A Waiter in Paris, by Edward Chisholm - Paul

When the author’s mum ordered copies for her friends and family I was intrigued and took a peak. The opening page made me smile, the next page made me want to know more, and by page three I was hooked - the rest of the book didn’t let me down!

Inspired by George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London, the author (know only as l’Anglais throughout) was determined to become a waiter, but speaking just a few words of French and having no experience, he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Starting as a ‘runner’, his experiences over the next months take him deeper behind the scenes of a restaurant than he could have imagined.

This is a compelling memoir, written with a passion for the city and compassion for his fellow workers. We are introduced to a fascinating cast of characters, from the cooks in the deepest kitchens to the hostesses who grace the restaurant floor, and the portraits he paints of his fellow waiters are so vivid that by the end of the book you really don’t want to say goodbye to them.

Gripping, heartwarming, humorous and occasionally terrifying, I am recommending this book to anyone who has ever eaten in a restaurant, visited a major European city or tried to speak French in a world where only French will suffice. One of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time!

A Waiter in Paris

Review by Paul
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