"Part Dali, part Einstein, part modern-day Escoffier--superchef Ferran Adria of elBulli is one of the greatest creative minds of our time. Now Lisa Abend reveals what it's like to actually work in this genius's kitchen. Her formidable reportage, astute cultural observations, and keen eye for detail have produced a fascinating chronicle of the life-changing adventure undertaken by elBulli's lucky band of kitchen apprentices."
--Anya von Bremzen, author of "The New Spanish Table"
"Lisa Abend's new book reads like Harry Potteresque version of a cook's story and gives readers the chance to enter themselves into the hidden world of cooks. Through Lisa's book, readers can join these young people on their quest to become a chef witnessing the dreams and aspirations, the frustrations and successes, and all the drama that unfolds along the way."
-- Jose Andrés, Chef of Cafe Atlantico and The Bazaar, and star of the PBS show "Made in Spain"
""The Sorcerer's Apprentices" is a fascinating, well-reported, and dramatic account of life behind the lines at the world's most renowned restaurant, elBulli. Unimpeded by the language barrier that has prevented English-speaking journalists from conveying a full, clear picture of Ferran Adria, Abend gives a sense of what his extraordinary, ground-breaking kitchen is actually like on the inside, from the vantage of the cooks. This is a worthy addition to the literature of the professional kitchen and a pleasure to read."
--Michael Ruhlman, author of "Ratio" and"""The Making of a Chef "
"An insightful depiction not only of the most talked-about restaurant in the world, but also of Ferran Adria and a squad of young cooks who have come to him in their quest for culinary knowledge. As THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE unspools, a profound and irresistible theme emerges: any cook worth his or her salt, even a certified genius like Adria, never stops learning."
--Andrew Friedman, author of "Knives at Dawn"""
"Abend is finding qualities in each young cook that reflect, amplify, and illuminate who Adria is and what he's doing at elBulli--crossing and even demolishing the lines between food and art. Anyone interested in the very vanguard of creativity in any medium, aside from the ever-growing ranks of foodies and celebrity-chef watchers, is certain to be enchanted." --"Booklist", starred review
"The author provides countless descriptions of an undeniably dazzling creative process and of foods that, even on paper, have the power to delight and amuse.
A gastronomical feast and a rare chance for gourmet enthusiasts to witness the creative process behind some of the world's most innovative cuisine." --"Kirkus"
"Over the course of the last 25 years, Ferran Adria has become both icon and iconoclast, an international bellwether for the future of food. In "The Sorcerer's Apprentice, " Lisa Abend gives us an illuminating new look at the most influential chef of our time through the kaleidoscopic lens of his thirty-five stagiaires. An accomplished journalist and agile storyteller, Abend immerses herself in the heat, the anxiety, and the ingenuity of this pressurized little world, bringing the characters--and the kitchen--to life. It's a fascinating glimpse into a culinary rite of passage, and the incomparable genius behind it."
--Dan Barber, Executive Chef and Co-owner of Blue Hill Farm
"A last glimpse inside the culinary magic."
--"Entertainment Weekly"
"Anyone interested in the very vanguard of creativity in any medium, aside from the ever-growing ranks of foodies and celebrity-chef watchers, is certain to be enchanted."
--"Booklist" (starred review)
