Multiple Personalities...

"Garlic and Sapphires; the Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise" by Ruth Reichl Penguin Books 329 paes $15

Reichl was ured away from her job as restaurant critic at the LA Times by the NY Times. Her husband encouraged her to take the offer even thought it involved a pay cut -- down to $82,000/year. (Note to self: Figure out how to get paid for this... $50/week would be good...)

On the flight in to NY to start working, Reichl's seatmate recognized he and happily cackled that every restaurant in New York City and environs had posted her picture and description in their kitchens. They were waiting for her ...

So ... Reichl invented a series of women -- Miriam, her own picky mother; Betty, who wouldn't say "Boo!" to a goose and several others. She wore wigs, clothing appropriate to the character and never got busted by restaurant staff. Very often, she fooled everyone in her offices at the Times.

But one of the characters scared her -- Emily, a mean, spiteful woman. Reichl was afraid of what she'd found, deep within her own self. (Talk about being out-of-touch!) At the same time, she was burning out on the job. She was unexpectedly offered the job as editor at Gourmet and leaped to take it.

The book is well-written (although it runs a little long for what it covers) and it was certainly an interesting read that showed another facet of the rstaurant business to me. Pushy gets you seated in New York; mousy puts you near the kitchen. Neither fact really surprised me ...