Product Description

This is the tasty story of Michel LeBorgne's journey through a culinary life, a life that started on a farm in Brittany and led eventually to the New England Culinary Institute. Michel learned the basics from master chefs in Paris. Like many other ambitious young men (Jacques Pepin comes to mind) Michel came to New York City and quickly found employment in some of the city's most fashionable restaurants. Eventually, however, Michel turned away from the grind of the restaurant life and took a job with Yale University's food service. For more than a decade he combined the flair of French cuisine with the needs of a massive institution. When the opportunity arose to take on the teaching chef duties at a start-up educational institute in Montpelier, Vermont, Michel jumped at the chance. Now chefs and restaurant owners worldwide have learned their kitchen skills at New England Culinary Institute, many under the watchful eye and guiding hand of Chef Michel LeBorgne.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #218216 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-07
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

The French Way in Vermont
Chef Michel LeBorgne is a natural-born storyteller. And it's quite an amazing story he tells in No Crying in the Kitchen. He's also something of a rascal, and that quality pervades this memoir of his life as a master chef and culinary teacher. In addition to the wonderful vignettes that spice up the core story of Chef Michel's work to create the New England Culinary Institute and turn it into one of the nation's most prestigious cooking schools, the book provides anyone who cares with a solid introduction to the basic principles of classic French cuisine. That, and the simple but scrumptious recipes he shares, are easily worth the price of admission.

From an Aspiring Chef
(This review was written by Sara-Katherine Coxon of Sharon, Vermont)

"No Crying in the Kitchen" by Michel LeBorgne is great read for both the talented chef, and those who wish they were (like myself). If you have visited or can appreciate the gastronomy of France, or if you have ever passed through Vermont and are familiar with the New England Culinary Institute's restaurants such as La Brioche and The Main Street Bar and Grill in Montpelier, "No Crying" is an especially exciting read. Being a Vermonter, it was a thrill for me to turn the page to LeBorgne's account of teaching students pastry-making at a NECI institution ("I love going to that bakery!") or meeting a favorite local cheese-maker ("hey, I know her!").

I was consistently making mental notes to myself to check out La Caravelle restaurant in New York and the cafeterias at Yale, places where Chef Michel describes the dishes and menus involved in his growing career as a cook in mouthwatering detail. The book is a wonderfully personal and humorous memoir that makes you feel as though LeBorgne is sitting next to you, telling the story himself. A great bonus was the over 40 favourite recipes of Chef Michel featured at the end of the book.

What a amazing book
I know Chef Michel personally and after reading his book I have even more pride in telling everyone i know what an amazing person he is, the candor and humor of his life are an inspiration to anyone. I owe all that I am to him, Chef thank you for leaving even more of you behind.