Behind the Four Stars: Immigrants power America’s hottest kitchens

Four stars and three weeks.

That’s the rating you’ve seen for the hottest restaurant in town, and how long before you can snag reservations for a table there. The service is said to be stellar, their signature dish exquisite, the presentation awe-inspiring, and the desserts sublime. It’ll be worth it, so while you’re waiting (and drooling), read “Voices from the Kitchen,” edited by Marc Meyer, then you can compliment the chef – and others.

How many times a month do you visit your favorite restaurant? Marc Meyer says that without the work of immigrant labor, the answer would be zero because that restaurant probably “would not exist.” From construction to growing and harvesting food, from the oven to the table, people from other nations have been instrumental in America’s restaurants.

In this book, Meyer presents stories of people who work in the restaurants he and his business partners own. The workers live in New York City, but they represent immigrant food workers everywhere in America.

Vico came from Mexico because, as the eldest, he was responsible for his family after his father died. He’d wanted to go to college, but there was no money for it at the time.

Fany did attend college and had hoped to find a good job, but the violence in her native Honduras prompted her to move to the U.S., where she met her wife and found happiness.

Armando says he and his siblings were “looking for opportunities.” He found a job in a kitchen, where “Malaysians taught me” to speak English and to cook.

Alonso left El Salvador to avoid joining a gang. Lucia came to America illegally (“I’m not going to lie.”) as a child. Mamadou came from Burkina Faso with a student visa and stayed, despite the fact that kitchen duties are traditionally considered “women’s work” in his homeland. Carlha’s father taught her to cook. Mohammad owned many cows in Gambia before immigrating. And Anna Marie got a job in a kitchen thanks to her Irish accent.

Pick up “Voices from the Kitchen,” and you’ll know immediately that this is not a book about food. If you’re expecting recipes, nope. No sizzling drama, either. What you’ll find here, instead, is food for thought.

This collection, although sometimes told identically, is also unique and individual among the many tales of immigration that editor Marc Meyer presents. Over and over, you’ll read about dreams and hopes, escape from violence, and wishes for betterment. You may notice that everyone here talked about doing anything to get started in America, cleaning houses, babysitting, collecting garbage, doing whatever it took to survive. Their collection of tales is about taking pride in a job well done, but not being too proud to temporarily work one’s way up from the very bottom. It’s inspiring, jaw-dropping, and really quite reflective.

If you’ve ever craved international dishes, ordered Chinese or Mexican or Thai or otherwise patronized a restaurant that serves them, this is a must-read. Likewise, if you’ve been thinking about immigration issues and you want to bite into them further, “Voices from the Kitchen” is a good entree.