Book Review: Service Included by Phoebe Damrosch

Posted by Lesli

Service Included: Four Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter is the memoir of an exciting, although temporary time in Phoebe Damrosch’s life. Despite wanting to be a writer, she opts for the challenge of becoming a skilled backserver and then a captain in Thomas Keller’s famed Per Se restaurant in New York. As any writer knows, avoidance of the actual task of writing is common. In Damrosch’s case avoidance proved to be the road to writing, providing her with an interesting and unusual glimpse into the behind the scenes happenings of a four-star restaurant.

The author’s writing flows nicely and there are some strong personal observations, such as: “In most New York restaurants, the chef is Caucasian, the waiters are starving artists, the busboys are from Bangladesh, and the kitchen workers and dishwashers are from Latin America.” (page 3)

As Damrosch trains and perfects her serving skills, she foreshadows as to what the next chapter in her life holds – she becomes fascinated with well known food writers – Hal Rubentein, Amanda Hesser to name a few. She begins to see how she might find her niche in the world of Gourmet magazine and the Food Network.

Damrosch’s love interests provide some relief from the restaurant scene. At one point Damrosch goes on about how, yes, the food at Per Se is pricey, but that’s where she chooses to spend her money. She doesn’t spend it on real estate or cars. She declares that she wants to spend it on caviar and $8 toothpaste. And that is what makes this book fascinating for me. Reading about people that will, in fact, pay 3 digits for a 5 course meal, of tiny portions brimming with the most exclusive taste sensations they’ve ever tasted. Fascinating!

I especially loved her revelation while ironing the restaurant’s table cloths. Quite suddenly, while looking out at the rest of bustling New York, Damrosch realizes that this isn’t where she ultimately wants to be. Everything begins to feel a bit stuffy and she wants to be free of it all. In one small New York minute, she evolves - with enough material to write her first book.

Happy Cooking - and Reading!

- Lesli

TAGS: Book Club, Good Reads, Harper Collins, New York, Per Se, Phoebe Damrosch, Service Included, Thomas Keller
POST TOOLS: