What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.*: *Not what you think … The Culinary Institute of America

For those who think–or dream–of opening a restaurant, this book is a must read.

Author Ron Salisbury started out running his parents’ venerable Los Angeles landmark El Cholo (founded 1923) and went on to successfully own and operate eight more popular Southern California restaurants over the ensuing decades. The author offers up his experience on how to not just survive, but thrive, in a fickle and competitive business.

Want to know why you shouldn’t waste money on advertising? Why you should always check in with the dishwasher? How not to lose $10,800 in annual sales? The role that women play in restaurant selection?

It’s all here, written in short readable vignettes with Salisbury’s incisive wisdom and wit. He guarantees that at least one idea will more than save you the cost of the book, repeatedly.

More than a restaurant manual, the book is filled with universal insights into good business practices.

And diners in search of a great restaurant experience will appreciate Salisbury’s insights into what gets people to return to their favorites.