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A Waiter in Paris

Adventures in the Dark Heart of the City

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A Waiter in Paris

By: Edward Chisholm
Narrated by: Orlando Wells
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About this listen

 A waiter's job is to deceive you. They want you to believe in a luxurious calm because on the other side of that door...is hell.

Edward Chisholm's spellbinding memoir of his time as a Parisian waiter takes you below the surface of one of the most iconic cities in the world and right into its glorious underbelly.

He inhabits a world of inhuman hours, snatched sleep and dive bars; scraping by on coffee, bread and cigarettes, often under sadistic managers, with a wage so low you're fighting your colleagues for tips. Colleagues - including thieves, narcissists, ex-Legionnaires, paperless immigrants, wannabe actors and drug dealers - who are the closest thing to family that you've got.

It's physically demanding, frequently humiliating and incredibly competitive. But it doesn't matter because you're in Paris, the centre of the universe, and there's nowhere else you'd rather be in the world.

(p) 2022 Octopus Publishing Group.©2022 Edward Chisholm Cultural & Regional Europe France

Critic Reviews

An English waiter's riveting account of working in Paris restaurants (...) a searing account of what life is really like 'at the bottom of the food chain', Chisholm's prose positively delights in describing the graffiti, sodden cardboard boxes and litter-strewn pavements. (...) This astonishing book describes a cruel, feral existence and is worthy of standing on the shelf next to George Orwell's Down And Out In Paris And London (1933) as another classic about human exploitation. (Roger Lewis)
Ah, Paris... gastronomie magnifique and... insane shit going on
behind the scenes. A Waiter in Paris charts Edward Chisholm's
jaw-dropping experiences while serving tables in the French
capital, a demi-monde of sadistic managers, thieves, fighting
for tips and drug dealers. Seems like not much has changed
since George Orwell worked the same beat.
Edward Chisholm's book is vividly written and merciless in its detail. Paris and its pleasures always leave one wondering about the seamier side beneath the surface, and here it is. I'd advise readers to enjoy it somewhere warm and comfortable, and on no account to try it before a gastronomic weekend. (Edward Stourton)
This tough little book documents the experience of being a foreign worker, lost in the understrata of the often exploitative industry from which we benefit. It seems glib to compare it to Orwell when it's more universal, or Bourdain when it doesn't glorify the mess. Not exactly a jolly read, but important. (Tim Hayward)
Chisholm's fortitude in the face of hot-headed, violent chefs and infernal fourteen-hour days without breaks in pursuit of his goal is admirable, and makes for compelling reading.
An absorbing and moving inside look at a Parisian restaurant.
We are always hungry for stories from behind the ever-swinging door that separates the calm of a restaurant from the hot temperatures and hot tempers of the kitchen. Edward Chisholm's brilliant memoir shows us the behind-the-scenes chaos, but also lets us tour nocturnal Paris and the strange characters he meets. This is a fascinating book, full of anecdotes that would sound far-fetched in a work of fiction, but that are all absolutely true. (ANNA FIELDING)
A Dickensian tale of a young man's trial by fire in a French bistro gives rise to biting commentary on Parisian culture in Chisholm's intoxicating debut.
All stars
Most relevant
Loved the insight into the French and their philosophy. Writer has the driest sense of humour.

Humorous and also despairing

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You will laugh and you might even shed a tear for the people you will meet along the way on your journey to the city we all love to admire, Paris. The author shares his personal experience as someone trying to make a living and to survive in the hospitality industry as a waiter. As someone who visited Paris for the first time last year, I can say that I saw some things that I didn’t expect. The city has its stories and I’m glad someone decided to share them with us. Well worth your time.

Bittersweet

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Sobering and funny in equal measure. Great writing, great narration, and totally absorbing.
Loved it.

Fascinating listen

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Having worked in the industry many years ago, the descriptions of the restaurants, the politics we so real. Living in Paris with no money. passing the unseen workers supporting the industry, this book really gave them a voice. Remembering those that did not have a way out or any other options and were at the mercy of unfair people. The book was really well written.

The accuracy of the characters and the industry

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Sometimes you’re ready for a story to end, not this one for for me. From the quality of the story telling to the wonderful narration, this is a brilliant piece of work.

Simply brilliant.

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