Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchen

(Hardback)

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Description

From Erin French, owner and chef of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen, comes a life-affirming memoir about survival, renewal and the pleasure of bringing joy to people through food. Erin French grew up barefoot on a 25-acre farm in Maine, fell in love with food as a teenager working the line at her dad's diner and found her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant The Lost Kitchen, tucked into a 19th century mill-now a world-renowned dining destination.

In Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchen, Erin tells her story of multiple rock-bottoms, from medical student to pregnant teen, of survival as a jobless single mother, of pills that promised release but delivered addiction, of a man who seemed to offer salvation but ripped away her very sense of self. And of her son who became her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food-as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of creating community and making something of herself, despite seemingly impossible odds.

Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin French's rollercoaster memoir reveals struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and the passion and courage behind the fairytale success of The Lost Kitchen.

Reviews

A master chef and owner of the destination restaurant The Lost Kitchen, in Freedom, Maine, French overcame addiction and grueling hardship on her way to success. Her memoir tells all.

* New York Times *
"Readers will root for French and will be fascinated by her efforts at survival, redemption, and rejuvenation. Notably heavier on insight and lighter on hubris than the average chef memoir, this will speak to both the brokenhearted and those with kitchen dreams of their own."

* Publishers Weekly *
It is a terrific book. I couldnt put it down... Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchen is a page-turning, tear-provoking recollection of a life that was anything but perfectTalk about a story of resilienceErin French is a life force, a magnet and a mirror for others.

* HARRY SMITH, NBC Today Show *
Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchenis a tale of hard knocks, second chances and a feverish passion for unfancy, joy-inducing food[It] is part of a publishing trend from Anthony BourdainsKitchen Confidentialto Victoria JamessWine Girl that reveals the complex characters who make up the restaurant industry. * SUNDAY TIMES STYLE *
What impresses me most about this book is Erin Frenchs evocative writing about food. She describes it so well you can taste it. * Wall Street Journal *
"Think Wild with whisks and buttery mashed potatoes instead of hiking boots and breathtaking views." * New York Times Book Review *

This is the most unexpected and glorious food memoir you could ever read. Chef Erin French founded the restaurant Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine, where it became one of the most acclaimed (and hardest to book) spots in the food world. However, behind Frenchs success is a tale of a fractured family, a childhood spent working (and observing) in her fathers diner, prescription drugs, an abusive marriage and fighting back from the brink. You will gobble it up.

Author Bio

Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one of the World's Greatest Places by TIME Magazine. Booking is by postcard ballot on the first day of spring with over 20,000 postcards received last season. Erin French has written for The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living and The Wall Street Journal. Her first book, The Lost Kitchen Cookbook, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award and named one of the best 2017 cookbooks by The Washington Post and Vogue. Erin French will host The Lost Kitchen TV show on Joanna and Chip Gaines' new television network, the Magnolia Network, launching in March 2021.