )

Interesting look at a very different kitchen from others I've read about! ( )

I'm kind of pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this. I'm not a fanatical foodie, I'm someone who enjoys good food, and I enjoy occasionally watching Top Chef, and that's about it. While I think this book is very suited to foodies, I also think it's entertaining and well-written for those who simply 'like food.'

Lisa's accounts of the drudgery in the repetitive work sometimes made me worry that I would begin to feel that reading the book itself was a big of a drudge (it can be dangerous to describe drudgery a little too well!), but it was thankfully broken up with interesting explorations into some of the different stagiaires (those who work for free, for six months, at elBulli). I came to have my 'favourites' stagiaires like Kim and Katie, as well as Luke and Gael, and so found myself appreciating the 'breaks' from long descriptions of tiresome work (it is in this latter where the author loses a star for me).

The book overall is warm, observant, cleverly paced and intelligent. It had me contemplating things I did not expect to contemplate as a result of 'reading a book about a restaurant.' I wondered about the philosophy of food, about the purpose of food, and the purpose of patrons in a restaurant. About whether it's worth striving for perfection and what sacrifices are worth it and what is gained from the process. And, as a two-dimensional artist, I also learned some more about the fickle beast that is Creativity, and how different people may go about cultivating it.

I'm happily keeping this in my non-fiction collection. It may be the only book I ever have in the genre, but I'm happy to have it. A lovely read. ( )

This book was well written and accomplished the task of telling a difficult story- lots of scenes, not much plot line, a cast of thousands...-with some skill. Although I love to eat and used to love watching the real Food Network when there were actual chefs with training on the shows and not chefs with just attitude and/or bad hair. The book didn't move me because, while the concept of food as art may well be intriguing to some, eating foam and dishes created only thanks to science and technology does not intrigue me personally. Yes, I know. El Bulli is the most famous restaurant in the world. And I don't care. Even after reading the book, I don't care. ( )

I will begin by saying that if you are a foodie reader, you enjoy shows like Bourdain's No Reservations, then you will likely enjoy this book. The only reason I did not rate it higher is that it can get a bit technical at times in terms of the food preparation descriptions. However, what I found a bit heavy at times may actually be a strength for other readers. The book documents the 2009 season at El Bulli. We get both the story of the famous restaurant, its genius chef Ferran Adrià, and the tales of trials and sacrifices of the stagiaires (the apprentices) who work for no pay and come to work there at their own expense. We get to see not only how the restaurant works but also the inner workings. Overall, the book is an interesting read. Personally, I wanted to read it after Bourdain featured it in his show, dining with the great master chef.

Similar reads would be other epicurean interest books and those books one could label as "stunt books" (ones where the author either does or documents some kind of "stunt" for a fixed amount of time). Books I've read that may have similar appeal factor include:

*Josh Peter, Fried Twinkies, Buckle Bunnies, & Bull Riders. This is another book documenting a season within a subculture.
*Pat Willard, America Eats!. Food travel, plus American history.
*Kyle Jarrard, Cognac.

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