Four Kitchens

Conceived in the spirit of Kitchen Confidential and Heat, FOUR KITCHENS is the first book in which a young woman takes readers inside the hyper-masculine world of restaurant kitchens.

Lauren Shockey was a young cubicle slave when she decided to quit the 9-to-5 grind, take out massive loans, and attend cooking school. At the French Culinary Institute, Lauren learned to salt food properly, to cook fearlessly over high heat, and to knock back beers like a pro. She also learned that a real culinary education begins once you're actually working in a restaurant. After a somewhat disappointing apprecenticeship in the French countryside, Lauren hatched a plan for her dream year: to apprentice in four kitchens around the world.

She starts in her hometown of New York City, where she works under the famed chef Wylie Dufresne, and then heads to Vietnam, Israel, and back to France, each setting presenting its own set of challenges, from language barriers to stronger-than-usual resistance to a woman in a professional kitchen.

As Lauren grows into a more accomplished and confident cook, the reader follows the yearlong challenges and adventures of one extremely bright and restless young woman against the background drama of restaurant life.

About the Author
Lauren Shockey is a food writer whose articles have appeared in many print and online publications including The Village Voice, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, and The Atlantic Food Channel, among many others. A graduate of The University of Chicago, Lauren also holds a diploma in Classic Culinary Arts from The French Culinary Institute and a Master of Arts in food studies from New York University.