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A review by sarah_thrive
Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters by Dominique Crenn, Emma Brockes
3.0
I love Dominique Crenn's restaurants and her overall aesthetic.
So, why didn't I love this book?
Crenn is known for acknowledging and laughing off people's initial impression of her as being pretentious. So I figured that when the first chapter made me think, "Man, she sounds pretentious," the feeling would quickly dissipate over the next few pages. Sadly, it never did.
Having experienced Crenn speak and create in other contexts, I really believe she is more eccentric and sensitive than affected. For some reason, though, the whimsical-meets-down-to-earth vibe I consistently get from this chef did not come across in writing. The whole book felt... contrived?
Maybe it's the co-author's fault (though I feel like a jerk for throwing Brockes under the bus).
Whatever the reason, I was surprised to really not like this one.
So, why didn't I love this book?
Crenn is known for acknowledging and laughing off people's initial impression of her as being pretentious. So I figured that when the first chapter made me think, "Man, she sounds pretentious," the feeling would quickly dissipate over the next few pages. Sadly, it never did.
Having experienced Crenn speak and create in other contexts, I really believe she is more eccentric and sensitive than affected. For some reason, though, the whimsical-meets-down-to-earth vibe I consistently get from this chef did not come across in writing. The whole book felt... contrived?
Maybe it's the co-author's fault (though I feel like a jerk for throwing Brockes under the bus).
Whatever the reason, I was surprised to really not like this one.