Getting to the Soul of the Matter

Lorain County Reads recently chose Soul of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman as their next big read. Ruhlman honed his career writing about topics he had absolutely no knowledge of, like Wooden Boats in 2002, and Walk on Water in 2003. Drawn into the world of craftsmen whose work is defined by the tools of their trade, be it scalpel or jig saw, he quickly gets to the heart of the matter; the soul of what elevates a job into a passion.

I met Michael after sending him an invitation to speak at the Lorain County JVS. It helped that I had my HACCP certification and ServSafe papers along with gram bags of agar and lecithin powders in small bags in my car, don’t ask. But credibility is an amazing thing and a simple letter ended with me being able to help out during the book signing after his presentation. His young audience asked lots of questions, and Ruhlman answered each one, relaying information about culinary school, writing, and most of all, the “soul” needed to compete successfully, no matter what your field.

Months later he attended a local dinner and shared his knowledge of Charcuterie, preparing meats used in a farm to table dinner that evening. Ruhlman slips quietly from being a teacher to being a student, a writer’s skill that keeps him in good company as students stood shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen that day preparing forcemeats and discussing brining techniques.


“Soul of a Chef” is three separate stories, each revolving around a separate chef. You’ll come away with an inside look into the process of creativity and sustaining a momentum that allows some people to succeed when others are watching the clock.


Ruhlman is best when writing on food and those who love it. “The Making of a Chef” was a priceless view inside not only the St. Andrew’s kitchen at Hyde Park but inside the psyche of a possessed profession. Dr. Tim Ryan, president of CIA said during a speech “Chefs are all pyromaniacs at heart; we’ve just found an acceptable outlet for our passion”. The descriptions of student life read like scripture to aspiring chefs and Ruhlmans’ ability to tap into that passion makes him a great choice for a Lorain County Reads author.

Ratio is probably one of the first books to have its own app, available July 2010, and his Elements of Cooking, a culinary take-off of Strunk and White’s version, continues to be a top seller. I do have a problem with his recent merge with Blue Sky, offering sponsored products to customers who follow his weekly deals, this week was a poached egg spoon for $45, but I do still follow his blog.

Lorain County can use a little passion, something that seems to be lost as of lately. Hopefully Ruhlman’s book can ignite a spark in readers that will light up an otherwise dull day….is it five o’clock yet? I'm thinking I need that egg spoon.