A review by michaelkerr
Dirt: Adventures, with Family, in the Kitchens of Lyon, Looking for the Origins of French Cooking by Bill Buford

4.0

Buford upends his life--and that of his wife and twin toddlers--to pursue a deep understanding of French culinary culture by moving to Lyon, going to cooking school, and doing a stage in a real French kitchen. It's an engaging read filled with hero, Michelin-starred chefs, cultural miscommunications, and cringe-worthy episodes in the brutal environment behind the scenes of a famous restaurant. The author argues, quite convincingly (quelle horreur), that the roots of French food come from the Italians via the Medici, though none of his French friends and colleagues can take such a suggestion seriously. Buford is a gifted writer and it's easy to get swept up in his obsessive approach to la cuisine.