If you are a certified foodie who loves to read, what’s better than picking up a great novel written by a lover of food and their in-depth food reviews? There are several available on the market, but these ten have stood out to me, not because they are the most popular (although many of them are!) but due to their in-depth knowledge of cuisine, the industry and the sensory language used (which will make your mouth water!) Pick these up and further deepen your knowledge of food, and your love of it! Warning: Keep a snack handy while reading these food reviews and restaurant reviews!
1. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain: Written by the quick-witted former chef and star of several amazing food travel shows, Bourdain’s debut novel caused a furor in the food business. This gritty expose on what it takes to be a chef and what goes on in the kitchen provides a riveting read and makes you understand the strength and persistence it takes to be at the top of your game. Bourdain is a helluva writer and reading this book will remind you of his irrepressible sense of humour and his merit as a storyteller. Every time I reread it I miss him even more.
Favourite Quote: “Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria’s mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.”
2. The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness and the Making of a Great Chef by Marco Pierre White: Written by the famous British chef known for his hot temper and rock star ways, this book will grip you from beginning to end. Not only was White the youngest chef ever to be awarded three Michelin stars, but he also documents his journey from rags to riches in this amazing biography as well as providing insight into some of the most famous chefs today, including Gordon Ramsay, who trained under him.
Favourite Quote: “Lots of famous chefs today don’t look whacked, because they don’t work. They have a healthy glow and a clear complexion. There is blood in their cheeks. They haven’t got burns on their wrists and cuts on their hands.”
3. Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson: This book, written by Ethiopian-born, Swedish chef, Marcus Samuelsson, is one that offers a global perspective on cuisine. Samuelsson describes his life and travels, as well as the struggles he faced opening his eateries and learning about the business. Interesting and absolutely engrossing, this book is also very well-written.
Favourite Quote: “Each one, teach one. I want to believe that I am here to teach one and, more, that there is one here who is meant to teach me. And if we each one teach one, we will make a difference.”
4. Fresh off the Boat- a Memoir by Eddie Huang: This thrilling book by Eddie Huang was so successful it has even been adapted into a TV sitcom! Equal parts funny and dramatic, this book showcases the struggles Huang faced as a second-generation Taiwanese boy growing up in the midst of America and being influenced by hip hop and African American culture.
Favourite Quote: “If you like our food, great, but don’t come tell me you’re gonna clean it up, refine it, or elevate it because it’s not necessary or possible. We don’t need fucking food missionaries to cleanse our palates.”
5. The Third Plate by Dan Barber: Barber is known for being a fierce proponent of farm to table eating and this book reads as a manifesto of sorts. This book is his love letter to fresh produce and making exquisite dishes from simple ingredients. It is also his way of showing that he feels chefs have the power to change eating habits- and that is what he wants to do by going back to the farm.
Favourite Quote: “The greatest lesson came with the realization that good food cannot be reduced to single ingredients. It requires a web of relationships to support it.”
6. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell: Many of you may be familiar with the film of the same name (starring Meryl Streep) but this film started its life as a blog (now book) by Julie Powell who aimed to recreate all of Julia Child’s recipes in her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking to escape the monotony of her everyday life. What follows is a humorous and eye opening read that will make you feel like you can tackle any challenge you choose to.
Favourite Quote: “The road to hell is paved with leeks and potatoes”
7. Restaurant Man by Joe Bastianich: This memoir by Bastianich charts his journey from working in his parent’s restaurants to becoming a highly successful restaurateur. It also tells of how Bastianich journeyed from the US to his home country of Italy, learning to cook authentic Italian food and becoming acquainted with the many vineyards.
Favourite Quote: Everything on the table sends a message. A big statement is not to put salt and pepper on the table. If you are a chef driven restaurant, why would you allow your customers to alter the flavor of the food?
8. Love, Loss and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi: This enthralling memoir by Top Chef judge and model, Padma Lakshmi, documents her childhood and her introduction to Indian food by her grandparents. These interactions and their presence helped her shape her identity. A deep dive into her emotional journey through life and love, the book includes recipes and highlights how cooking helped her get through many tough times. Food forms the basis of many of her memories- a fact many of us will find relatable.
Favourite Quote: “It’s funny to me that most of the cooking in the world is done by women, and yet when you look at modern Western cuisine, it’s largely based on what a few dead Frenchmen have opined to be the correct way of doing things. It’s funny how these old European men used a label like “mother sauce” when there were no women to be found anywhere near those old professional kitchens. Cooking was something women did to nourish and nurture their families, whereas for men it was largely something they did professionally to gain money and status.”
9. Life, on the Line: A Chef’s Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat by Grant Achatz & Nick Kokonas: A star of the culinary world, Grant’s life took a turn when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 carcinoma- cell tongue cancer. Written with his business partner, Kokonas, the book takes us through the creation of Alinea, Achatz’s three Michelin star restaurant and how he handles his cancer diagnosis. Overcoming these tough odds, Achatz wows the culinary world with Alinea, and manages to overcome what to many chef’s would be seen as a death sentence.
Favourite Quote: “I chose to pretend everything was fine because I so desperately wanted it to be fine.”
10. My Last Supper- 50 great chefs and their final meals: This compilation book is an amazing coffee table read that has breathtaking photographs of famous chefs posing with the food they would eat if they had only one meal left. This fascinating insight into the minds of chefs like Eric Ripert, Wylie Dufresne and Gordon Ramsay is truly a one-of-a-kind book.
Did I miss any of your favourites? Let me know!
To read about some delish food click here or here
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
