My Place at the Table: A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris
Until Alec Lobrano landed a job in the glamorous Paris office of Women’s Wear Daily,
his main experience of French cuisine was the occasional supermarket
éclair. An interview with the owner of a renowned cheese shop for his
first article nearly proves a disaster because he speaks no French. As
he goes on to cover celebrities and couturiers and improves his mastery
of the language, he gradually learns what it means to be truly French.
He attends a cocktail party with Yves St. Laurent and has dinner with
Giorgio Armani. Over a superb lunch, it’s his landlady who ultimately
provides him with a lasting touchstone for how to judge food: “you must
understand the intentions of the cook.” At the city’s brasseries and
bistros, he discovers real French cooking. Through a series of vivid
encounters with culinary figures from Paul Bocuse to Julia Child to Ruth
Reichl, Lobrano hones his palate and finds his voice. Soon the timid
boy from Connecticut is at the epicenter of the Parisian dining
revolution and the restaurant critic of one of the largest newspapers in
France.
A mouthwatering testament to the healing power of food, My Place at the Table
is a moving coming-of-age story of how a gay man emerges from a
wounding childhood, discovers himself, and finds love. Published here
for the first time is Lobrano’s “little black book,” an insider’s guide
to his thirty all-time-favorite Paris restaurants.
Reviews
“A redoubtable restaurant critic and 30-year resident of Paris sets
the table with an enticing menu of memories...Lobrano writes with
mouthwatering elan, dash, and feeling.”—Kirkus
“Lobrano’s story is inspiring, and his prose lush and inviting. Readers will savor every last page.—Publishers Weekly
“Rest assured, there’s never a dull moment in My Place at the Table. It’s a veritable feast of humility, humor and emotion.”—BookPage
“Like so many food-lovers, Alec Lobrano dreamed of a life in Paris. Unlike the rest of us, he made the dream come true. In this warm, delicious, and extremely candid book, he lets us in on all his secrets. Everyone who loves French food will want to read this memoir.” —Ruth Reichl
“A flat-out wonderful read, full of the stories and secrets that make
eating in Paris what we want to be doing right now. Lobrano has a genius
for finding characters at every level of the food chain—the peasant
chef, or the grande dame home cook, or the bistro revolutionary with his
simple, perfect dishes—and for owning up to tasting foods for the first
time and describing them with surprising poetic flair. Reading My Place at the Table on a New York subway, I did something I have never done: I missed my stop.”—Bill Buford, best-selling author of Heat and Dirt
“In this coming-of-age tale, Alec Lobrano chronicles his discovery of
taste during a challenging youth, which led him to emerge as one of the most astute and brilliant writers on French cuisine. Few understand France, and its cuisine, as deeply as Alec, and readers will devour My Place at the Table, which is seasoned
by his sharp humor, a soupçon of heartbreak, and the satisfaction of
triumph, all framed by his reminiscences of delicious dining at Paris’s most lauded tables. This book is truly a recipe for pleasure!—David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen and French Drinks
“Alexander Lobrano's beautiful memoir about finding himself through
writing about food is charming, wise, and often very funny. An American
who has lived in Paris for more than thirty years, he offers fresh insights into French culinary culture.”—Alice Waters
“A long-lasting love story with the French food scene told with wit, verve, and great expertise." —Chef Alain Ducasse
“Lobrano excels in weaving a full and timeless human story with bits of mouthwatering epicureanism. He
elevates food to an essential anchor of memory in a rich and dynamic
human story and shows us that deliciousness, in food and in writing, is
achieved through authenticity, clarity, and vulnerability. This book is
another example of why Alec Lobrano’s voice is so important: His
writing is a meticulous, generous, and joyful affirmation of life.” —Daniel Rose, chef, New York City (Le Coucou) and Paris (Chez la Vieille)
“All I really wanted to do was go to different places to eat, and then
write it all down,” says a young Alexander Lobrano in My Place at the
Table. Thank goodness he followed his appetites, which eventually led
him to Paris, renown as a food critic and now, the author of a memoir
that’s by turns poignant, hilarious, wise, and bravely honest.
Mouth-watering, too. Lobrano writes beautifully about food. But he’s just as adept at mining life’s truths. Lobrano’s debut book is a lovely feast.” —Tom Sietsema, food critic, Washington Post
ALEC LOBRANO
ALEC LOBRANO’s name is virtually synonymous with Paris food. He writes regularly on food and travel for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal,Bon Appétit,Saveur,Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, and many other publications. He writes a regular column on Paris restaurants for France Today, and he is also the French correspondent for Germany’s largest food magazine, Der Feinschmecker. He has appeared on CBS Morning News,TODAY,Chef’s Table, and Iron Chef. He lives in Paris.
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