Alice Waters and Chez Panisse: The Romantic, Impractical, Often Eccentric, Ultimately Brilliant Making of a Food Revolution

by Thomas McNamee

Book Overview

The first authorized biography of "the mother of American cooking" (The New York Times) This adventurous book charts the origins of the local "market cooking" culture that we all savor today. When... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594201153
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.4" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

Fine history of fascinating people and a wonderful place to eat

The background and history of Chez Panisse is a grand addition to the good meals I've eaten there over many years. Thanks to the author for capturing the early years with such vitality.

Alice Waters and the food revolution

This is an inspiring and clear-eyed view of the woman who is indisputably linked to the revolution in American cuisine. Before Alice Waters, thinking about organic food, local food, support for small farms, eating seasonal foods, food as essential to a return to civility, did not pervade the collective consciousness of our society. The book paints her, warts and all, breathtakingly well and Alice gets into your mind leaping off the pages to look over your shoulder as you buy and prepare dinner. Her revolution is not about food. It is about life and how to live it. It's a great read.

A terrific bok on many levels

As interesting as this book is about the founding and growth of Chez Panisse and about Alice Water's fascinating life, it's also about the creation and growth of California cuisine and the importance of the local farmer and sustainable ingredients. It's the antidote to Fast food Nation and provides some hope for healthier eating and the value of the small farmer. A terrific read that's wonderfully written.

A must read...

For all food people and especially for non-food people, this is a well-written, pulls no punches, authorized biography of a culinary icon. Her trials, tribulations and triumphs are honestly represented and we get a very fair picture of Alice Waters, her restaurant and what she has stood for since its inception. It brings a huge understanding to the importance of sustainability in our food sources and how America and the world needs to change the way we approach our food, from the farm to the table. A lovely, charming and highly imformative book for anyone who eats!

Not for Foodies only

I've just finished this book and I have to say that it had more in it than I had bargained for when I first picked it up. I knew I wanted to read the story about America's most famous, most influential, and arguably most "important" restaurant, but I was delightfully surprised by two other things about it. First thing, I've never read a story laid out quite like this - the narrative voices (it's kind of an oral history of Chez Panisse but that doesn't really do this book justice) overlap, blend, and harmonize with each other, and that of the writer Thomas McNamee, in a seamless fashion which sweeps the reader along in a way I've never before experienced. Second, I had no real understanding of the value and values of the work of Alice Waters & crew, and how important they are in 21st century America. To take this restaurant from its beginnings as a kind of Mickey-and-Judy "Let's put on a Restaurant" venture all the way through the culinary flowering of our nation in the 80's, 90's and 00's, and to be a leader of the pack the entire time, is quite a feat for Alice. And to end up with her labors on behalf of Slow Food, environmental education, and responsible sustainability... well it's a path I wish more people would travel. Bravo and toques off to Alice Waters, all the staff who have worked at Chez Panisse over the years, and mostly to Thomas McNamee and his publisher who bring us this story which is at once a delight to read and a good message for us to hear.