Book Reviews: Three Books to Feed your Inner Foodie

These books will leave you craving more- more info on the food industry that is! Why not learn about the past, the present, and the future of food in these fun essay collections?

Carême: The First Celebrity Chef by Ian Kelly

There's a reason why this book was turned into a television show. Antonin Carême, whom Kelly deems "the first celebrity chef," is quite the character- and I mean that in all the good and the bad ways you can think of. His story embodies rags to riches and takes him all across Europe during tumultuous times. He cooked for King George IV, the Rothschilds and the Romanovs. Talk about fancy fine dining!

While this book centers Carême as the main character and his life as the engine that keeps the plot going, Kelly is also able to explore the role of a chef in the kitchen, the role of food in people's (even royal's) lives, and the role of notoriety in high society. The pacing of this book is wonderfully balanced with recipes sprinkled in at opportune moments. The recipes serve as both a demonstration of how over-the-top caramel's namesake sometimes was and how impressive true innovation in the kitchen can be. Overall, this book was a fantastic look at the foodie scene of the past.

Hunger Like a Thirst: From Food Stamps to Fine Dining, a Restaurant Critic Finds Her Place at the Table by Besha Rodell

Besha Rodell may be the last anonymous food critic in the modern, digital age. In her book, she gives the audience a peak into the work of restaurant reviewing with all of its perks, its hardships, and its odd juxtapositions. For instance, while her family was on food stamps, she was still having five-course meals for work in addition to turning down free food from the restaurants to maintain the integrity of the review itself. It also gives a very sweet homage to Anthony Bourdain in one chapter, capturing just how much he meant to the food critic world and all the people whose lives he touched. This book examines wider themes as well, like class inequalities and the cultural changes experienced when moving internationally. Overall, it was an excellent snapshot of the current state of the critic field in this gig economy we find ourselves in.

Hearty: On Cooking, Eating, and Growing Food for Pleasure and Subsistence by Andrea Bennett

In this essay collection, andrea bennett highlights their genuine curiosity about what the current state of the world and the food within it mean for the future of humanity. If that sounds large and daunting, have no fear- they do a fantastic job of celebrating the joys of culinary creativity while making warnings about the dire state of the food system feel like problems we can fix together. Their insight into growing food, acknowledging and working within the limits of food allergies, and how to celebrate the passing of time with friends in ways totally separate from technology makes this book feel like taking the first bite off your plate and realizing the combination of flavors was exactly what you had been craving all along. This book is a hopeful look into the future of flavor and all the things we can accomplish when we choose more wholesomely.

Bon Appétit and Happy Reading everybody!