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Bill Buford loves to cook. He has a crazy idea: Why not offer to work for free in a restaurant kitchen and learn how professionals cook. Buford puts his plan into action and before he knows it, he is working in the kitchen of one of New York's best restaurants. Okay, he's chopping carrots, but he's surrounded by magnificent cooks, and, gradually, he moves up in the kitchen hierarchy. Buford is a wonderful writer and the kitchens where he works provides zany characters and situations that make for a great read.