Second hand text books for trainee chefs...???

Try ABEBooks. In the Advanced Search, you can limit the results to a particular country. Good luck!

Ha, get Kitchen Confidential.

chef training? is that the same as culinary education, like as in a program somewhere (CIA)? don't they have syllabi? that notwithstanding THE most indespensible book you could possibly have is a copy of jaques pepin's la technique (there is a reissue which is combined la technique/la methode in paperback) which has the best instructions for chefs. try ebay for used copies