A waiter in Paris

£10.99

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.

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Description

SHORT LISTED FOR THE ACKERLEY PRIZE FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY


***

‘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.’Daily Mail

‘Chisholm’s story is immersive and often thrilling … He’s a fine writer.’WSJ

‘Kitchen Confidential for Generation Z’Fortune

‘An English waiters riveting account of working in Paris’ Daily Mail

‘Visceral and unbelievably compelling’ – Emerald Fennell

‘Vividly written and merciless in its detail’ – Edward Stourton

‘An excellent book’
Strong Words magazine

‘A completely fascinating read and feels like a the book Anthony Bourdain would have written’ Rosie Kellet

‘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’ Publisher’s Weekly

‘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 changedsince George Orwell worked the same beat.’ Evening Standard

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.

The waiter 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.

It’s physically demanding, frequently humiliating and incredibly competitive. And with a cast of thieves, narcissists, ex-Legionnaires, paperless immigrants and drug dealers, it makes for a compelling and eye-opening read.

Shortlisted for the 2023 Ackerley prize.

Additional information

Weight 0.33 kg
Dimensions 19.6 × 12.6 × 3.4 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

384

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

642.6092 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K