A Waiter in Paris: Adventures in the Dark Heart of the City
By Edward Chisholm

This astonishing book describes a cruel, feral existence and is worthy of standing on the shelf next to George Orwell'sand Down And Out In Paris And Londonand (1933) as another classic about human exploitation.'and -and Daily Mail'Chisholm's story is immersive and often thrilling ... He's a fine writer.'and -and WSJ'Kitchen Confidential for Generation Z'and -and Fortune'An English waiters riveting account of working in Paris'and -and Daily Mail'Visceral and unbelievably compelling'and - Emerald Fennell'Vividly written and merciless in its detail'and - Edward Stourton'An excellent book'and -and 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'and -and Publisher's Weekly'Ah, Paris...and gastronomie magnifiqueand and... insane shit going on behind the scenes.and A Waiter in Parisand 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.'and -and Evening StandardA 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.