Soup - Article Review

Soup

1. Read to Summarize

In the article ‘Soup’, Yeganeh is portrayed as a stern health-conscious chef who does not take errors or mistakes lightly. Yeganeh has a peculiar mentality about running a restaurant: the chef is always right and the customers are wrong.

2. Read to Respond

In the beginning of the article ‘Soup’, chef Yeganeh’s uncompromising work ethics seemed excessive and unnecessary but it became clear that his perfectionism and passion for his job were to blame. It is evident that Yeganeh holds high standards when it comes to cooking and holds his soups in high regards. I realized that the chef’s comment about soup being his “lifeblood” (par. 1) was not an understatement since he went on to state that he gets upset “if the soup is not perfect and [he’s] still selling it, it’s torture” (par. 2). The psychological torment of serving ‘imperfect’ soup urges Yeganeh to be scrupulous with his employees; he doesn’t push his staff around to demonstrate authoritative power, he does it to maintain his high standards.

3. Read to Analyze Assumptions

Several assumptions were made about authority in the article ‘Soup’ which was published anonymously in the New Yorker. In the passage, Yeganeh brags about scaring his employees and defends his right to deny service to those that do not obey his rules. But it is clear that, from Yeganeh’s point of view, it is not about demonstrating authoritative power but about selling perfect soup. Yeganeh’s autocratic leadership style shines through his actions, especially when he scares employees so that they follow strict rules religiously. Yeganeh is not boasting his position of power in the article, he is making a serious point to the writer.