Heat by Bill Buford - Book Club Discussion Questions

Heat is a fascinating and surprising story of one man’s journey from journalist to kitchen slave to culinary apprentice. Bill Buford’s memoir covers his time working in a first-class New York restaurant and repeated journeys to Italy to apprentice with the country’s best chefs. Use these book club discussion questions on Heat to lead your book club into Buford's book.

Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details about Heat by Bill Buford. Finish the book before reading on.

1. Did Heat make you want to become a cook, or did it make you want to run far, far away from the kitchen?
   
   
2. Why do you think Buford included the story about Miguel, the cook who killed himself?
   
   
3. Which larger-than-life chef were you most intrigued by? Mario Batali, Marco Pierre White, or Dario Cecchini? In what ways are they alike, and how are they different?
   
   
4. Have you ever spent an intense period of time learning a new skill, the way Buford did in the Babbo kitchen and the Cecchini macelleria?
   
   
5. At one point, Buford is told that the heat of the kitchen means the chef's sweat flavors every meal. Do you think this was meant to be an interesting fact? A provocative metaphor? A slightly disgusting reality?
   
   
6. Rate Heat on a scale of 1 to 5.