by Eric Ripert & Christine Muhlke (Artisan, 2008)

On the Line is a look at the inner workings of Le Bernardin: the incredible level of personal commitment, discipline, and loyalty; the precise organization and orchestration of the restaurant’s operations; the details of hiring and training; the real cost of food; the focused preparation of meals; the expected and unexpected challenges of growing a business.

The facts and figures are all here: the pounds of black bass served each week (500); the average number of minutes it takes to cook a dish (5); the glasses washed by hand each day (1300); the bottles of wine in the cellar (14,000); the monthly flower bill ($12,000); the number of waitstaff who are also actors (0).

Told from the point of view of the principal players—from chefs to line cooks, from the porter to the maître d’, from the sommelier to the captain—readers will feel the heat, the creativity, and the sense of accomplishment at Le Bernardin, where each year, 150,000 plates are sent from the kitchen to the table. On the Line includes nearly 50 of Eric Ripert’s favorite dishes, described from inspiration all the way to execution.