The Apprentice Audiobook By Jacques Pépin cover art

The Apprentice

My Life in the Kitchen

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Apprentice

By: Jacques Pépin
Narrated by: Jacques Pépin, Michel Chevalier
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

In this captivating memoir, the man whom Julia Child has called "the best chef in America" tells the story of his rise from a frightened apprentice in an exacting Old World kitchen to an Emmy Award-winning superstar who taught millions of Americans how to cook and shaped the nation's tastes in the bargain.

We see young Jacques as a homesick six-year-old boy in war-ravaged France, working on a farm in exchange for food, dodging bombs, and bearing witness as German soldiers capture his father, a fighter in the Resistance. Soon Jacques is caught up in the hurly-burly action of his mother's café, where he proves a natural. He endures a literal trial by fire and works his way up the ladder in the feudal system of France's most famous restaurant, finally becoming Charles de Gaulle's personal chef, watching the world being refashioned from the other side of the kitchen door.

When he comes to America, Jacques immediately falls in with a small group of as-yet-unknown food lovers, including Craig Claiborne, James Beard, and Julia Child, whose adventures redefine American food. Through it all, Jacques proves himself to be a master of the American art of reinvention: earning a graduate degree from Columbia University, turning down a job as John F. Kennedy's chef to work at Howard Johnson's, and, after a near-fatal car accident, switching careers once again to become a charismatic leader in the revolution that changed the way Americans approached food. Included as well are approximately 40 all-time favorite recipes created during the course of a career spanning nearly half a century, from his mother's utterly simple cheese soufflé to his wife's pork ribs and red beans.

The Apprentice is the poignant and sometimes funny tale of a boy's coming of age. Beyond that, it is the story of America's culinary awakening and the transformation of food from an afterthought to a national preoccupation.

©2019 Jacques Pépin (P)2019 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Culinary Chef Adventure France Funny Career Restaurant Culinary Arts
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Apprentice

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    163
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    148
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    141
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

For the love of food!

The narration is delightful in French-accented English and of course perfect pronunciation of the French words. Loved the story and even though I don’t cook at all, I loved the many meals described in great detail by a person who loves to cook. I loved his gritty relationships with his food sources, down to even skinning and gutting a frog. Great autobiography.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Jacques Pépin never has disappointed

His Memoir captivated me from the very beginning and as I continue to follow him I look forward to more memories that he will hopefully share.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Decent Biography

Decent biography of his life. If you are a super fan of his it was a great read. If not, there are other chef biographies more interesting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wholesome

A very wholesome and well performed adventure of a successful man, through his life and career.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Completely charming

Pépin's autobiography is an exceptional mix of world history (WWII, De Gaulle, the Kennedys), food history and gossip, including detailed accounts of meals cooked 50 years ago. Pépin's open-mindedness and generosity shine through - almost all his comments on other people are kind, and when they aren't he is "kicking up," not down. I hope he has time to write Volume II.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Delightful

I’m only sad that I reached the end...I could have listened for ages. Thank you Mon. Pepin for your elegance, humor and wit. I loved it! 🙏

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a listen!

This book enriched my life. Thank you Mr.Pépin for sharing your life with us and having a passion for learning and the culinary arts.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love!!!

I was so pleased to know that my culinary idol had written a personal memoir for us to enjoy learning more of the best of the best!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Magnifique!!

Well written, captivating story and beautifully read. A true gem to listen to and thoroughly enjoy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonder Book

A real pleasure to listen to this book. A true French/American treasure. My favorite chef on the planet.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!