Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll: How Food Lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits and Wanderers Created a New American Profession

Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll transports readers back in time to witness the remarkable evolution of the American restaurant chef in the 1970s and '80s. Andrew Friedman treats readers to an unparalleled 360-degree re-creation of the business and the times through the perspectives not only of the groundbreaking chefs but also of line cooks, front-of-house personnel, investors, and critics who had front-row seats to this extraordinary transformation. Taking a rare, coast-to-coast perspective, Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll comprises more than two hundred author interviews with writers like Ruth Reichl and legends like Jeremiah Tower, Alice Waters, Jonathan Waxman, and Barry Wine. We see the profession evolve as American masters like Thomas Keller rise; watch the genesis of a "chef nation" as these culinary pioneers crisscross the country to open restaurants and collaborate on special events; and witness legendary hangouts like Blue Ribbon become social focal points, all as the industry-altering Food Network shimmers on the horizon.