The French Ingredient: Making a Life in Paris One Lesson at a Time; A Memoir

by Jane Bertch

The inspiring and delicious memoir of an American woman who had the gall to open a cooking school in Paris--a true story of triumphing over French naysayers and falling in love with a city along the way

"An engaging, multilayered story of a woman navigating innumerable cultural differences to build a life in Paris and create her dream: to establish a French cooking school."--David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen

When...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593500423
• ISBN13: 9780593500422
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Engaging memoir about starting a cooking school in Paris

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. Of course I wanted to read this – Paris! Food and cooking! A memoir! Combine these delectable ingredients and you have an engaging memoir about an American woman who starts a French cooking school in Paris. Author Jane Bertch explains, “When I first told people I was starting a cooking school, they said, ‘Oh, are you a chef, then?’ I was not – I worked in finance. Nor was I Parisian. Nor was I independently wealthy or experienced in the world of entrepreneurship – let alone entrepreneurship in France. I was nothing. But when you are nothing, you realize that leaves you with the chance to be anything. “I wanted to open a school that offered cooking classes for nonprofessionals – for everyday people who loved to cook, for those who didn’t have months and years to improve their skills, who were in love with France and its food, who wanted more than a trip to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower to remember Paris by.” I enjoyed seeing Jane realize her dream of opening a cooking school in Paris, sharing her experiences of all the ups and downs of bureaucracy and red tape, cultural misunderstandings, financing needs, Covid-19, terrorist attacks, strikes, etc. Her very readable story is a great example of entrepreneurship. Plus, Jane explains, “The school was more than a business for me: It was proof that I belonged, that I could make a life for myself in the city I’d fallen deeply in love with.” Even if you’ve never been to France, Jane’s personal experiences and drive to make the school successful will have you turning the pages. And if you have been to Paris, reading this book will make you feel like you’re back there again. In addition to Jane’s role as a cultural ambassador, she has written a book that she hopes will “inspire people to do whatever you dare to think you can do – despite all the obstacles and doubts. Most important in times when you think you can’t, I hope you see you can.” I have been to Paris several times, and I enjoy reading about this city and other people’s experiences there. The next time I visit, I am definitely going to ‘La Cuisine Paris – Cooking Classes and French Food Tours!’ And I hope to have the opportunity to meet Jane and congratulate her in person - for her successful school and this wonderful book.