Today, I'm happy to be hosting a stop for Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit by Jessica Tom. This debut published by William Morrow is to the New York dining scene what The Devil Wears Prada was for the fashion scene. It demands a visceral response, both with some really vivid, sensual discussion of food and fashion, but also because of main character Tia's efforts to figure out her post-university life.
Check out the other stops on the tour at Tasty Book Tours.
Food
whore (n.) A
person who will do anything for food.
Food Whore is an experience. A New York City experience as I, in my suburban home, imagine it to be. The story, and thus the language, relies on the New York food scene, as well as an understanding and appreciation for fashion. The author, Jessica Tom, has mined her own background to great effect.
For me to enjoy Food Whore, I had to read in a way that isn't my default mode. Normally, I like to read for pure entertainment. I like to laugh and I like to swoon, and I like happy endings. This isn't to say that I can't enjoy something more complex, nor to say that something more complex can't have those components. But Food Whore was not an easy story for me. There were sections that had me wincing for various characters, waiting for the train wreck I assumed was around the corner. I found some parts quite sour, others bittersweet. (Yeah, that's the extent of my foodie writing ability. Basic components of taste.) These are things you can enjoy in a cerebral way, but that leave a less positive emotional residue. Frankly, I thought it was fitting for a book that revels in sophisticated food in ways that I think the average person does not.
So did I like this book? Ultimately, yes. The writing is immediate, sensual, and at times, really raw. Main character Tia is vulnerable and naive. She's blinded sometimes by her own motives and ambitions, and does a lot of 'what can a little more hurt,' to which I always wanted to shout that it doesn't matter how you cross the line, whether it's all at once or by slowly shuffling past.
The story flew for me, I had to see it out once I picked up the book. I think the comparisons to The Devil Wears Prada are apt, except that I sympathized much less with Tia. In fact, I did find Food Whore a little lacking on heart, which is, perhaps, fair given the story that it's telling. And perhaps Tia will seem more sympathetic to other readers. There's a certain superficiality to the world she's engaged in, even within the restaurant family, that was a bit of turn-off for me. Her connections with other people seem pretty shallow for the most part, which is perhaps due to the nature of her double life, but somehow also work for this story. While I wanted a bit more depth here, it did seem somehow fitting for this story of ambition and deceit.
I did come away from the book with a huge amount of respect for people who work in the restaurant industry. It doesn't seem like easy work, requiring both adaptability and intelligence to keep up with all the moving parts. I was also inspired by the descriptions of food to really consider the importance of food. I never eat at the kinds of restaurants featured in Food Whore, but the book makes it clear that this means missing out on some of the best things about food and the entire experience.
Bottom Line
Food Whore is an incredible debut from author Jessica Tom. There's a voyeuristic thrill in peeking through this window into the New York restaurant scene, while the main story arc may have the reader covering their eyes or perhaps, craning their necks to see what happens when it all hits the fan, as it were.
4.5 stars
For fans of good food, good clothes, New York
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The Book
Full of wit and
mouth-watering cuisines, Jessica Tom’s debut novel offers a clever insider take
on the rarefied world of New York City’s dining scene in the tradition of The
Devil Wears Prada meets Kitchen Confidential.
Food
whore (n.) A
person who will do anything for food.
When Tia Monroe moves to
New York City, she plans to put herself on the culinary map in no time. But
after a coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another young
food lover in the big city.
But when Michael Saltz, a
legendary New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending
secret—that he’s lost his sense of taste—everything changes. Now he wants Tia
to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her
lavish meals, a bottomless cache of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a
lifetime. Out of prospects and determined to make it, Tia agrees.
Within weeks, Tia’s world
transforms into one of luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an
unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of
it…until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit.
As her secret identity begins to crumble and the veneer of extravagance wears
thin, Tia is forced to confront what it means to truly succeed—and how far
she’s willing to go to get there.
Food Whore is available now!
For me to enjoy Food Whore, I had to read in a way that isn't my default mode. Normally, I like to read for pure entertainment. I like to laugh and I like to swoon, and I like happy endings. This isn't to say that I can't enjoy something more complex, nor to say that something more complex can't have those components. But Food Whore was not an easy story for me. There were sections that had me wincing for various characters, waiting for the train wreck I assumed was around the corner. I found some parts quite sour, others bittersweet. (Yeah, that's the extent of my foodie writing ability. Basic components of taste.) These are things you can enjoy in a cerebral way, but that leave a less positive emotional residue. Frankly, I thought it was fitting for a book that revels in sophisticated food in ways that I think the average person does not.
So did I like this book? Ultimately, yes. The writing is immediate, sensual, and at times, really raw. Main character Tia is vulnerable and naive. She's blinded sometimes by her own motives and ambitions, and does a lot of 'what can a little more hurt,' to which I always wanted to shout that it doesn't matter how you cross the line, whether it's all at once or by slowly shuffling past.
The story flew for me, I had to see it out once I picked up the book. I think the comparisons to The Devil Wears Prada are apt, except that I sympathized much less with Tia. In fact, I did find Food Whore a little lacking on heart, which is, perhaps, fair given the story that it's telling. And perhaps Tia will seem more sympathetic to other readers. There's a certain superficiality to the world she's engaged in, even within the restaurant family, that was a bit of turn-off for me. Her connections with other people seem pretty shallow for the most part, which is perhaps due to the nature of her double life, but somehow also work for this story. While I wanted a bit more depth here, it did seem somehow fitting for this story of ambition and deceit.
I did come away from the book with a huge amount of respect for people who work in the restaurant industry. It doesn't seem like easy work, requiring both adaptability and intelligence to keep up with all the moving parts. I was also inspired by the descriptions of food to really consider the importance of food. I never eat at the kinds of restaurants featured in Food Whore, but the book makes it clear that this means missing out on some of the best things about food and the entire experience.
Bottom Line
Food Whore is an incredible debut from author Jessica Tom. There's a voyeuristic thrill in peeking through this window into the New York restaurant scene, while the main story arc may have the reader covering their eyes or perhaps, craning their necks to see what happens when it all hits the fan, as it were.
4.5 stars
For fans of good food, good clothes, New York
About the Author
Jessica Tom is a writer and
food blogger living in Brooklyn. She has
worked on initiatives with restaurants, hospitality startups, food trucks, and
citywide culinary programs. Jessica attended Yale University and graduated with
a concentration in fiction writing, studying three years under Amy Bloom. She
brings a wide variety of food experience to her writing. You can connect with
her at jessicatom.com; and @jessicatom
Great review!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours