The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School

I'm one of those people who loves everything about food--buying it, cooking it, eating it, watching shows about it, and, yes, of course, books about it. Add in a dose of self-growth and discovery while traveling in a foreign country and I get extra excited.So this book covered all of my favorite things and did not disappoint. Kathleen deftly weaves the joys and struggles of learning to cook at one of the most prestigious culinary institutes in the world (probably THE most prestigious) with her life in France, how she got there, the people she meets along the way, a new romance, and, of course--the food. Her descriptions of the food and techniques she sees, tastes, and tries to emulate is almost sensuous, but without trying to hard (a bad habit some food writers have).I have to add that the narrator contributes greatly to the beauty--her voice is easy to listen to and there is variety to her cadence and tone without being overly-dramatic, she speaks the French phrases easily without sounding pretentious and I even enjoyed listening to her read the recipes! (Though I am excited to see a PDF of the recipes available.)When I find myself coming up with excuses to listen to an audiobook and choosing it over other entertainment options, I know it's a good one. Merci, chef.

I am on a kick right now of reading books that have to do with career change and self discovery. I started with Julie and Julia by Julie Powell and am currently reading The Sauciers Apprentice by Bob Spitz. Kathleen Flinn's book is fun and entertaining and peppered with recipes from her family as well as from her stint at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Kathleen Flinn lost her executive position in London and made the life and career change of clearing out her savings and moving to Paris and going to Cordon Bleu. I love this kind of book because the idea of putting life on hold and running of to Paris is my own personal dream. I love the way she does it and it seems like alot of fun even when things don't go right. The book could use a bit more conflict, I suppose. The whole move to Paris and starting life in a new country doesn't seem much of a challenge. No worries about money or future. She has a fiance who is financially able to drop everything and move to Paris with her and he is Mr. Perfect who I found to be a bit one sided. This is a good book that encapsulates one short year in the authors life without all the messy details of life. I am a hair stylist in Las Vegas, so I'm used to hearing life's messy details, I guess. Well written and enjoyable.

This kindlebook The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry by Kathleen Finn is a kindlebook that I admit was purchased from feelings of curiosity and because it appears that the author found a way to combine epicurean interests with some of her serious professional goals. Some of the multiple references included in this kindlebook: how and why the author traveled to Europe to begin with in the first place including some details in her love life that indirectly influenced this, why the author wanted to study at Le Cordon Bleu, a section in the kindlebook that the author titles Culinary Boot Camp, various food recipes featured that include roasted tomato petals and recipe for chicken cordon bleu etc, and more.

While reading this book I had the ultimate thrill of reliving my own amazing experience as a culinary student (and graduate) at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris! Kathleen's story was like reading a Diary I should have written of my experience at this incredible institution. Details such as how overwhelming it is in Basic Cuisine to watch a Chef cook, listen to what he says, listen to the translation, write down every detail and jump between 3 different recipies at the same time was incredibly accurate. I laughed out loud at the Chef's constantly saying 'plus sel' because I thought I was the only one who never put in enought salt! Even though she changed the names of the Chefs, it was quite simple to figure out who they actually were...the handsome Chef was in fact quite the playboy who often went after the young, pretty girls, the singing Chef was always in a good mood and even though he didn't speak much english, made up for it by hugging you and kissing you on the cheek if he liked what you did!Kathleen's details of fish guts, skinned rabbits, screaming Chef's, furious competition amongst students and drinking after school at the local Brasserie bring you into the 'real world' of the schoolI, too, took 3 months off before going thru Superior Cuisine. It was difficult when I returned becaused I did not know anyone and most people already had their 'clicks' from Basic. I did have the pleasure of having Giada DeLaurentis in my class, she was shy, quite and very serious about cooking, but then we all were by that point.To anyone who reads this book, please know that Kathleen tells the story from her heart, with insight, accuracy and amazing detail. I loved every word of it.

Love the story. I'm about half way through. My husband and I have been hooked on the Master Chef TV series (Master Chef Canada, Master Chef Australia, etc.) and this book reminds me of that. I like how some of the recipes are included so you can try to make them at home. She writes well and combines the story of her experience at chef school with the other students and teaching staff/chefs with her personal story about her relationship, her move to Paris, and some of her friends who come to visit. Her descriptions are excellent and allow you to take a little armchair trip to the markets of Paris and some of the most famous destinations in the city.

I really enjoyed the book. It took me straight into the class as if I was the actual student. It was comical at times, inspiring, hopeful and heartfelt. I learned a lot of methods of cooking that I didn’t know before I read the book. I learned that I might not enjoy cutting a rabbit head during practicals. However I did cringe when you were describing ethnicity in the book. I’m not sure why everyone was group and not individual characters. Otherwise loved loved everything about the book. I’m planning on applying to a culinary school in Paris because of Margo and you of course Thank you

Enjoyable, but...for my taste does not quite go deep enough or explore enough - just treading lightly leaving me wondering "and.." , "why...", "how..." etc.A couple more sentences and paragraphs here and there could have made for a much richer tastier read...not that this was bad, it simply didn't quite satisfy.

Excellent book, well written ,good recipes too!

Great

This book is wonderful for anyone interested in cooking. it is so well written, the book really flows and it is so dissappointing when you finish it!! You really feel you are in Paris and the atmosphere leaps out of the pages at you-A wonderful, wonderful book

Kathleen Flinn has done a fine job balancing her story about attending Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. She provides highlights of the lessons of cooking in an informative and memorable way, even including a Cordon Bleu recipe in each chapter. She offers plenty of humor about her failings and the foibles of her sometimes-eccentric chef-teachers and classmates. And she imparts unexpected yet welcome warmth and gentle pathos in writing about her relationship with her partner and living in Paris, just enough to be interesting. (She avoids the over-long syrupy prattle of Eat, Pray, Love.) Her book engages, teaches, and entertains from start to finish.