If You Can't Take the Heat - by Michael Ruhlman

About the Book

"After breaking his leg and having his summer plans and college dreams dashed, high school football star Theo Claverback finds a new purpose and relationship while working as a prep cook in a high-end French restaurant, but soon discovers the harsh realities of the culinary world and the risks of crossing the wrong people"--

Book Synopsis

From James Beard Award-winning author Michael Ruhlman, a coming-of-age story about finding a new life and love in the kitchen...and trying not to get burned along the way.

When high school football star Theo Claverback breaks his leg just weeks after a devastating break-up, he's forced to call an audible on his summer plans and put his college ones on hold. He soon finds himself in the most unlikely of places for a jock on crutches: the kitchen of an upscale French restaurant, where he'll work as a prep cook while his heart and leg heal.

But it's in the kitchen where Theo finds new purpose and a new romance. As he becomes a trusted employee to Chef and is welcomed into his inner circle, Theo begins to discover the true costs of running a restaurant--and what happens when you get into hot water with the wrong people.

Set in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1980, If You Can't Take the Heat is a gritty look inside the belly of an upscale kitchen where love and danger boil behind closed doors.

Review Quotes

"Food writer Ruhlman employs exacting verisimilitude to bring the heat of the kitchen and sensory details of the dishes to life in this vivacious debut."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This human story is the book's real strength, as is the care given to detailing the operations inside a restaurant kitchen, lending power and authenticity."--Booklist

"A refreshingly different take on the romance genre, written from the male perspective, and a great purchase for all libraries."--School Library Journal

"Ruhlman's writing is at its best when Theo is in the kitchen. The hustle and passion that flow during service drop readers squarely in the middle of the action...The well-realized foodie elements are the highlight."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Michael Ruhlman is a trained cook and an award-winning author best known for writing about food, chefs, and the work of professional cooking. He has also written for the New York Times, the New York Times Sunday Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Gourmet magazine, and other publications. He lives in New York City and Providence, Rhode Island.