Food for Thought

Peter Ganim's beautiful and moving narration reveals moments of horror, heartbreak, joy, and inspiration as a young boy learns lessons about food and applies them to life. Ganim’s narration of Eric Ripert’s memoir artfully conveys the mosaic of intense emotions experienced by Ripert as a boy who endured traumas such as the divorce of his parents and mistreatment at the hands of... Read More

Ina Garten narrates with the same precision, charm, poise, and irreverence exhibited on her "Barefoot Contessa" television productions. That same independent woman people know from her food preparation shows on Food Network spins quite the tale. Her philosophy has been to make quick decisions and "dive in"--figuring it all out later. Raised by exceptionally strict parents, she... Read More

Food and travel writing mingle in this fine collection. Padma Lakshmi's introduction, narrated by Soneela Nankani, is much more than a standard intro. Nankani shines in her sensitive and captivating performance of Lakshmi's very personal story of meeting with her estranged father in India. The excellent Eunice Wong reads Marion Bull's "Orange Is the New Yolk" with wit and a... Read More

Celebrated chef Erin French shares glimpses of her Maine past and the familial roots of her favorite recipes, as well as ideas and temptations from her renowned restaurant, The Lost Kitchen. Her recitations of her recipes are both engaging and perfectly paced. One could cook while listening, though the recipes are handily indexed at the end. Interspersed are unscripted chats... Read More

Famed chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s memoir glows with sincerity. Her story reveals the path that led her to create Prune, a revered New York City restaurant known for comfort food prepared to gourmet standards. As narrator, Hamilton perhaps understates the wild, courageous, and complex roots of her own life. After the breakup of her family, she had a brief bout of juvenile... Read More

The tempo of the musical introduction establishes the upbeat tone in this celebration of soul food. Narrator, author, and chef Carla Hall brings out the rich tastes, texture, and history of these recipes for every day and celebrations. She infuses heart and soul into her explanations of the origins of soul food, which is steeped in African-American history, and details how she... Read More

Nigella Lawson exuberantly narrates her latest cookbook, sharing her passion for food and cooking. Lawson's background as a chef, food writer, and TV personality all come into play in this well-rounded audiobook. Each chapter's long introduction has Lawson displaying her love of food in lushly expressive language. Listeners will be clamoring to try her recipes after the first... Read More

Many of today's master chefs can trace their enchantment with the culinary arts to the iconic Julia Child—and her liberating pronouncement that fresh, wholesome fine dining can and should be crafted at home. Spitz's biography captures the lively spirit and ancestral origins of a woman who transformed kitchen drudgery into enlightened American meals. Kimberly Farr has the sense... Read More

For listeners who hunger for presidential trivia or who love food or history, this book on presidents and their food will be a treat. Narrator Pat Grimes serves up heaping helpings of fun facts and delectable details about presidential favorites ranging from George Washington's squirrel stew to Donald Trump's fast food. Grimes offers a solid narration. His voice is generally... Read More

UK-born-and-bred author Fuchsia Dunlop adds zest to her ardent narration of her epicurean adventures around China and the history of Chinese food. A year-long academic scholarship in Sichuan, China, led to an invitation to study at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine. Her acceptance, which stemmed from a love of food, cooking, and a desire to spend more time in the city,... Read More

Narrator Henri Lubatti embodies the celebrated chef Jacques Pépin's gusto for life in this charming and warm memoir. As Pépin shares culinary history and memories of family meals and animated dinner parties, Lubatti provides an authentic-sounding portrayal of him. Not only is Lubatti's French accent spot-on, but he also captures Pépin's pacing, intonations, and undeniable... Read More

Chef Michael Twitty's candid and warm style allows his intimate memoir to excel as an audiobook. Far more than an autobiography, KOSHERSOUL is a revealing account of Twitty's lifelong journeys--as a Black man, as a Jew, and as a gay man--and how those worlds have united and clashed. Twitty's style is engaging, and he narrates in a tone that embraces listeners and invites them... Read More

If you've never been to Los Angeles, then chef Roy Choi's memoir is a great substitute. It's as much about place as it is about Choi's formative years. He takes you through the streets, communities, and cuisines of this eclectic city. Choi is confident, assured, and hilarious. This is a listening experience that mixes humor, Korean history, and a love of food. Beware! Choi will... Read More

The star of the TV food and travel show “No Reservations” is passionate about many delectable topics. As the narrator of his own work, Bourdain’s enthusiasm is profoundly authentic. His performance demonstrates the joy of sharing his wit and insights on the ethics of the restaurant and food industry, chef and food writer heroes and villains, fatherhood, modern gastronomic... Read More

What if your dream to open a fine dining restaurant came true and then died as it closed three months later? Kwame Onwuachi is memoirist turned narrator. His style is characterized by an unblinking honesty through which he reveals the story behind one of the most talked about new restaurants in Washington, DC. Onwuachi's indignation at the restaurant industry, and chronicle of... Read More

Marcus Samuelsson narrates his incredible story of emigrating from Ethiopia, growing up in Sweden, and becoming a master chef and owner of the renowned Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem. Samuelsson and some guests take us by the ear into a seven-day experience of his kitchen as they prepare food and chat about life. In this audio original, the soundscapes of Harlem fill the... Read More

Narrator Paul Bellantoni has a fine delivery and a rich tone. He ably narrates this witty audiobook. His pace allows the many stories of Italian-American/American-Italian food to stay with the listener. The work is part celebration of the traditional checkered tablecloth spaghetti-and-meatball joints that were common in the U.S. for decades and part revelation of the origins of... Read More

Fermentation expert Sandor Katz’s hearty voice punctuates Lori Prince’s overall narration of this picture book. It’s a biography of Katz, who moved to a “community of queer folk” in Tennessee in search of a healthy life after his HIV diagnosis. He has become famous for his recipes for fermented foods. The titular “tiny wild”—the microbes that make the culinary magic—swirl as... Read More

Like her lively writing, Ruth Reichl's performance is inviting and engaging. Reichl's latest memoir is a juicy account of her decade as the editor in chief of the fabled culinary magazine GOURMET. Her fans will be happy to discover that, once again, she narrates her own work, and new listeners are in for a treat. Her clear affection for her co-workers, her passion for food and... Read More

Anyone who likes to cook will be inspired to get into the kitchen after listening to this audio program. One of the original food bloggers and creator of the beloved Smitten Kitchen website, Deb Perelman narrates this companion to her newest cookbook, SMITTEN KITCHEN KEEPERS. She reads the head notes for selected recipes, then extemporizes with further tips, notes, and... Read More

Soon Stanley Tucci may be as famous as a food writer as he is as an actor. A nuanced narrator who plays with tone and tempo like a jazz musician, he knows how to be ironic, self-effacing, witty, and charming, yet his performance is most satisfying because of his restraint. Often he describes a dish as simply “delicious” rather than extolling its virtues. Happily, this candid... Read More

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who has achieved fame for his restaurants, television shows, and five James Beard Awards, turns his considerable energy to his memoir. Happily, he turned the narration over to Will Damron, who knows how to tell a story and is especially good at capturing the rhythms of the kitchen and the ways of the chef. Damron brings this food-centered story... Read More

Marcus Samuelsson's memoir conveys both his journey through world-class cuisine and his journey from humble and tragic Ethiopian beginnings to success in the U.S. Samuelsson passionately narrates his own work, which paints a lively palette of food and recipes and, with candor, depicts his ambition and triumphs, as well as the challenges and hardships he faced. From Ethiopia, he... Read More