Scan barcode
A review by thearbiter89
Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping, and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World by Jeff Gordinier
5.0
A wonderfully wry and humor-tinged piece of gonzo journalism that sees the writer following famed Noma chef Rene Redzepi on his culinary travels around the world - a journey that will elevate him to a place in Redzepi’s inner circle, while also catalyzing a dramatic improvement in his own personal life.
It’s a surprisingly intimate and honest look into the mind of a renowned chef, and while the author does sometime adopt an almost worshipful tone at the man’s genius, any accusation of hagiography is blunted by the book’s self-aware subjectivity. Gordimer is a self-professed fanboy, and as long as he reminds us so, we can also maintain the proper distance while appreciating the ways in which the man inspires through his single-minded devotion to creating the best food possible (although I was surprised to find that a younger, angrier Redzepi gave off Ramsay vibes by once lining his employees up and screaming at them one by one).
It’s also a testament to the curative potential of travel and getting away from oneself, a kind of gastronome’s version of Eat, Pray, Love. At the end of the book, you not only have a better understanding of Redzepi, but also come to root for our writer and his turning fortunes. The truth is, food is inextricably intertwined with life, and there is almost a sort of literary significance to the way his life has been improved by his journey to a better appreciation of food.
I give this: 4.5 out of 5 varieties of mole sauce
It’s a surprisingly intimate and honest look into the mind of a renowned chef, and while the author does sometime adopt an almost worshipful tone at the man’s genius, any accusation of hagiography is blunted by the book’s self-aware subjectivity. Gordimer is a self-professed fanboy, and as long as he reminds us so, we can also maintain the proper distance while appreciating the ways in which the man inspires through his single-minded devotion to creating the best food possible (although I was surprised to find that a younger, angrier Redzepi gave off Ramsay vibes by once lining his employees up and screaming at them one by one).
It’s also a testament to the curative potential of travel and getting away from oneself, a kind of gastronome’s version of Eat, Pray, Love. At the end of the book, you not only have a better understanding of Redzepi, but also come to root for our writer and his turning fortunes. The truth is, food is inextricably intertwined with life, and there is almost a sort of literary significance to the way his life has been improved by his journey to a better appreciation of food.
I give this: 4.5 out of 5 varieties of mole sauce