Short Synopsis
Food writer and clinical psychologist Scott Haas explores the inner life of a chef, what it takes to make food people crave, and how to achieve greatness in a world that demands more than passion and a sharp set of knives.

Full Synopsis
Food writer and clinical psychologist Scott Haas wanted to know what went on inside the mind of a top chef—and what kind of emotional dynamics drove the fast-paced, intense interactions inside a great restaurant. To capture all the heat and hunger, he spent eighteen months immersed in the kitchen of James Beard Award-winner Tony Maws's restaurant, Craigie on Main, in Boston. He became part of the family, experiencing the drama first-hand. Here, Haas exposes the inner life of a chef, what it takes to make food people crave, and how to achieve greatness in a world that demands more than passion and a sharp set of knives.

A lens into what motivates and inspires all chefs—including Thomas Keller, Andrew Carmellini, whose stories are also shared here—Back of the House will change the way you think about food—and about the complicated people who cook it and serve it.

"Johnny Heller…has a conspiratorial quality that makes the listener feel as though we're sneaking into the rarefied restaurant world together and stealing all the secrets." ---Salon.com

"Johnny Heller's straightforward narration makes the chef sound like just one of the guys, a style that is well suited to the rough-and-tumble situations and principals associated with a professional kitchen." ---AudioFile