Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
Who Would Like This Book:
If you love beautifully crafted writing - and food that's described with the kind of reverence usually reserved for poetry - this memoir is for you. Gabrielle Hamilton's story is raw, fierce, and endlessly fascinating, stretching from a wild, unsupervised youth to her rise as a chef-owner of NYC’s Prune. The memoir is packed with mouthwatering food memories, glimpses into the restaurant world, and a candid reflection on building family (even if it looks unconventional). Food lovers, memoir junkies, and anyone drawn to stories of grit, resilience, and truly lived-in lives will find a lot to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Those hoping for a straightforward chef's memoir with behind-the-scenes restaurant tales may be thrown by the book’s heavy focus on personal relationships and emotional turmoil. Some readers struggled with Hamilton’s prickly, sometimes abrasive personality, and her tendency to gloss over big life transitions. Others found the latter part of the book - diving deep into her marriage - to be less captivating (or even a bit exhausting) compared to the vibrant food-focused sections. If you’re sensitive to self-absorption, unresolved family drama, or are seeking an uplifting finale, you might not fully enjoy the ride.
About:
Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton is a memoir that takes readers on a journey through the author's life, focusing on her experiences related to food and cooking. Hamilton shares candidly about her upbringing, her struggles, her successes, and her journey to becoming a renowned New York chef. The book is described as a mix of food writing, personal reflection, and storytelling, providing a glimpse into the world of kitchens and the challenges and triumphs of building a life around food.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings may include themes of family dysfunction, divorce, substance abuse, and some graphic descriptions regarding food preparation.
From The Publisher:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Miami Herald
Newsday
The Huffington Post
Financial Times
GQ
Slate
Men's Journal
Washington Examiner
Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
National Post
The Toronto Star
BookPage
Bookreporter
Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years: the rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with an oily wooden spoon in hand; the kitchens of France, Greece, and Turkey, where she was often fed by complete strangers and learned the essence of hospitality; Hamilton's own kitchen at Prune, with its many unexpected challenges; and the kitchen of her Italian mother-in-law, who serves as the link between Hamilton's idyllic past and her own future family-the result of a prickly marriage that nonetheless yields lasting dividends. By turns epic and intimate, Gabrielle Hamilton's story is told with uncommon honesty, grit, humor, and passion.
Features a new essay by Gabrielle Hamilton at the back of the book
Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more.
Ratings (7)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (2) | |
Liked It (1) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (19):
Read It (7) | |
Want To Read (5) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (6) |
1 comment(s)
She's not always likeable but few people really are. She is a good writer and a good cook. There is a certain arrogance that shines thru in this book. That shines thru a lot of ambitious people. Be they in the arts or in business.. If you like the bluntness of Anthony Bourdain you will like this book.
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Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef?
About the Author:
Gabrielle Hamilton is the chef/owner of Prune restaurant in New York's East Village. She received an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, GQ, Bon Appétit, Saveur, and Food & Wine. Hamilton has also authored the 8-week Chef Column in The New York Times, and her work has been anthologized in six volumes of Best Food Writing. She has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and the Food Network, among other television. She lives in Manhattan with her two sons.
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