Comments: If you learned how one facet of the New York restaurant scene works from Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, you get an entirely different picture from On the Line, Eric Ripert's behind-the-scenes look at Le Bernardin, one of the first four restaurants in New York to earn three Michelin stars. It's not that there's any less speed, but there's exponentially more order, more organization, and almost infinitely more attention to standards.

The front of the book is the nuts-and-bolts look at the workings of Le Bernardin's kitchen and dining room – how much the flowers cost, how new dishes make it onto the menu, and who performs what role, from dishwashers to top management. The back is a collection of Chef Ripert's wonderful recipes – some of which you may be up to, and all of which are interesting to read and consider.

The best of both worlds would be to read the book and then dine at the restaurant. Or dine at the restaurant, then read the book, then dine at the restaurant again. Or....