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Food to Feed One’s Soul

Categories: African American Culture African American History Soul Food

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Published: Oct 2, 2020

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How to Write a Food Memoir? (9 Tips With Examples)

Last Updated on January 16, 2023 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Are you curious about the dishes you eat or the stories that led to their creation? If so, consider writing a food memoir. This unique form of writing allows you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with food in an intimate and entertaining way. Writing a food memoir will be a fun project, but it may also give you insights into your culinary preferences that you would never have thought possible. Ready to get started? Here are some tips on how to write a food memoir that will make your cooking journey come alive!

What is classified as a food memoir? How can it be done?

A book full of emotions and recollections is what a food memoir is. Food memoirs aren’t just about taste or how much one enjoys a particular cuisine. They investigate the personal aspect of food, food preparation, and eating.

However, very few cookbook authors make a living from writing cookbooks. For the most part, in reality, you need to be very good and lucky with your book before it makes money for you. Even then, not everyone gets rich or even breaks even on their first book – there are some terrible books that sell tens of thousands of copies but don’t make anyone any money at all. It can take years – sometimes more than one cookbook written — before an author gets close to earning back.

According to her book More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen, Laurie Colwin is not a foodie or culinary savant. She is a lover of food who works as a writer. Nonetheless, she tells personal tales, foibles, and secrets to the reader to explain why she loves it so much throughout the book. The methods are grounded in life and linked to emotional or interpersonal experiences.

Yet, there must be more to a food memoir than simply the food and cooking. Reading about someone who is only passionate about one cuisine and isn’t interested in another quickly gets monotonous. The majority of the text can’t be made up of recipes. There must be conflict or a more prominent tale that connects everything.

The Cooking Gene, by Michael Twitty, delves into Southern cuisine history and his family line. He shares stories and recollections related to the diverse crossroads of his identity and places them in the more extensive framework of the history of the South, slavery, race, and culinary history.

Top 9 tips to write the best food memoir like Ruth Reichl

Food memoirs are a great way to capture your personal stories and retell them in an engaging manner. More importantly, they can benefit the person who has written it and those around her/him.

Many food stories are sentimental, and so many food memoirs have never been read. Here is how to write a food story by showing off your family’s history of food experiences:

Food stories can also be written like an essay with several paragraphs, as shown above, making the story more readable for readers. Food stories do not always need to include recipes or people, it could be about your childhood memories and growing up around food which makes this book one of a kind.

1 – Don’t get picky!

You shouldn’t try to be a food writer unless you’re willing to eat many different things, which may seem self-evident.

You’ll need a deep understanding of different cuisines if you’re a culinary specialist, and that knowledge can only be gained by trying new things if you’re not afraid.

2 – Drive the narrative with conflict

Ultimately, readers keep reading to find out what happens next. Publishers want non-fiction that reads like a story. This involves comprehending the essential components of a narrative. A narrative with a narrative arc full of struggle and challenges, a climax, and a conclusion is presented by the protagonist’s predicament.

3 – Don’t be a perfectionist!

A fundamental element of “a hero’s voyage,” a style of storytelling that works particularly well with memoirs, is a flawed protagonist. Track and describe your personal journey, whether physical, mental, or spiritual. Accept those horrible, shameful experiences. Make fun of yourself. Be imperfect. Bumble. Be real. Drop that duck. When something succeeds, readers can celebrate.

4 – Some new things may not be strange!

In your food writing, there are specific terms that you shouldn’t use. You may regard a particular meal as “abnormal,” “odd,” or “freaky,” but it may be frequent if not the mainstay of other civilizations. In your food writing, avoid using any of these words. These statements carry negative connotations and imply a restricted perspective on your part, even if your intentions are good. Similarly, it’s best to use the words “cheap” and “inexpensive” with caution. Just because something seems cheap to you doesn’t mean it is for locals.

5 – Artificial Intelligence can make you super creative!

Simply using the Creative Story template of Jasper AI , you can start creating compelling content around the theme. For this purpose, you need to choose the tone of voice and enter the story’s plot, which is our food experiences in this case. Not only you but giants like Facebook, Amazon, etc. are using AI’s help to generate compelling content quickly.

6 – Try various writing styles!

Don’t restrict yourself to writing reviews when there’s so much you can do in food writing.

Not only will branching out into new genres broaden your repertoire, but it will also force you to think about food in new ways. Try writing a combination of reviews, recipes, features, or history pieces if you want to specialize in a specific type of food writing.

Keeping you from getting bored or jaded is another benefit of mixing it up. After you’ve written your fifteenth piece on the finest burgers in your city, it might be time to take a break or try something new. Being a food critic may seem exciting, but it may get tiring.

7 – Be trustworthy for the readers

A memoir is an intimate non-fiction book you’d share with complete strangers. Begin your narrative by pretending you’re whispering a secret to the reader that you’ve never told anyone else. This technique establishes trust by making the reader a confidante from the start.

8 – Consider reaching out to food bloggers

If you want your memoir to reach a wider audience, consider collaborating with other food bloggers. Not only will this give you exposure and help promote your work, but it can also cultivate valuable relationships that could lead to more collaborations in the future. Food writing is a community-building activity that benefits everyone involved!

9 – Be open to feedback

No matter how spectacular your work may be, someone always has something negative to say. Take constructive criticism seriously and use it as motivation to continue improving. Receiving criticism from others helps you hone your skills to produce the level of writing excellence that will make you a household name in food writing.

Best food memoir examples

Food isn’t just a means of survival, but it’s also how we experience pleasure, suffering, love, and humor. An excellent food memoir addresses the valid reasons we eat. These books keep our employees enthusiastic about cooking, reading, and feeling.

1 – The Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher

2 – Never Eat Your Heart Out by Judith Moore

3 – The Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl

4 – Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes From My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg

5 – Tender At The Bone: Growing Up At The Table by Ruth Reichl

Final Words

Now you know all the tips and tricks to write a successful food memoir. All you have to do now is choose whether or not to write. Keep practicing until you know that writing this book will be a great pleasure and bring some additional income to your life.

If something is missing from our list, feel free to share it in the comments below!

How do you write food stories?

Like soufflés, great food articles are a delight to behold. Its pillowy perfection hides the effort and expertise involved in its creation. You must follow the expert tips below to write the best food stories. Select a fresh story angle Food periodicals, websites, and food blogs (such as New York Magazine’s Grub Street and National Geographic’s The Plate) are targeted at a defined, specialized public. Decide on the particular publication you want to pitch and its editorial interests. Know the person’s temperament and energy level. What are the intended viewers or readers? Your suggestion should be intriguing and unique while still fitting into the topic mix. Layer your story writing Get started researching and writing as soon as your idea gets approved. Are you looking for an article on food labels? Bring in reports, analysis, and data. Show your readers how reading the fine print affects their health. Reviewing a restaurant? Why a dish delighted or displeased you is detailed in the recipe. Be objective and fair in your judgment. Create a tempting pitch These few lines will determine the fate of your piece, so make sure they’re perfect. A stellar pitch should provide a clear picture of your idea. What is the subject of your tale from the beginning? Leave the editor with plenty of food for thought by capturing his or her attention with your insights and arguments. Tell us why you are the ideal author for this job.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80570.Smashed

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/42362558-hunger

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20 tasty and tantalizing food memoirs

June 10, 2020
BY Anne Bogel
IN Book Lists , Books & Reading

Readers, with no events to attend or sports practices keeping us busy, family dinners have become a major thing in our house. I’m not talking Downton Abbey-style gowns and dinner jackets here, but our nightly meal has certainly become much more of an event than it was during pre-quarantine times.

As someone who loves to cook and spend time in the kitchen, I’ve appreciated the nudge to slow down while preparing and enjoying our meals. My cookbooks are getting lots of love lately as we revisit favorite recipes and find new ones to try.

I’m also finding fresh inspiration in one of my favorite literary genres: food memoir. Food is full of stories, from the family history behind a handed-down dish to juicy kitchen drama at a high-end restaurant to a culture’s roots and traditions.

Even if you don’t love to cook, perhaps you love to eat, and most certainly you enjoy a great story, well-told. Today’s list contains food memoirs from chefs, home-cooks, and food critics.

Perhaps one of these titles will inspire you to cook up a feast—or savor some delicious takeout. Much like your favorite meal, these food memoirs are sure to entertain, inspire, and comfort.

Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here .

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen

Life, on the Line: A Chef’s Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat

Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris

The Comfort Food Diaries: My Quest for the Perfect Dish to Mend a Broken Heart

My Berlin Kitchen

The Language of Baklava: A Memoir

Yes, Chef: A Memoir

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir

A Homemade Life

Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness

Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life Of A Critic In Disguise

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Orchard House: How a Neglected Garden Taught One Family to Grow

The Sweet Life In Paris: Delicious Adventures In The World’s Most Perplexing City

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India

My Life in France

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

Renowned culinary historian Michael Twitty traces his family roots (both Black and white) from Africa to America and the history of Southern cuisine in this richly drawn memoir. It's a substantial, detailed read, which gives ample space to both personal and culinary history; I appreciated Twitty's distinctive style of storytelling.

Kitchen Confidential

Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking

What favorite food memoirs would you add to this list?

120 comments

A lot of these books sound really interesting! I didn’t even know food memoirs were a thing. I’m not a big fan of cooking but I do love trying new foods.

The Cooking Gene by Michael W Twitty is beautifully written. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Dinner: A Love Story would be one of my picks. It’s probably shelved with cookbooks, but the essays before the recipes makes the whole thing read more like a memoir. The author had two kids in less than two years, and I read it for the first time when my two-under-two set were still really little, and I completely related to everything she said about how two babies totally upends your coooking and eating routines. I loved it, and have made her pizza crust recipe nearly every Saturday night for 6 or 7 years.

Ah! My favourite niche non-fiction genre: the food memoir! There are so many on here that I’ve read and enjoyed – plus a few new discoveries. A couple that I’ve loved are ‘Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone’ edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler, ‘The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry: Love, Laughter and Tears at the World’s Most Famous Cooking School’ by Kathleen Flinn, ‘A Half Baked Idea: How grief, love and cake took me from the courtroom to Le Cordon Bleu’ by Olivia Potts, ‘Adventures of a Terribly Greedy Girl: A memoir of food, family, film and fashion’ by Kay Plunkett-Hogge. There are so many more – both to read and discover. A great list!

One of my favorite genres. My TBR pile for my summer vacation just got a little bigger.

Julia and Julie, Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good, I Loved I Lost I Made Spaghetti, The Pleasure of Cooking for One, My Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story.

While not a memoir, but fiction, my favorite Ruth Reichl book is “Delicious”. I reread this often and I love it anew each time!

I loved this novel, too!

Yes! It was my selection for our book club, ages ago.

Keeping the Feast by Paula Butterini

I also really enjoyed The Sharper your Knife the Less You Cry and Pancakes in Paris!

Love, love, love The Sharper the Knife!

I just read The Sharper Your Knife on your recommendation and LOVED it! Thanks so much!

Oooh, one my favorite genres – thanks for some new titles to add to my TBR! A few others: Delancey by Molly Wizenberg; Love in a Tuscan Kitchen by Sheryl Ness; Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser; We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by José Andrés; Love, Loss and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi; The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen by Jacqués Pepin. I could keep going but I’ll stop! Wait, one more, My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes that Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl. Looking forward to seeing more recommendations!

I loved “Cooking for Mr. Latte” by Amanda Hesser. She also wrote one about her year working as a chef at a French chateau called “The Cook and the Gardener”, which is a memoir/cookbook mashup. Other cookbooks that are part memoirs that I love are “How to Celebrate Everything” and “Screen Doors and Sweet Tea”.

Also loved Amanda Hesser’s Cook and Gardener – reread it with the seasons and cook from it often!

I love Ruth Reichl books! A brand new food memoir is Almost Home by Fanny Singer about growing up with her mother, a chef and restaurant owner in Berkeley.

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist!

Bread and Wine is my recommendation as well! I love that book.

Yes, I LOVE this one!

Yes! Bread and Wine is my favorite too! I have two quotes from this book painted on canvas hanging in my dining room. And the bacon wrapped dates recipe is a go to appetizer.

I love this one, too!

The Feast Nearby is my favorite. It is the book that enticed me to read food memoirs. Now, I’m hooked! I’ve read most of the above, but can’t wait to try a few I haven’t.

Give a Girl A Knife: A memoir by Amy Thielen

Thank you for this list. I love this genre , have read most , discovered new ones and more again from the comment section. Am currently reading Dirt by Bill Burford.

Yay for food memoirs! Love, love some on this list, and the others are being added to my to-read pile post-haste!

David Lebovitz’s Drinking French is my new favorite. It shares his experience of the French café culture that he loves, combining stories of his trips to various spirit makers to learn their histories with delicious cocktail and other café drink recipes. In addition, during recent weeks, David has been sharing his time on Instagram demonstrating the recipes and interviewing the spirit makers live. A real bonus!

I adore David Lebovitz and didn’t know he had a new one! Thanks for sharing it here.

I suggest More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin; Voracious by Cara Nicoletti; Take Big Bites by Linda Ellerbee. I have read most of the ones you list, but not all and I am also a big fan of food memoirs.

I love Shauna Niequist’s Bread and Wine! Her style of writing and recipes are incredible. This book makes me want to sit at her table and just soak up her wisdom with a plate of Blueberry crisp and a glass of wine.

This is one of my favorite genres! I actually did a roundup post on it a few years ago, which I’ll link to below if anyone is interested.

Some recent favorites or new releases that I want to read soon include Always Home (written by the daughter of Alice Waters), Let Them Eat Pancakes, Everything Is Under Control. I also enjoyed Shauna Niequist’s Bread and Wine, though that has a definite religious slant to it.

So excited to add some of these titles to my list! I had heard of or already read many of them, but I’m really excited about the others!

https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2018/03/07/14-books-for-the-foodie/

I love this genre and had read many of the books, but found some I haven’t. One to add from my list is Iliana Regan’s Burn the Place. The more modern version of Gabrielle Hamilton’s Blood, Bones and Butter.

There are a lot of good fiction books set around food. How about that list next?

Additional books that could be added to the list are: Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes – This book includes recipes. Let Them Eat Cake and Bon Appetit by Sandra Byrd – fun afternoon reads The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan – novel set during WWII

I read another book where a NY journalist went to live in Paris and she made note and map of the patisseries around where she lived. She included the addresses and her favorite pastries at each. I can’t remember the title and I can’t find the book on my bookshelf. I must have loaned it out some time ago.

I read this book, too. It’s called “Paris My Sweet” by Amy Thomas. So mouth-watering!

I love this genre! One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Kitchen Yarns by Ann Good. Another favorite is Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good by Kathleen Flynn.

I’ve heard great things about the MFK Fischer books. I need to look into them. Does anyone here enjoy them?

They are delightful.

I love Peter Mayle’s books – besides A Year in Provence, He’s written a memoir of traveling to food festivals throughout France and a book on bread baking. For mostly fiction, I love A Literary Feast, Which contains short fiction and memoirs.

I read Ruth Reichl’s Save Me the Plums – and it was phenomenal!!

Love by the Glass by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher is a must for wine lovers. My favorites listed above are Yes, Chef; Kitchen Confidential; and My Paris Life. I want to read more by Anthony Gourds in, and I have Ruth Reichl in my Kindle sue. Books, wine, and food–my favorites!

Love by the Glass by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher is a must for wine lovers. My favorites listed above are Yes, Chef; Kitchen Confidential; and The Sweet Life in Paris. I want to read more by Anthony Gourds in, and I have Ruth Reichl in my Kindle sue. Books, wine, and food–my favorites!

I’m not so interested in food and recipes as I am in good, enjoyable writing and a sense of place (read: France). Which of these 20 would you say fits the bill? I have enjoyed My Life in France, Julie and Julia, The Sweet Life in Paris, and savored every well-written word of Animal, Vegetable and Miracle, but did not relish Garlic and Sapphires or The Sharper Your Knife, they both fell flat for me. One set of books I would add to this list is from the delicious Elizabeth Bard, with her Lunch in Paris and Picnic in Provence. I went out and bought them after reading from the library.

Yes! I second Lunch in Paris and Picnic in Provence. Love this list!

I bought both of the Elizabeth Bard books, too. I’m not normally a rereader, but her books are exceptions.

Mastering the Art of French Eating would be a great one for you! Ann Mah is a great writer and I really enjoyed how she took me all over France in that book. Try it, you’ll like it!

I LOVED the Tembe Locke book! So beautifully written as both a memoir and a recipe book.

Me too! I just read it last week, and found it very thoughtful and hopeful, despite how sad the story is.

One of my favorite food memoirs is Anya von Bremzen’s Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking.

Yes! It’s one of the very best! It’s subtitle: A Memoir of Food and Longing — says it all.

Omigosh this list is amazing. I read while simultaneously searched my local library online catalogue to place holds on all the titles that jumped out to me. Looks like it is going to be a tasty summer!

Bread and Wine by Shauna Neiquest. One of my all time favorite reads. It made me want to gather friends around our table and cook delicious meals as we share life together. Recipes included!

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese

Seconding this! This book is the antidote to the folks who read Animal Vegetable Miracle and get grand plans that they too shall grow all their own food and butcher their own meat. I was literally laughing out loud at the turkey and goat bits in Jennifer’s book.

The Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater is a wonderful memoir of food and his life within a year. His food is wonderful but his writing is exquisite, volume one is my favourite. Also The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater is his celebration of Christmas starting some months early in preparation for the event. Beautiful reading, this is my bedtime reading every winter.

Oh yes Nigel Slater! Also re read Christmas Chronicles every year – beautiful book physically too, with gorgeous photos. His memoir Toast – a story of one boy’s hunger is wonderful too – was made into a lovely movie a few years ago. Another British wonder is Nigella Lawson – her books are mainly recipes but with lovely contextual asides and warm witty family anecdotes. I have all her books and she’s been beside me as I learned to cook over 20 years.

I’m so glad you suggested Nigel Slater’s writings; I love his Kitchen Chronicles and have read the first two multiple times! His Seville orange marmalade recipe IS THE BEST!

Thanks for a great list! I love cooking and just wrote a blog post featuring some of these, including Save Me the Plums & The Sweet Life in Paris! Now, the question is, which of these on your list to read first?

I would add Michael Ruhlman. Soul of a Chef got me started in this genre. Enjoyed a couple of his other books, too and the rest are on my TBR. Thanks for the list! Adding a few that I haven’t read to my TBR!

I love Ruth Reichl’s books. I am sad that I never had a chance to read Gourmet Magazine when she was still the editor (and it still existed). I read two at the start of the pandemic and they were both great reads. The way that she writes has my mouth watering (and I am NOT an adventurous eater in real life), she just describes food SO well. I’m excited to check out more books in this genre!

I, too, am a big Ruth Reichl fan. Her Tender At the Bone is a classic! The first chapter really sucks you in.

Possibly my favorite genre! I’ve read about half the books on this list and Kitchen Confidential was one of my favorites because I actually listened to it on audiobook, which was narrated by Anthony Bourdain. Another favorite that isn’t on the list is Spiced: A Pastry Chef’s True Stories of Trials by Fire, After-Hours Exploits, and What Really Goes on in the Kitchen by Dalia Jurgensen. That title is a huge mouthful!

I’m a huge fan of audiobooks because I can often do other things while I listen. My favorite thing is listening to books about food while I cook! Recently listened to Ruth Reichl’s Delicious! and that was such a fun one.

Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach. Love it!

What a fabulous list! I’ve read four of these listed and just added several to my WTR list. Memoirs are one of my favorite genres, and in the subcategory of food- a double win.

Two older books, but still well worth reading: Under the Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes (turned into the 2003 movie starring Diane Lane), and a year in Provence, by Peter Mayle.

I love food memoirs & have a number of them on this list, and have had a couple others on my TBR list. Now I have more to add! Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is one of my absolute favorite books of all time. I also enjoy the writings of MK Fisher, especially when she writes about France.

GIVE A GIRL A KNIFE by Amy Thielen is super fascinating. It talks about her and her husband’s early years working in restaurants in NYC and then traveling around North America to eventually moving back to Northern Minnesota. She used to have a Food Network show called Heartland Table.

I have Thielen’s memoir on my shelves waiting to be read. I actually got it signed at an event she had in NE Mpls. Her cookbook The New Midwestern Table is a favorite of mine!

I am trying to figure out how to read all of these food memoirs without going broke.

Love this list! I would add Kitchen Yarns by Ann Hood – excellent risotto recipe! Lucy Knisley’s Relish is a great memoir graphic novel style

Library? My library has most of them.

What a great list! One of my favorites was Bill Buford’s first book, Heat.

How about Blue Plate Special by Kate Christensen and Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr.

I would add On Rue Tatin by Susan Hermann Loomis. It is memoir of a young American couple who moved to Normandy France, bought and restored an old monastery to create a home and a cooking school. It is the story of learning French ways in the kitchen and in life, of rearing young children in a different culture, of making friends and finding one’s way. Recipes intersperse this lovely story.

I love On Rue Tatin – time for me to read it again

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist is one of my favorite books. Remembering meals throughout her life that have made an impact on her. Really thought provoking!

I can’t express how much I loved this book!

Thank you for this list! I see some old favorites along with several new to me titles that look interesting.

All of Ruth Reichl’s books are fantastic. “My Kitchen Year” is filled with gorgeous pictures and recipes.

In the vein of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is “Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food” by Megan Kimble. Very interesting about how our food is processed. Spoiler alert: in one chapter, Megan decides to process her own meat, from the live animal to her table.

I loved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and the title of the second book you mention sounded fascinating…until I saw your alert. I may be too squeamish to read it, but good to know of it, thanks!

If you want something substantially less graphic, try Make the Bread Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese! She decided to try and make everything by scratch, then calculate whether the storebought version or homemade version was cheaper, tasted better, and whether from scratch was worth the effort. She has a really funny bit about it being a rite of passage for food writers nowadays to stare down their future chicken dinner and take it’s own life to meditate on the responsibility of being a meat eater…and she just kinda butchers a chicken and thinks “yep, nothing profound here, I am eating a bird like I ate thousands of birds before.” Really funny! And the recipes in it are great!

This is one of my favorite genres. I’ve read several of these, but I see quite a few I need to get to. Not exactly food memoir, but I think Peter Mayle’s books about living in Provence are excellent. His descriptions of food and wine there always makes me hungry.

What a great subject – especially when we are all cooking more than before. My favorites are: Laurie Colwin’s “Home in the Kitchen”, “The Pleasures of Cooking for One” by Judith Jones with recipes that can always be expanded and “Potluck at Midnight Farm” by Tamara Weiss – full of fun and recipes.

Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard is my absolute favourite food memoir. And it has a sequel… Picnic in Provence.

Have any of you read The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon? I bought it upon several friends’ recommendations, but I haven’t read it yet.

My Nepenthe by Romney Steele – she put out an updated anniversary edition this last year.

Love this list! Food memoirs are one of my favorite things to read. They’re older books, but I recommend anything by M.F.K. Fisher–everything she writes is about eating and cooking and all our hungers. The Gastronomical Me charts her development as an eater and as a cook, and is so good. The Art of Eating collects a number of books of hers in one volume. Every time I read her I want to share good food with people I love.

This is from a review of The Gastronomical Me: “Because The Gastronomical Me is autobiographical, following Mrs. Fisher from childhood to widowhood in different countries, we are able to see its food not only as a matter of personal taste, but as a perpetual emotional and social force within a life. Here are meals as seductions, educations, diplomacies, communions. Unique among the classics of gastronomic writing, with its glamorous but not glamorized settings, its wartime drama and its powerful love story, The Gastronomical Me is a book about adult loss, survival, and love.” ―Patricia Storace, The New York Review of Books

The preface to The Gastronomical Me is one of the prettiest pieces of writing I have ever read. (Well, the whole small book is one of the prettiest pieces of writing I’ve ever read.) So good.

I’ve only read a few M.F.K. Fisher essays and I’ve been meaning to read one of her longer works for years! Thanks for sharing this rec.

I loved A Day of Honey by Annia Ciezadlo. She’s an American woman who married a Lebanese man and moved to the Middle East with him. They live in Iraq and travel around other parts of the Middle East, and she describes the culture around food so vividly you can practically smell it. The tone suits 2020 well too, because she’s describing all this uncertainty with the war, but all that high emotion and drama is juxtaposed with the the everyday activity of needing to eat.

Oh, Anne, you did it again…expanded my TBR yet again! This is definitely one of my favorite genres! I’ve read several of these (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is one of my favorite books of all time and one of my very rare rereads), but now, thanks to this, I have my work cut out for me. Thanks, Anne!!

Any and all Ruth Reichl and Laurie Colwin books. Molly o’Neill’s Mostly True, Lucy Knisley’s graphic book French Milk, Born Round by Frank Bruni are all wonderful.

The Measure of My Powers by Jackie Kai Ellis is an absolute favorite of mine. Also, Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent. While it’s not quite ‘memoir’, it’s a touching non-fiction read that revolves around food, cooking and connection.

LOVED Dinner with Edward…listened to the audio twice

This is my favorite genre and I have been looking for more to add to my list. Thanks everyone! I have read many of these, but now have many more to read. I couple others I’ve enjoyed are My Life From Scratch by Gesine Bullock-Prado and 52 Loaves by William Alexander.

So many books, so little time! I second (third?) the recs for “Cooking for Mr. Latte” by Amanda Hesser and also for A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun. Kitchen Confidential and My Life in France are two of my favorite books of all time. As a chef now food blogger who moved to Paris last year, I feel like I need to write a memoir–so many of these wonderful books are about France, and Paris. I’m a big David Lebovitz fan as well and got to go to his book signing for Drinking French before the lockdowns hit. Awesome guy, and I highly recommend all his books.

This has been my favorite genre! I have read all of Ruth Reichl books and most on this list and have just purchased others on this list for a summer read so thank you. I would recommend 32 Yolks by Eric Ripert, Clementine in the Kitchen by Samuel Chamberlain, Shucked: Like on a New England Oyster Farm and loved The Apprentice by Jacques Pepin

I am reading My Life In France right now for a Vicarious Travel book task. It is wonderful!

First of all, thank you Anne so much. I needed this post right now. This is my favorite genre and just about every other book (in between MMD Book Club) I read is now a chef memoir or a book written about culinary travel. I have read many on Anne’s list, but started a new list because of all the great suggestions! Thank you one and all!

Here are two that I don’t think were in the comments: 1. It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time By Moira Hodgson – The author grew up as a child of a foreign diplomat and lived all over the world. You can’t believe her life is real. It’s a page-turner. 2. Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy by Michael Tucker – Do you remember LA Law? Michael Tucker and his wife Jill Eikenberry bought a home in Italy and all of the details about their life in Italy and Italian cooking are divine!

Can we just talk about your comment “bookstore devoted exclusively to cookbooks and cooking”….why aren’t there more bookstores like this!

Maman’s Homesick Pie:a Persian heart in an American Kitchen by Donia Bijan is really well done! A memoir of growing up in Iran pre-Revolution, exile, life in SF and France. Moving tribute to her mother.

I’m amazed at how many of these memoirs intertwine grief and tragedy!

This is one of my favorite genres! Thanks for this list – I’ve read a handful – Animal,Vegetable, Miracle and Blood Bones & Butter are two of my favs – always recommending them. I can’t wait to read more from this list! Also on my list to read is (new I think) the memoir Rebel Chef – by Dominique Crenn. Thank you!! Also, a bookststore dedicated to cookbooks and books about cooking- heaven!!

Food memoirs is one of my favorite genres. I’ve read a few of these, will happily try some of the others. I loved “The Best Cook In the World,” by Rick Bragg, about his mother’s Southern cooking in good times but mostly hard times (combined with Bragg’s hilarious and occasionally very sad family stories). Also, “Miriam’s Kitchen,” by Elizabeth Ehrlich, was very interesting and emotional for me. It’s the story of a young secular Jewish woman who enriches her faith and understanding of her culture as she cooks with her mother-in-law Miriam, a Holocaust survivor.

Still one of my favorites ‘Cooking for Mr Latte’ Amanda Hesser

Lunch in Paris and Picnic in Provence by Elizabeth Bard

We read Chef Greg Atkinson’s At the Kitchen Table for our Preheated Baking Podcast book club in Episode 121: Hope Into Spring with Hot Cross Buns. Great story about building community and cooking your own food.

Here are 3 foodie reads that are worth the time and calories: My Life from Scratch by Gesine Bullock-Prado, Kitchen Gypsy by Joanne Weir, and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. Both Weir and Nosrat began their culinary careers at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse.

Elizabeth Luard hasn’t been mentioned – perhaps less known in the US (tho her praise is on the front cover of Ruth Reich’s To the Bone). Wonderful writer- lived in various parts of Europe bringing up four children – often alone as her husband traveled (prominent British journalists both of them). Very un squeamish, willing to learn from all around her – whether able to speak their language or not – often very funny, atmospheric, warm stories: Squirrel Pie, Flavours of Andalusia, A Cooks Year in a Welsh Farmhouse – my favourite. Luard is also a talented artist and these grace the pages of many of her books – the three mentioned. She also has a book of beautiful strip cartoon recipes coming out soon (ish?) She showed some at a book event – gorgeous!

Thank you so much for introducing me to Molly Wizenberg!

Has anyone read M.F.K. Fisher? Her books (too many to list here) about food are delightful. The book “A Life in Letters” of her Correspondence 1929-1991 is also a good read.

I really enjoyed the fun, dark novel “Recipe for a Perfect Wife” by Karma Brown, complete with recipes, where a present-day wife discovers a cookbook and eventually the secrets of the 1950s housewife who once lived in her home.

Missing from this wonderful list is Give a Girl a Knife, by Amy Thielen who writes masterfully about her strong midwestern roots, her life and times cooking in NY, and her decision to come home again.

Midnight Chicken hasn’t been mentioned. I’m in love with this author. It is very moving and has the most gorgeous cover and illustrations.

I’ve read many of these, but what an awesome list! I’ve just added a few from here to my TBR–thank you!!

Great list! Anything by Ruth Reichl for sure and The Cooking Gene is a gem. I loved The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg.

Coming into this discussion on 6/16/23 since it was mentioned in today’s Links I Love: Tender at the Bone, Ruth Reichl My Cooking Year, Ruth Reichl Comfort Me with Apples, Ruth Reichl

Not a memoir, but if you are a fan of Julia Child: Dearie, The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, Bob Spitz is a must read. The only book in the last 10 years I have re-read. It is delightful.

What a great list! Lots on here that I hadn’t heard of and added to my TBR.

A year in Provence! I think of it as a food memoir

And I second all of Ruth reichl

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“Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman: Summary and Critique

“Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom,” by Barbara Frey Waxman, first appeared in College English in March 2008.

Introduction: “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman

Table of Contents

“Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom,” by Barbara Frey Waxman, first appeared in College English in March 2008, published by the National Council of Teachers of English. In this article, Waxman explores the appeal of food memoirs as literary texts that reveal personal histories, cultural identities, and communal values, often drawing on food as a metaphor for love, identity, and nostalgia. She argues that food memoirs are more than narratives filled with recipes and culinary descriptions; they represent profound reflections on family traditions, cross-cultural experiences, and the processes of self-discovery and identity formation. Waxman asserts that these memoirs offer readers, especially students, valuable insights into diverse cultures, historical traditions, and the universality of food as a social bond. By studying food memoirs, students can develop empathy and emotional intelligence, as well as deepen their understanding of literary techniques, such as metaphor and narrative voice. Waxman champions the inclusion of food memoirs in literature classrooms for their rich narrative styles, emotional depth, and their potential to broaden students’ perspectives on multiculturalism, personal growth, and the enduring human connection to food.

Summary of “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman

Defining Food Memoirs and Their Appeal Food memoirs offer narratives where food memories reveal the growth and development of the writer. These memoirs often feature emotionally rich stories interwoven with vivid descriptions of food, creating a deep resonance with readers. Waxman argues that food memoirs are distinct from other food writing because they often begin with childhood memories or flashbacks, providing insights into family, culture, and identity. She describes how these texts blend culinary and cultural elements that give readers insight into the writers’ lives and perspectives, making them highly engaging and educational in a classroom setting ( Waxman 365 ).
Autobiographical and Ethnographic Qualities Food memoirs not only reflect personal experiences but often serve as a form of “auto-ethnography,” where the author explains their cultural background through the lens of food. This characteristic enables readers to learn about different traditions and customs from an insider’s perspective, fulfilling a dual role of personal narrative and cultural education. Waxman references Paul John Eakin ’s theory that memoirists adopt an “ethnographic posture” toward their own past, sharing these customs and stories with a broader audience ( Waxman 366 ).
Food as a Link in Diaspora Narratives The memoirs Waxman examines often focus on the experience of living in the diaspora, where food becomes a medium for preserving cultural identity and memory. These narratives, such as those by Diana Abu-Jaber and Shoba Narayan, highlight the emotional struggle of immigrants attempting to recreate their native dishes with American ingredients. This struggle reflects both their connection to their heritage and the adaptation required to live in a new culture. Waxman argues that these memoirs offer valuable insights into the complexities of cultural adaptation and identity formation ( Waxman 369-370 ).
The Food Memoir as Multicultural Literature Food memoirs also serve as powerful multicultural texts, providing insight into how food traditions bridge cultural divides. For example, through detailed descriptions of traditional ceremonies and festive meals, authors like Leslie Li and Elizabeth Ehrlich invite readers into Chinese and Jewish cultural practices, respectively. This process helps demystify foreign customs and fosters empathy and understanding, reinforcing the role of food memoirs as vehicles for cultural education ( Waxman 367 ).
Psychological Insights and Family Dynamics Waxman discusses how food memoirs provide an intimate view of family relationships and psychological dynamics within different cultural contexts. She cites Madhur Jaffrey’s memoir, which portrays both idyllic and painful memories within her extended family. These personal stories offer readers a window into the emotional and sometimes challenging aspects of family life across cultures, highlighting universal themes such as love, loss, and resilience ( Waxman 371 ).
Mentoring and Self-Reinvention Through Food Many food memoirs highlight the role of mentors in the author’s culinary and personal growth, symbolizing a “second family” and guiding them toward self-reinvention. For instance, in Ruth Reichl ’s “Tender at the Bone,” culinary mentors help her find independence and purpose, even as she distances herself from a difficult family background. These mentors often encourage the authors to overcome personal struggles and cultivate a fulfilling career in the food world, symbolizing the transformative power of food and mentorship ( Waxman 376-377 ).
Eroticism and the Sensuality of Food Waxman notes the erotic elements present in many food memoirs, which link the physical pleasure of eating with broader themes of desire and connection. In Reichl’s memoir, the sensuality of food is portrayed vividly, mirroring her personal relationships and romantic experiences. This erotic aspect appeals to readers on a primal level, adding another layer of intimacy to the food memoir genre and contributing to its popularity and allure ( Waxman 378 ).
Life Lessons in Moral and Emotional Intelligence Food memoirs convey life lessons that cultivate readers’ moral and emotional intelligence. Waxman suggests that by reading about other families’ challenges and dynamics, students can better understand and reflect upon their own relationships and values. The emotional depth and ethical dilemmas presented in these narratives foster empathy and encourage readers to appreciate the complexity of human connections and cultural identities ( Waxman 380 ).
Justification for Food Memoirs in the Classroom Waxman argues that food memoirs are valuable teaching tools, enriching literature classrooms by introducing students to diverse cultural perspectives, promoting introspection, and fostering emotional growth. The genre’s familiar subject matter—food—makes it approachable and engaging for students. By analyzing these memoirs, students can learn about narrative structure, cultural symbolism, and identity formation, making food memoirs a unique and effective addition to literature curricula ( Waxman 381-382 ).

Literary Terms/Concepts in “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman

Contribution of “food memoirs: what they are, why they are popular, and why they belong in the literature classroom” by barbara frey waxman to literary theory/theories.

Autobiographical Theory and Auto-Ethnography Waxman’s analysis highlights the role of auto-ethnography in food memoirs, where memoirists serve as “insiders” offering personal yet culturally informative narratives. Waxman aligns with Paul John Eakin’s view that memoirists often function as auto-ethnographers who interpret their childhood communities for readers. She emphasizes that food memoirists explore their personal identities and family traditions through food, functioning as “cultural interpreters” who explain their cultural customs to outsiders (Waxman 366). This extension of autobiographical theory sees memoir as not only self-revelatory but as inherently cultural and didactic, linking individual memory to collective cultural identity.
Memory Theory The article connects memory theory with food memoirs, particularly the constructed nature of memory in autobiographical writing. Waxman incorporates Eakin’s insights that “memory constructs the materials from the past,” and memoirists “refashion” these memories in their narratives (Waxman 366). In food memoirs, sensory experiences—especially taste and smell—are instrumental in accessing memories, a concept Waxman supports with Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s notion of “taste memories” and James Beard’s reflections on memory’s physical connection to food (Waxman 364). This contribution deepens memory theory by emphasizing the unique sensory and emotional access food offers to autobiographical memory.
Cultural Anthropology Waxman’s work contributes to cultural anthropology by positioning food memoirs as key texts for examining cultural practices. Citing anthropologists’ views that cooking and eating mark social boundaries and reinforce group identities, she demonstrates how food memoirists like Shoba Narayan and Leslie Li convey cultural belonging and values through culinary rituals. Waxman aligns with Robin Fox’s idea that food helps define social boundaries (Waxman 367) while simultaneously expanding readers’ understanding of various cultural practices. This approach establishes food memoirs as significant texts in studying identity formation, assimilation, and the cultural significance of culinary practices in literary analysis.
Diaspora and Transcultural Theory Waxman positions food memoirs as crucial to diaspora and transcultural theory , suggesting that food serves as a “contact zone” where diasporic individuals negotiate their identities between “here” and “there” (Waxman 369). Memoirs by authors like Diana Abu-Jaber depict this “Janus-faced” existence, using food to connect with their heritage while adapting to American culture. Waxman’s discussion of the symbolic role of food as a link to cultural roots emphasizes the diasporic individual’s negotiation of identity and belonging, contributing to transcultural theory by showing how food acts as a mediator of cultural memory and assimilation.
Feminist Theory Waxman’s exploration of the feminist implications in food memoirs examines how these texts empower women by celebrating their culinary expertise and personal agency. She highlights the work of M.F.K. Fisher and Ruth Reichl , who gain self-identity and autonomy through food and cooking, transforming traditional domestic roles into forms of personal expression and professional identity (Waxman 365). By acknowledging women’s narratives in a traditionally domestic sphere, Waxman emphasizes the feminist potential of food memoirs in literary studies, where cooking becomes a form of self-discovery and empowerment, thus extending feminist literary theory’s analysis of domestic narratives.
Reader-Response Theory and Sensory Engagement Waxman’s article contributes to reader-response theory by noting the intense sensory engagement food memoirs evoke, which activates readers’ “jouissance” as described by Roland Barthes . She observes that readers often feel hunger or cravings while reading these vivid descriptions (Waxman 379). This emotional and physical response to food memoirs exemplifies how texts can engage readers in bodily, affective ways, expanding reader-response theory to include multisensory reader experiences that blur the line between reading and tasting.
Narrative Theory and Structure of the Memoir Waxman discusses the structure of food memoirs as similar to the bildungsroman or growth narrative, contributing to narrative theory by identifying the genre’s progression through childhood experiences with food, the influence of mentors, and the eventual formation of identity and professional role (Waxman 365). This developmental structure is unique to food memoirs, as it combines personal growth with sensory and cultural education, enriching narrative theory’s understanding of memoir as a medium that intertwines the personal and cultural through sensory and emotional experiences.

Examples of Critiques Through “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman

Criticism against “food memoirs: what they are, why they are popular, and why they belong in the literature classroom” by barbara frey waxman.

Overemphasis on Cultural and Ethnic Nostalgia: Waxman’s focus on food as a way to preserve cultural heritage and identity may be viewed as overly nostalgic, potentially oversimplifying the complexities of cultural identity in favor of idealized representations.
Limited Scope of Literary Analysis: The article primarily examines food memoirs through autobiographical and cultural lenses, potentially neglecting other literary theories and analytical approaches, such as psychoanalytic or postmodern perspectives, that could add depth to the analysis.
Potentially Narrow View of the Memoir Genre: By focusing on the thematic elements of food and cultural identity, Waxman may overlook how food memoirs intersect with broader themes common in other memoirs, such as trauma, gender identity, or socioeconomic factors.
Risk of Cultural Stereotyping: The portrayal of food as inherently representative of cultural identity could inadvertently reinforce stereotypes, suggesting that specific foods or culinary practices uniformly define a culture, which may not reflect individual or contemporary cultural diversity.
Assumed Accessibility for the Classroom: Waxman advocates for the inclusion of food memoirs in literature classrooms, but critics might argue that these works are less academically rigorous or challenging than traditional literary texts, potentially limiting critical engagement and interpretative depth.
Simplification of Diaspora Experience: Waxman’s interpretation of food as a bridge between “here” and “there” for diasporic communities might simplify the complexities of diaspora, overlooking the varied and sometimes contradictory experiences of those navigating multiple cultural identities.

Representative Quotations from “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman with Explanation

Suggested readings: “food memoirs: what they are, why they are popular, and why they belong in the literature classroom” by barbara frey waxman.

Waxman, Barbara Frey. “Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom.” College English , vol. 70, no. 4, 2008, pp. 363–83. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/25472276. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024 .
“Front Matter.” College English , vol. 70, no. 4, 2008. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/25472273. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.
Avakian, Arlene. “Cooking Up Lives: Feminist Food Memoirs.” Feminist Studies , vol. 40, no. 2, 2014, pp. 277–303. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.15767/feministstudies.40.2.277 . Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.
Cognard-Black, Jennifer, and Melissa A. Goldthwaite. “Books That Cook: Teaching Food and Food Literature in the English Classroom.” College English , vol. 70, no. 4, 2008, pp. 421–36. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/25472279 . Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

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——Aspiring Thoughts for Food

Food memoir.

The most memorable and important food experience to me is the first time that I tried the French cuisine in the Intercontinental Hotel about seven years ago, when I was a middle school student. That was the first time for me to have real French food, and let me have a new understanding of the western food, especially the french style.

The French restaurant only opens in the evening, and it is kind of dark, with diffused light inside and a little candle on each table, in order to create a romantic atmosphere. My mother and I walked in and sat down slowly, quietly and did not dare to make any noise. The server handed each of us a succinct menu, which only contains two pages, with bold names of each dish and the ingredients italicized below each name. I read it carefully and it might be the first time that I recognized about the main distinction between a Chinese menu and a Western menu. That is the name of the Chinese dish always makes itself become more attractive to customers (sounds really nice), but people don’t know what’s inside the dish, however, the name of the french dish is simple and is exactly what it is. I followed the instructions that the server gave: choose the appetizer first, then the soup or salad and finally the main course. After being struggled for a while, I made my significant decisions among all the alluring dishes—Foie Gras for appetizer (since it is a French restaurant, this is the must try dish!) , then the chestnut ravioli mushroom soup ( kind of combine italian style and french style together, but it really tastes so good) , and medium cooked filet magnon for main course. After ordering the meal, the server brought us some warm bread with three different types of butter, the original one, butter with olive and one with sun-dried tomato ( I guess, but not sure). Warm breads are so delicious with butter, but I did not want to eat too much to full my stomach since the delicate dishes were coming soon. The foie gras came first. I cut a little piece and put it into mouth. At that moment, I seemed to feel that everything around me, even including the time, stopped. It was so so so tasty that I could not find a specific word to describe it. The foie gras was fried to a extent when it was a little crispy outside and smooth inside, served savory and warm but not hot. The server recommended us to try it with a little berry compote on the side so that we would not feel oily when we ate more. I did as the server suggested and the experience of having the foie gras became even more awesome, but the portion of the appetizer was limited, only the aftertaste lingered forever. After that, the soup came. It was cute, with three little chestnut ravioli in the mushroom bisque.(Actually it was truffle so that the soup tasted even better.) I remembered truffle bisque clearly as well since that was my first time to eat something which combined the sweetness and savory flavor together—the chestnut ravioli had a hint of sweetness and the soup was savory. This was new and special to me. The soup tasted creamy and rich, good for share. (Although I really wanted to have a full size, I had to save the space of my stomach for the main course and the dessert after meal.) After finishing the soup, the filet was served to us. It was said to be the meat from a young-aged cattle, but I was not sure whether this information was real though it did taste tender and succulent. ( The filet did not impress me a lot, maybe its significance was overlapped by the first two courses.) Finally, I chose the signature dessert to end—the Souffle, which took fifteen to twenty minutes to prepare. The souffle was served warm with a small cup of meringue cream on the side. As I remembered, the meringue cream was chilled and I poured it on the souffle (made it to hot and cold mixed state). The souffle was really soft and I felt like it floated in my mouth. I could swallow it with only one or two bites, but I would not since I wanted the flavor to last longer in my mouth. Before we paid the bill, the server gave us some complimentary sweets such as macaroons and tiny buttery cookies. I enjoyed the overall experience in that French restaurant was enjoyable and unforgettable, ; maybe because it was my first time to try these extremely delicate and palatable dishes; or maybe because for the dishes did tasted so delicious; or maybe it was because of both of them . I rated it as the most memorable dining experience during these twenty years of my life.

The epiphany that I have got from this experience is while eating french food, I am not only sensing the “beauty” of the taste, but also the beauty of the appearances of the food, the hospitality and warmness of the server and the coziness of the atmosphere. Everything in the French restaurant is worth trying and experiencing.

One thought on “ Food Memoir ”

this was a good little read….I plan to use it with my creative writing class as a model of food writing memoir. thanks so much! keep writing…

Go On a Quest: Write a Food Memoir

August 28, 2012 by diannejacob 65 Comments

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But first, as always, you’ll have competition from chefs, who are still writing traditional memoir. Typically, these books bore me (except for Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential ). But then I read Blood, Bones & Butter , an adrenaline-fueled memoir of Gabriel Hamilton’s relentless ambition to make good food and find love. It won the Beard award for Best Writing & Literature earlier this year.

Like Bourdain, Hamilton has the writing chops to craft an exceptional story. Lest you think these two were both just chefs when penning their memoirs, The New Yorker published Bourdain’s first story , and he had already written a novel . Hamilton had an MFA in Fiction and had already written for several prestigious national magazines.

American Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan returned to Singapore to learn her family’s dishes in A Tiger in the Kitchen .
Kathleen Flinn started a cooking school in Kitchen Counter Cooking School .
Eugenia Bone travelled around the US to learn about mushrooms in Mycopheli a .
Jonathan Dixon survived cooking school in Beaten, Seared, and Sauced
Robin Mather lost her job and her marriage, and retreated to a cabin in the woods to live frugally The Feast Nearby .

Most of these authors are journalists and successful freelancers, but you don’t have to be. Memoir is about your ability to tell a story well. As these examples show, it’s not about your whole life. That’s an autobiography, much harder to get published unless you’re famous. Autobiographies tend to be big messy stories that need lots of focusing and shaping, because they cover decades. (Although if you want to read a beautiful autobiography that made me cry, try Maman’s Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen .)

Quest-based memoirs like those I listed above, however, take only a year or so. The trick is to come up with an intriguing adventure and tell a concise tale with a plot. Memoirs are considered narrative non-fiction, so these books have tension and a story arc that propels readers forward. It would also help if you were transformed by the journey, write with introspection, research your subject well, and oh yes — you write with humor and self deprecation.

Too long of a list? I don’t think so. The problem is the “quest” part. If you’re still doing what you always do, at home in your kitchen or in front of your computer, a memoir is probably not what’s next for you. To go for it, come up with an idea that challenges you and takes you in a different direction.

Reader Interactions

August 28, 2012 at 5:24 pm

I could not put down Blood, Bones & Butter!

Thank you for clarifying some of what makes a good food memoir. I’m not sure if I have lived enough of a food life to merit writing one yet but it is in the back of my mind as a future project.

August 29, 2012 at 11:39 am

Me either. Hamilton is a wonderful, emotional storyteller.

There’s always first-person essay if you don’t get to a memoir. That’s the beauty of blogging.

August 28, 2012 at 6:15 pm

How bout; Two degenerate pizza chefs drive from Geneva Switzerland south through the Alps to Monaco and then up through Burgandy visiting many bakeries along the way and end winning the first-ever World Pizza Championship held in Paris France.

August 28, 2012 at 9:18 pm

Brave soul, John, to be first.

Is this a fantasy novel? Hah.

I like this idea. I would like to see more drama and suspense for a full-length book. Maybe someone has a hangover so severe they miss the first day of the contest, etc. But I don’t think you’re making this up!

August 29, 2012 at 5:37 am

I read a lot of food memoirs (have yet to read Gabrielle Hamilton’s – need to get on that!) and while it’s one of my favorite genres, the predictable story arc often bores me as well (it usually goes something like: person with passion for food works their way up the sweaty and exhausting ranks of restaurant chefdom, telling you along the way how most people would probably never make it. They do make it, thus proving to themselves that they can, then decide that ultimately it’s not the life for them and want to write instead). My Life in France by Julia Child is my favorite, and Grant Achatz’s Life, On the Line is up there (also because it’s about so much more than food). I also really enjoyed Season to Taste by Molly Birnbaum.

Aaaand that was way longer than one sentence 🙂 I’ve wondered if my current experience (living for three years in Israel) could turn into a food memoir at some point. We shall see. Great post as always, thanks!

August 29, 2012 at 10:24 am

Hah! I love your description of the chef memoir. So true. Many people have told me My Life in France is their favorite memoir, so you are in good company. I enjoyed Grant Achatz’s book too, even though it was weird how half of it was written by his business partner.

Living in Israel for 3 years could be a food memoir if there is a dramatic story to it. Something to ponder.

August 29, 2012 at 5:40 am

Travel through the cities and the villages of Turkey to find and learn differrent cheese recipes and techniques and portray the life of people from all walks of life.

I like that Ilke! Is this something you plan to do, or did it already happen? Was there any drama?

August 30, 2012 at 7:17 am

Thanks Dianne, I would like to do it at some point in my life, there are some traditional Turkish staples that show a wide variety among the regions. My goal is to introduce the Turkish cuisine to the people in the US with my blog but with a book like that I believe I can learn a lot.

August 29, 2012 at 6:19 am

A physician and newly wed young woman moves to the US following her husband, forbidden to work (visa issues) and bored with maternity, star volunteering at community gardens and writing a cooking blog, now get more than 140.000 pageviews a month and grows many pounds of sustainable veggies.

August 29, 2012 at 10:26 am

This sounds like a great beginning for an About page, Pilar! It has potential as a cookbook with recipes, more than a memoir, I think.

September 5, 2012 at 6:11 am

Thanks Dianne!. I admire how you make the time to answer to the readers.

September 5, 2012 at 10:07 am

I am always so pleased that readers take the time to write, so it’s the least I can do, Pilar.

August 29, 2012 at 6:34 am

One family take a journey of food discovery around China, meeting cave-dwelling farmers, itinerant beekeepers, yak herdsmen and wild mushroom collectors, while discovering that the adventure of a lifetime is really a journey into the soul, and that food is indeed the common language of humankind.

August 29, 2012 at 10:27 am

Wow! This is really different from most memoirs. It sounds fascinating, Fiona. Has the quest begun?

August 29, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Thanks Dianne for your always encouraging comments. Our travels began two months ago, seeing Inner Mongolia and following the Great Wall along much of its course. We just started westwards along the Silk Road to Kashgar. Another four months of wonderful food and exciting places to go!

August 29, 2012 at 7:43 am

How about this?

“Considering the countless days of sweaty armpits, frustration, and situations where humility is the only thing on the day’s menu – daily life when learning a new language and culture through immersion – having a garden was a godsend.”

“The concept of growing and preparing food as a way of perpetuating culture, and one’s sense of self, takes on a whole new meaning.”

Here’s the blog post I wrote this winter, from which these two sentences were excerpted: http://fruitrootleaf.blogspot.ca/2012/02/eat-here-live-herebelong-here.html .

Maybe a publishable memoir concept, maybe not. But a memory, yes, indeed.

August 29, 2012 at 8:28 am

I recommend Robin Hemley’s “A Field Guide for Immersion Writing” to help you with immersion writing in general and immersive quest memoirs in particular.

August 29, 2012 at 11:28 am

Excellent suggestion. I do not know about that book, or much about the idea of “immersion memoir.”

And I looked at your bio Ann. We have a past job in common, but mine was at Four Wheeler a little earlier than yours. Small world.

August 29, 2012 at 9:14 am

Such a helpful blog, Diane! Thank you! Everything I’ve read or heard from you has been so valuable. And I loved Hamilton’s book! I think saying things in one sentence is the hardest part of writing. But here’s a stab:

The tale of a marriage between a straight woman and a gay man, a history of a woman’s search for home, and a chronicle of the exhilarating powers of food, The Joys of Cooking-A Love Story draws us into an extraordinary, yet familiar, journey through the cuisines, cultural spirit, and politics of the 1940s to the 2000s complete with recipes.

I have a zillion versions of this sentence.

August 29, 2012 at 11:30 am

Thank you, Judy.

You had me at the very first part, up to the comma. I’m not sure how your sitaution is connected to food. Maybe that’s what you need to figure out.

August 29, 2012 at 11:47 am

This was helpful, Diane. My original one sentence included the relation to food. Hopefully, this one explains the connection better: THE JOYS OF COOKING: A LOVE STORY is the tale of a marriage between a straight woman and a gay man, a history of a woman’s emotional education, and an exploration of the ways in which cooking lays the groundwork not only for personal healing and intimate relation but for political community as well. Organized by decade and by cookbook, The Joys of Cooking draws us into an extraordinary, but also familiar, journey through the cuisines, cultural spirit, and the politics of the 1940s through the 2000s complete with recipes.

August 30, 2012 at 9:29 am

I’m intrigued. You might have 2 different books here, Judy. One is about your relationship to food, and the other is about your marriage. These are two very big subjects. It might seem less overwhelming if you could focus it in a little more.

August 30, 2012 at 10:29 am

Thank you for replying, Diane. This is very helpful. I may give my relation to my husband too much emphasis in my two sentences by mentioning it first. (Several readers felt it should come first. because it was unusual, so I moved it there, but I may distort the real story by doing so.)The memoir is primarily about my relation to food, how cooking was a way of recovering from childhood loss, of reinventing myself, of finding a sense of home in the world. My relation to my husband is a large part of this story since my cooking and our dining together and rating the dishes was our primary way of bonding to each other for twenty-five years. (Our relation went through many iterations–marriage, roommates, co members of a commune– but cooking and eating together and rating the food was a constant..) When he died of AIDS, I had to begin over. I found other kinds of home in cooking with my young daughter and cooking for a cross race community I helped create on my campus by hosting large buffets. Cooking was a way of bringing people together and instilling a sense of common cause.. So the memoir is mainly a story of how cooking led to personal healing and to relations that made me feel the world was home. Now, how to put that in one sentence.

August 29, 2012 at 9:39 am

I just remembered this and wanted to share: Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I really enjoyed reading it. It is about a year of commitment to eating local, growing your own and making due with what you have.

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Vegetable-Miracle-Year-Food/dp/0060852569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346258259&sr=8-1&keywords=animal+vegetable+miracle

August 29, 2012 at 11:31 am

Yes! And she spent a year doing it, organizing the book that way. Her book is a splendid example of a quest.

August 29, 2012 at 10:16 am

A young woman, a recovering drug fiend & ravenous alcoholic, rediscovers her creative self in the kitchen, trading dives, dance parties, and one night stands for a fresh life of farmer’s markets, writing recipes, and photography shared with her idiosyncratic partner, a poet and ex-heroin addict, in their bungalow situated in the hills above the meandering Tennessee River.

August 29, 2012 at 11:23 am

Well, that’s a story you don’t read every day. It sound like a good mix of wholesomeness and darkness. And drama. Lots of drama.

August 29, 2012 at 10:35 am

One of my current writing projects is a food memoir, and I’ve been writing it off and on for over two years. In fact, it took more than a year for me to figure out what I was really writing about.

Of course, I don’t have an MFA, or a published book. Although I have a small, but growing list of published credentials, completed several writing courses, attend writing webinars and conferences and have been building my platform. And I’m in the middle of writing a second draft mystery thriller. (It’s fiction)

I have two working titles for my memoir. “Fresh Fish and Scrambled Love: One Woman’s Unexpected Culinary Adventure,” and “Handcuffs, Hurricanes, Pepper Spray and Scrambled Eggs.”

Which do you like better?

It’s a memoir of a young, reckless chick with a dead-beat job chasing shoplifters, who was saved by learning to cook in a run-down diner on a tropical island.

I love Zinsser, his “Writing About Your Life,” and “Inventing The Truth,” are superb books, in addition, of course, to your recommendation. Also, Judith Barrington, “Writing The Memoir: From Truth to Art,” is another gem.

I love seeing the other one sentence memoir ideas. Thanks for posting this, Writing memoir is truly like going on a quest.

August 29, 2012 at 10:41 am

Oh this sounds good! I can relate. I love the young & reckless protagonist with a dead beat job in a run down diner on an island. I would totally read that.

August 29, 2012 at 12:14 pm

Beth, You’re too kind. Thanks. I’m gearing up to continue where I left off from January and my goal is to have a book proposal by next spring. Next month I’m going to KY Womens Writer Conference for a memoir seminar. Will you be there, by any chance? There are some great speakers, including Ruth Reichl, as keynote speaker. It’s in Lexington, KY. I’m assuming your blog is local milk? Let me know. Thanks again for the encouragement. You, too, have quite the story to tell.

August 29, 2012 at 8:47 pm

This is the first I’ve heard of it! Ruth Reichl for free…. if I have the time I will absolutely be there. Besides I would relish the opportunity to spend a little time in Lexington eating and taking photos! I don’t, at this juncture, even know what a book proposal would entail. Currently I’m simply working on finding my voice again after all those years of not being able to write. It’s hard to know who you are as a person after all of that, much less as a writer, which is hard to know no matter what your story is!

August 29, 2012 at 11:37 am

It takes a really long time to write memoir, because you need to see what you have and untangle and shape it, so I’m not surprised.

You have good credentials. For agents and editors, it’s more about the storytelling.

I like the second working title. It’s intriguing. Also I like your one-sentence description for the same reason.

Thanks for the recommendation about Judith Barrington’s book. It’s one I don’t have.

August 29, 2012 at 12:06 pm

Thanks Dianne, I wonder if the professional chefs, like Hamilton, write their own or collaborate with a ghost writer? Do you know? I really enjoyed Blood, Bones & Butter, btw.

August 30, 2012 at 9:30 am

I’m pretty sure Hamilton and Bourdain wrote their own books, but I suspect that the rest used ghostwriters.

August 29, 2012 at 11:41 am

This post is so fortuitous. I had a eureka moment and thought of what I want to write as a memoir 🙂 I’ve been on the look out for some stuff to help me with the process as honestly I do not know how to go about it (Though I have a working title, some chapters outlined and notes already)

My memoir would be about my love story with Dubai: hating, loving and, of course, eating in the City of Gold / the Las Vegas of the Middle East as a discriminated majority, an Asian. I noticed and read of stories from Westerners and native Middle Easterners, but none from Asians 🙁 I feel that our side of the story has to be revealed on paper to the rest of the world.

Would you read something like this? Any one?

August 29, 2012 at 12:29 pm

Yes, I would Didi. I would love to know about the culture and food world of Dubai.

August 30, 2012 at 9:08 pm

Thanks Maureen! Good to know that somehow that is an interest level in the idea 🙂

August 30, 2012 at 9:23 am

An interesting angle, Didi. It sounds like you have figured out the bones of it. The hard part is to write it! I like the Asian angle to the story. Definitely there’s not enough writing on that topic.

August 30, 2012 at 9:12 pm

Thanks Dianne! Yup its a story that somehow never made it out into the open. And agree that an idea only remains to be idea unless one works on it. I know the only way to start is to write! Outlined some chapters already based on interesting stories I’ve experienced and am finishing a chapter this weekend 😉

August 29, 2012 at 12:02 pm

I, too, consider this post fortuitous because I am right in the middle of writing a memoir. I have a B.A. in Writing and Literature but I only recently fulfilled my dream of going to culinary school. The thing is, I enrolled at the age of 42, which meant that my perpective, and perhaps even my motives, were different than most culinary students, who are in their 20s. I wasn’t the only “older” student in the class, but I wanted to tell of my experience.

This is all easier than done because tying classroon experience with emotions, psychology, physical wellness, and other issues is complicated. Add to that other writing projects and it can be an overwhelming task. But I am determined to finish it . I’m aiming for 6 months.

So many career changers who are older enter culinary school now. I think a lot of people could relate to your experience.

August 29, 2012 at 12:46 pm

Those of you who want to write a memoir reflecting your experiences with food in a foreign country–go for it! Books on iInternational cuisine and culture are HOT these days. I think you would definitely have a winner. 🙂

August 30, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Thanks Roberta. They are particularly hot as cookbooks, the food interpreted for others like us.

August 30, 2012 at 12:51 am

I agree that a book length food memoir has great potential to be a tedious read, but as a short form, food memoirs are fabulous. My blog http://kosherhomecooking.com is a collection of mini food memoirs but if you want to read the best of the best (sorry, that isn’t me) try Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking and it’s hysterical too.

August 30, 2012 at 9:32 am

Laurie Colwin’s books are among my favorites. They don’t neatly fit into cookbooks and they aren’t quite memoir, but her voice is very strong. People treasure her intimacy, humor, kindness, and expertise.

August 30, 2012 at 8:54 am

What an interesting way to showcase a family’s history – a food memoir ! I’ve had some story lines in mind, they are so true to life, and will mirror both the positive and the negative anecdotes of our family. If I write some of these true to life stories, it will surely get the ire of my relatives. But thanks for giving me something to think about !

August 30, 2012 at 9:35 am

Elizabeth, yes, I know what you mean. Memoirs tend to be positive and leave most of the negative parts out, especially those about food. Even when Reichl wrote about her dotty mother in Tender to the Bone, it was endearing.

September 1, 2012 at 9:59 pm

You’ve got me thinking about that Chocolate memoir i started writing and then shelved…hmmm! Where to pick up the pieces?…

September 2, 2012 at 9:29 am

Take it down from the shelf. That’s a start, anyway.

September 5, 2012 at 6:41 pm

Alone in Italy again…1972 asleep in a damp Napoli pensione and dear Roberto died…now it is 2012…who did blow up the USO? Reflections from an aging, all-American girl with an Alsatian palate!

September 5, 2012 at 8:18 pm

A little confusing, but also intriguing.

September 7, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Dianne, you know I have been pondering – and scratching bits and pieces of – a memoir, but the more I think about it and discuss it and jot down notes, the more I realize that it isn’t about food at all. Well, food saved me many times, but what started as a food memoir has grown into something bigger and more important. I think writing down ideas and chapters helps each of us clarify what we are trying to say and really what needs to be said. I have read many memoirs and food memoirs, some excellent, some lousy and others simply okay. But each one I read helps me clarify my own a bit more. Thanks for a great post!

September 8, 2012 at 6:32 pm

No food at all? Hmm. Well, that’s fine of course. But you can tell a good story through food too. You said “something bigger and more important.” That’s intriguing, but also, the bigger it gets, the harder it is to wrap your arms around what it’s about and the more overwhelming it gets to write. Just sayin.

September 24, 2012 at 12:44 am

Nice post – and advice – Dianne. I recently started my blog and most of my posts, to my surprise, have been about food, or rather how closely food is connected to my Italian-Australian upbringing. The more posts I write, the more I remember anecdotes about things that seemed trivial at the time, but now seem to reflect my late father’s personality and my aged mother’s peccadilloes. I’ve also been involved with film festivals for many years, so some film segues have found their way in too.

September 24, 2012 at 1:08 am

Sounds like a fascinating story to me! Especially the film segues.

September 24, 2012 at 1:14 am

Thanks Dianne. Not sure I know who my audience is yet, but working on it! I notice that you’ll be presenting at a food bloggers’ conference in Adelaide in November. Sounds great, but it’s fully subscribed. Are you coming to Sydney?

October 3, 2012 at 10:24 pm

Tossing aside a successful, albeit staid, career as an English teacher, I convinced my principal to allow me to teach cooking to 240 at-risk, urban middle school students sans funding, a kitchen, or running water; we are in year three and expanding.

October 4, 2012 at 9:14 am

That sounds like a good story, especially if you incorporate those of the at-risk youths.

October 6, 2014 at 6:00 pm

Hi there, I am a student currently in Tasmania and I am lost in an attempt to write a memoir. I want it to be about my life journey. I have been travelling to many countries since I was a child and picking up different food memories and leaving people behind. Coming from a traditional Nepalese family , where food is everything yet I was not allowed to pursue a career in it due to class differences in Nepal. Now that I have travelled the world I don’t have the thinking of a traditional nepalese girl but how do i convey that in a memoir??

October 7, 2014 at 1:29 pm

If I understand you correctly, you still need to connect with your younger self and remember who she was. You are looking back on your old self in a memoir, with compassion and insight. Does that make sense?

June 3, 2019 at 12:58 pm

It is two sentences and not one…

After a career in the military, a middle-aged man continues to be of service to others and creates a second life through food. As he sorts his way through drinking, depression, and meeting a train head-on, he decides to leave the restaurant he built, delve into self-care, and regain his motivation in a life beyond the stove.

June 4, 2019 at 9:24 am

Good start. I got it down to 1 sentence:

A middle-aged man sorts his way through drinking and depression to leave the restaurant he built, regaining a life beyond the stove.

June 4, 2019 at 2:18 pm

Thank you for your time and your feedback. The idea of writing the concept in a single sentence is what I needed to to get clarity and focus. Thank you.

June 5, 2019 at 9:57 am

You’re welcome. It’s easier when someone else does it!

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Food Memoirs Essay - Free Essay Example - Edubirdie
In this memoir essay, I will take you on a personal journey through my own food memories, exploring the flavors, aromas, and experiences that have shaped my relationship with food. From the comforting meals of my childhood to the transformative tastes of travel, these food memoirs have become a testament to the power of culinary experiences in ...
Food Memoir: Examples of a Memoir Paper and Free Essay Example
Feb 16, 2024 · A food memoir is a personal account of someone's relationship with food, written in the form of a memoir. ... Search for essay samples now. Please enter something ...
10 Best Food Memoirs & Narratives
Mar 13, 2015 · Michael Ruhlman's memoir Making of a Chef about his training at the CIA was a real page turner for me. And Laurie Colwin is never far away from my nightstand. Lora Brody is a sadly under appreciated food writer who has published many books of memoirs and essays about food, cooking, and family.
Food To Feed One’s Soul: [Essay Example], 1007 words
Oct 2, 2020 · The overall insight of this memoir is that food, no matter how small, can bring joy and significance to one’s life. This is displayed throughout the memoir by showing how Menudo has helped cure Gonzalez’s hangover. Details such as describing the hangover as a “big mescal death”, emphasize how bad the hangover was.
How to Write a Food Memoir? (9 Tips With Examples)
Dec 18, 2022 · Receiving criticism from others helps you hone your skills to produce the level of writing excellence that will make you a household name in food writing. Best food memoir examples. Food isn’t just a means of survival, but it’s also how we experience pleasure, suffering, love, and humor. An excellent food memoir addresses the valid reasons ...
20 tasty and tantalizing food memoirs – Modern Mrs Darcy
Jun 10, 2020 · Today’s list contains food memoirs from chefs, home-cooks, and food critics. Perhaps one of these titles will inspire you to cook up a feast—or savor some delicious takeout. Much like your favorite meal, these food memoirs are sure to entertain, inspire, and comfort. Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details ...
"Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why ...
Nov 12, 2024 · The Food Memoir as Multicultural Literature Food memoirs also serve as powerful multicultural texts, providing insight into how food traditions bridge cultural divides. For example, through detailed descriptions of traditional ceremonies and festive meals, authors like Leslie Li and Elizabeth Ehrlich invite readers into Chinese and Jewish ...
Food Memoir | Catherine - Boston University
Paper 2: Food Love and Sex (Draft with Peer Review) Paper 2: Food, Love and Sex (Final) Scene Analysis; Paper 3 (Final Version) Paper 3: Choices in Super 88 (Final) Writing Exercises. Food Memoir; The Supermarket: Prime Real Estate; Self-Assessment (Introductory Essay) Other. Analysis Assignment; Cross-Cultural Journal; Oral Presentation ...
Go On a Quest: Write a Food Memoir
Aug 28, 2012 · How to Write Your Memoir — An essay in O magazine by a beautiful literary writer. Now, a writing exercise: The ability to boil a book idea down to one sentence can’t be underestimated because it forces you to be concise and specific. If you have a memoir idea, try writing the concept in one sentence, in the comments here.
Food Memoir Essay Example For FREE - New York Essays
New York Essays - database with more than 65.000 college essays for A+ grades Check out this FREE essay on Food Memoir ️ and use it to write your own unique paper. Free Essays

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How to Write a Food Memoir? (9 Tips With Examples)

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2 – Drive the narrative with conflict

3 – Don’t be a perfectionist!

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6 – Try various writing styles!

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20 tasty and tantalizing food memoirs

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen

Life, on the Line: A Chef’s Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat

Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris

The Comfort Food Diaries: My Quest for the Perfect Dish to Mend a Broken Heart

My Berlin Kitchen

The Language of Baklava: A Memoir

Yes, Chef: A Memoir

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir

A Homemade Life

Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness

Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life Of A Critic In Disguise

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Orchard House: How a Neglected Garden Taught One Family to Grow

The Sweet Life In Paris: Delicious Adventures In The World’s Most Perplexing City

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India

My Life in France

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

Kitchen Confidential

Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking

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“Food Memoirs: What They Are, Why They Are Popular, and Why They Belong in the Literature Classroom” by Barbara Frey Waxman: Summary and Critique

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