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| Title : |
The Last Chinese Chef |
| ISBN : |
9780547053738 |
| Author : |
Nicole Mones |
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0.0 |
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| Content briefing |
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A recently widowed American food writer, Maggie McElroy needs to go to China to settle a paternity claim against her late husband’s estate. Her magazine editor suggests that while in Beijing, she writes an article about Sam Liang, an up-and-coming Chinese-American-Jewish chef, descendant of an impressive culinary lineage of imperial chefs. Sam Liang is engaged in a banquet competition for the highly coveted spot on the Chinese national cooking team for the Beijing Olympics, the “Olympic competition of culture”. He’s also translating a 1925 book The Last Chinese Chef, written by Sam’s grandfather, a chef in the last Emperor’s palace.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Maggie and Sam travel together to the South of China, Shaoxing and Hangzhou, to meet her late husband’s potential daughter and her grand-parents. In Hangzhou, Maggie’s is introduced to Sam’s lively extended family. The two grow closer, and Maggie begins to appreciate not only Sam but also the significance of food in Chinese culture, in social connections or guanxi, and particularly in family relationships.
This is Nicole Mones’ third novel about China (Lost in Translation and A Cup of Light) and once again she displays her extensive knowledge of Chinese culture, and the importance of cuisine in Chinese society, with culinary accomplishments placed on par with other great feats, “our attainment in food is no less than our attainment in philosophy, or art: indeed the three cannot be separated”. The Last Chinese Chef is an engrossing book, with an entertaining plot, colorful secondary characters and mouth-watering meal depictions. A genuine feast.
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