‘Wildly, warmly and wonderfully readable and revealing’ Stephen Fry

‘A true masterpiece that leaves you hungry for more’ Jamie Oliver

Jeremy King has spent fifty years pioneering London’s dining scene, hosting everyone from Princess Diana and Mick Jagger to Andy Warhol and Laurence Olivier. He opened the city’s most iconic and era-defining restaurants, including Le Caprice in the 80s, The Ivy in the 90s, The Wolseley in the 2000s, and now Arlington, The Park and Simpson’s in the 2020s. In this wonderfully entertaining memoir, he describes his life in hospitality with insightful anecdotes and well-earned wisdom.

Owing to the curious intimacy between restaurateur and guest, Jeremy has witnessed countless heartbreaks, failures, challenges and celebrations. His advice has been sought widely over the years, and here he gives a series of valuable reflections on everything from the art of a quick ‘no thanks’ to trickier dispute resolution. Restaurants are microcosms of life, and the skills learnt in hospitality – such as communication, empathy and discipline – can be profoundly beneficial for everyone.

Jeremy talks of the alluring mystery of solo diners, misperceptions about which are the best tables and why you should always look a waiter in the eye. Alongside the secrets of his one-of-a-kind restaurants, he also shares memories of stand-out guests like Lucian Freud, Harold Pinter and Lauren Bacall.

Without Reservation is the ultimate tell-all of a singular career guided by integrity, egality and authenticity.

If you’re looking to take your cake decorating skills to the next level then look no further. No other book guides you through every step of cake decorating with as much detail and explanation as this one, while keeping it as simple and accessible as possible. Georgia’s expertise, knowledge and teaching skills will transform the way you understand and approach modern day cake decorating.

From baking a perfect sponge and explaining how the ingredients work, to mastering the palette knife; this is more than a baking book, this is a masterclass in cake artistry. Cake decorating has advanced and modernised over the last few years – buttercream has trumped fondant, cake layers are taller and designs have become more contemporary. We’re even throwing all sorts of decorations into the mix (who knew that popcorn took the top of a cake to new dimensions?!).

Cordon Bleu trained Georgia Green has found a unique balance between a home baker and a professional pastry chef. Specialising in cake decorating, Georgia has discovered that sometimes it’s OK to take shortcuts, yet still maintain the highest quality of ingredients, skill and execution. Known from her successful Instagram and YouTube channels, Georgia and her sweet-toothed followers have proved that anyone can recreate an outstanding looking (and tasting) cake. The proof is, quite literally, in the pudding.

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‘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.

‘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 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 is the perfect summer read. It 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.