What We're Reading: Abby

Life on the Line: A Chef's Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas.


This is the story of a young, ambitious chef who was born and raised in St. Clair, Michigan. Grant Achatz, of the Achatz restaurant and pie family, decided that he wanted to do more than run a small town restaurant so he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. He studied under the top chefs and worked for other legendary chefs while perfecting his craft and developing his palate. Along the way he became friends with one of his most enthusiastic patrons, Nick Kokonas. They both take turns in the book describing different periods in their lives and eventually how they came to be partners in a very successful restaurant in Chicago called Alinea. Chef Achatz is a master of molecular gastronomy. Every dish is like piece of art, visually stunning and always a surprising experience for the taste buds.

Just when everything seems to be going to well for the young chef he is diagnosed with advanced stage tongue cancer. All of the doctors said that the only treatment available was to remove the tongue and fashion a new tongue out of some muscle from another part of his body. He wouldn't be able to speak and wouldn't be able to taste but it might save his life. Chef Achatz couldn't do it. He finally found a doctor who was willing to try heavy doses of chemotherapy and radiation rather than remove the tongue. It was a very difficult time but he got through it.

Today Chef Achatz is doing well and is very busy running his restaurants in Chicago.