
Your Table Is Ready
Tales of a New York City Maître D'
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Narrated by:
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Michael Cecchi-Azzolina
About this listen
"Trained in acting and a lifer in the restaurant business, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina doles out opinions in the tone of an authentic New Yorker. He narrates with a good pace and rhythm. The inner workings of the restaurant world as revealed are exhilarating but often sordid and salacious....this is an entertaining and insightful audiobook."- AudioFile
This program is read by the author.
A front-of-the-house Kitchen Confidential from a career maître d’hotel who manned the front of the room in New York City's hottest and most in-demand restaurants.
From the glamorous to the entitled, from royalty to the financially ruined, everyone who wanted to be seen—or just to gawk—at the hottest restaurants in New York City came to places Michael Cecchi-Azzolina helped run. His phone number was passed around among those who wanted to curry favor, during the decades when restaurants replaced clubs and theater as, well, theater in the most visible, vibrant city in the world.
Besides dropping us back into a vanished time, Your Table Is Ready takes us places we’d never be able to get into on our own: Raoul's in Soho with its louche club vibe; Buzzy O’Keefe’s casually elegant River Café (the only outer-borough establishment desirable enough to be included in this roster), from Keith McNally’s Minetta Tavern to Nolita’s Le Coucou, possibly the most beautiful room in New York City in 2018, with its French Country Auberge-meets-winery look and the most exquisite and enormous stands of flowers, changed every three days.
From his early career serving theater stars like Tennessee Williams and Dustin Hoffman at La Rousse right through to the last pre-pandemic-shutdown full houses at Le Coucou, Cecchi-Azzolina has seen it all. In Your Table Is Ready, he breaks down how restaurants really run (and don’t), and how the economics work for owners and overworked staff alike. The professionals who gravitate to the business are a special, tougher breed, practiced in dealing with the demanding patrons and with each other, in a very distinctive ecosystem that’s somewhere between a George Orwell “down and out in….” dungeon and a sleek showman’s smoke-and-mirrors palace.
Your Table Is Ready is a rollicking, raunchy, revelatory memoir.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
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Critic reviews
"For more than three decades I’ve known Michael Cecchi-Azzolina as a great and gracious Maitre d’ at some of New York’s hottest restaurants. Who knew he was such a talented writer, or that he was having more fun behind the scenes than most of his guests? Your Table is Ready is the Front of House Kitchen Confidential--a funny, raunchy, savvy and hugely entertaining book." —Jay McInerney
"This peek behind the curtain reveals how a master restaurateur creates a scene so magical that big spenders, delicate egos and the eternally entitled will do almost anything to be in one of the seats at showtime. YOUR TABLE IS READY is required reading for anyone who wants to crack the code on how to get a coveted reservation in the see-and-be-seen restaurants of the moment in New York—or anywhere in the world!" —Michael Fazio, author of Concierge Confidential
"Michael Cecchi-Azzolina saw it all: the adrenaline-fueled days that built toward the mayhem of a dinner service, the juggling act that conjured a last-minute table when a billionaire showed up on a whim at the hottest restaurant in town. YOUR TABLE IS READY is an uproarious and ultimately endearing look into the personalities and pressures of the dining room in the rough-and-tumble New York City restaurant world of the 1980s and 1990s. Full of tasty bits!" —Andrew Friedman, author of Chefs, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
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Overall
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In The Devil in the Kitchen, White tells the story behind his ascent from working-class roots to culinary greatness, leaving no dish unserved as he relays raucous and revealing tales featuring some of the biggest names in the food world and beyond, including: Mario Batali, Gordon Ramsay, Albert Roux, Raymond Blanc, Michael Caine, Damien Hirst, and even Prince Charles.
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A chef / restaurateur must.
- By Brandon on 07-18-16
By: Marco Pierre White, and others
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Taste
- My Life Through Food
- By: Stanley Tucci
- Narrated by: Stanley Tucci
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Stanley Tucci grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the kitchen table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the savory recipes and into the compelling stories behind them. Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about his growing up in Westchester, New York.
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Should include a pdf of recipes
- By Jen Griffin on 10-23-21
By: Stanley Tucci
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Sous Chef
- 24 Hours on the Line
- By: Michael Gibney
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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In this urgent and unique book, chef Michael Gibney uses 24 hours to animate the intricate camaraderie and culinary choreography in an upscale New York restaurant kitchen. Here listeners will find all the details, in rapid-fire succession, of what it takes to deliver an exceptional plate of food - the journey to excellence by way of exhaustion. Told in second-person narrative, Sous Chef is an immersive, adrenaline-fueled run that offers a fly-on-the-wall perspective on the food service industry, allowing listeners to briefly inhabit the hidden world behind the kitchen doors, in real time.
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Only as good as your last plate.
- By Norma Miles on 02-21-19
By: Michael Gibney
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Kitchen Confidential
- Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
- By: Anthony Bourdain
- Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Last summer, The New Yorker published chef Anthony Bourdain's shocking, "Don't Eat Before Reading This." Now, the author uses the same "take-no-prisoners" attitude in his deliciously funny and shockingly delectable audiobook, sure to delight gourmands and philistines alike.
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Kitchen Confidential
- By Holly on 02-20-03
By: Anthony Bourdain
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My Life in France
- By: Julia Child, Alex Prud'Homme
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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This memoir is laced with wonderful stories about the French character, particularly in the world of food, and the way of life that Julia Child embraced so wholeheartedly. Above all, she reveals the kind of spirit and determination, the sheer love of cooking, and the drive to share that with her fellow Americans that made her the extraordinary success she became.
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What a pleasure!
- By Sara on 07-03-08
By: Julia Child, and others
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Heads in Beds
- A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
- By: Jacob Tomsky
- Narrated by: Jacob Tomsky
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Jacob Tomsky has worked in hotels for more than a decade, doing everything from valet parking to manning the front desk. He's checked you in, checked you out, separated your white panties from the white bed sheets, parked your car, tasted your room service, cleaned your toilet, denied you a late check out, given you a wake-up call, eaten M&Ms out of your mini-bar, laughed at your jokes, and taken your money. And in Heads in Beds, he pulls back the curtain on the hospitality business.
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credit worthy
- By colleen on 01-20-13
By: Jacob Tomsky
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Medium Raw
- A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
- By: Anthony Bourdain
- Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 10 years since his classic Kitchen Confidential first alerted us to the idiosyncrasies and lurking perils of eating out, much has changed for the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business and for Anthony Bourdain. Medium Raw explores those changes, tracking Bourdain's strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-traveling professional eater and drinker, and even to fatherhood. Bourdain takes no prisoners as he dissects what he's seen.
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Surprisingly tender.
- By Sparkly on 10-09-12
By: Anthony Bourdain
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The Making of a Chef
- Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute of America
- By: Michael Ruhlman
- Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Ruhlman propels himself and his readers through a score of kitchens and classrooms, from Asian and American regional cuisines to lunch cookery and even table waiting, in search of the elusive, unnamable elements of great cooking.
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Interesting subject, terrible presentation.
- By JLouis on 07-22-07
By: Michael Ruhlman
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Yes, Chef
- A Memoir
- By: Marcus Samuelsson
- Narrated by: Marcus Samuelsson
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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It begins with a simple ritual: Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother’s house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner. The grandmother is Swedish, a retired domestic. The boy is Ethiopian and adopted, and he will grow up to become the world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson. This book is his love letter to food and family in all its manifestations.
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A fun and inspiring civics lesson
- By loix on 06-27-12
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Garlic and Sapphires
- The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
- By: Ruth Reichl
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review of the restaurant: First she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.
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Read engagingly by Bernadette Dunne
- By Nicole on 11-16-05
By: Ruth Reichl
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The Soul of a Chef
- The Journey Toward Perfection
- By: Michael Ruhlman
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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In his second in-depth foray into the world of professional cooking, Michael Ruhlman journeys into the heart of the profession. Observing the rigorous Certified Master Chef exam at the Culinary Institute of America, the most influential cooking school in the country, Ruhlman enters the lives and kitchens of rising star Michael Symon and the renowned Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. This fascinating audiobook will satisfy any listener's hunger for knowledge about cooking and food, the secrets of successful chefs, at what point cooking becomes an art form, and more.
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Good Fun, Even if You Don't Cook!
- By Gillian on 12-02-16
By: Michael Ruhlman
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Eat a Peach
- A Memoir
- By: David Chang, Gabe Ulla
- Narrated by: David Chang
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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From the chef behind Momofuku and star of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious—an intimate account of the making of a chef, the story of the modern restaurant world that he helped shape, and how he discovered that success can be much harder to understand than failure. Full of grace, candor, grit, and humor, Eat a Peach chronicles David Chang’s switchback path. Along the way, Chang gives us a penetrating look at restaurant life, in which he balances his deep love for the kitchen with unflinching honesty about the industry’s history of brutishness and its uncertain future.
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So many threads coming into a wonderful tapstery.
- By Suzie on 09-12-20
By: David Chang, and others
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Why I Cook
- By: Tom Colicchio
- Narrated by: Will Damron, Tom Colicchio
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Tom Colicchio cooked his first recipe at 13 years old—a stuffed eggplant from an issue of Cuisine magazine that he picked up out of boredom—and it changed his life. Listeners are in for a treat as the talented Will Damron (who has read over 700 audiobooks) delivers an immersive account of Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef and beloved restaurateur Tom Colicchio’s life, challenges, and success.
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Good story short on details, padded with recipes
- By S. Mahon on 12-13-24
By: Tom Colicchio
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World Travel
- An Irreverent Guide
- By: Anthony Bourdain, Laurie Woolever
- Narrated by: Laurie Woolever, Shep Gordon, Christopher Bourdain, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Anthony Bourdain saw more of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from the hidden pockets of his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in Borneo, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to Tanzania’s utter beauty and the stunning desert solitude of Oman’s Empty Quarter - and many places beyond. In World Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun and frank travel guide that gives listeners an introduction to some of his favorite places - in his own words.
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Poor man’s version of Lonely Planet guidebooks
- By KC on 04-23-21
By: Anthony Bourdain, and others
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Letters to a Young Chef
- By: Daniel Boulud
- Narrated by: Mario Brassard
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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From the reinvention of French food through the fine dining revolution in America, Daniel Boulud has been a witness to and a creator of today's food culture. A modern improviser with a classical foundation (a little rock 'n' roll and a lot of Mozart, he'd say), he speaks with the authority that comes from a lifetime of preparing, presenting, and thinking about food - an ancient calling with universal resonance. In Letters to a Young Chef, Boulud speaks not only of how to make a career as a chef in today's world, but also of why one should want to do so in the first place.
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It is a easy reading book.
- By Pechika on 05-18-21
By: Daniel Boulud
What listeners say about Your Table Is Ready
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- Patricia Arellano
- 12-26-22
Like sitting at the bar hearing these stories
Informative and entertaining, like sitting at the bar with him hearing these stories. Reliving a NYC past and world I’ve only previously experienced as a restaurant guest. And I think I’ll forever be kinder to the restaurant staff.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Peachy
- 01-19-23
Fantastic Read!!
An unvarnished look at the hospitality industry from a true insider. Quite entertaining and colorful!!!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Steve
- 04-01-24
True Life!
As restaurant owners, we KNOW this book is true. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The book has the peculiar quality of being somewhat predictable yet thoroughly delightful. What made it special was the personality and back story who, wonder if wonders, was actually the best choice for narrator. Well done.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Willcando
- 01-26-23
Won one of the most engaging audiobooks this year
The stories, as they are told, are just as colorful, as perhaps the food in which we served him any of these restaurants mentioned in the story. In my younger days, I worked in restaurants, not in New York, but in Oklahoma, and met many characters similar to those described in the story. An amazing account of a life that was finally fulfilled with a James Beard award. Job well done Michael. I highly recommend this, not for the faint of heart in some of the language, but necessary to give a full scope of the characters.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-25-23
Wonderfully read. Easy to follow. Very real and interesting stories. Definitely recommend for anyone who worked in the industry
Wonderfully read. Easy to follow. Very real and interesting stories. Definitely recommend for anyone who worked in the industry
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- Kellie Monahan
- 01-21-23
Entertaining!
A fun listen. Author’s delivery is lively; full of character, good humor, and warmth. Never a dull moment, yet informative of the business (from a server’s point of view). Funny, eye opening, brutally honest, with a colorful cast of characters & vivid scenery.
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- Lee
- 01-18-23
Your Table is Ready
Fascinating and fabulous!!! A great story told in a captivating way. Enjoyed every word. Thank you.
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- John
- 12-30-22
Wildly entertaining, provides a deep insight into the restaurant world!
I highly recommend a book to anyone curious about what goes on in a restaurant, all the forces and types of characters that make up the New York and overall restaurant scene.
Great, great book!
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- Denise
- 01-04-23
Great book!
Entertaining, brutally honest and always insightful. Having worked in restaurants I truly appreciated this book.
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- YATWE
- 02-11-23
If you’re in the industry this is our book
Amazing! Been in the game for 18 years and this story hit home. I loved the perspective of how restaurant life was in the past. None of that shit would fly today hahaha! Thank you thank you thank you for this!
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