Life, on the Line (2011)

Chronicling his rise through the legendary kitchens of Charlie Trotter and Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz details the monkish obsession demanded by modern gastronomy. His memoir charts the eighteen-hour shifts, terrifying attention to minute detail, and extreme emotional sacrifices necessary to command a world-class pass. It offers a gripping deconstruction of the physical fragility and sheer obstinacy behind elite culinary innovation.