Even as Americans become more and more obsessed with celebrity chefs--tuning in en masse to Iron Chef and The Restaurant, amd turning Kitchen Confidential into a bestseller--they still don't know the way real restaurants work. They want the inside dirt, but the information they are offered barely scratches the surface when it comes to how restaurants operate, beyond the heroics of the chefs--and that's why they turn to Steven Shaw. Readers want to know how a great restaurant got that way. Most of all, though, they want to know how to get the best service and food when they dine out, how to get a coveted reservation, how to find the perfect place for every event--in short, how to dine like a pro.

Turning the Tables is a complete view of every aspect of the dining experience, along with useful, practical advice for getting the most out of a restaurant, whether it's a French bistro or a sushi bar, for a date or a business power lunch. With this insider knowledge at their fingertips, readers will feel new confidence dining out.