JEFF GORDINIER, ALLEN & UNWIN, H/B, 39.99
When I read the words ‘Rene Redzepi’ and ‘road trip’ I rolled my eyes at the thought of wading through Moses-on- the-mountaintop-soliloquies on the soul-nurturing ecstasies of foraging. But from the first paragraph, Jeff Gordinier (food and drinks editor of Esquire) had me hooked. This book isn’t just about hunger for food, but for discovery. It’s an adventure in search of the most powerful tastes in the world. Redzepi’s reputation as a hot-tempered taskmaster in the kitchen and a dictator of pure and severe Scandinavian food dissolves in this travelogue and memoir of vivid tastes and flavours. Redzepi’s obsessive and highly creative world runs parallel to Godinier’s own evolution as he immerses himself in pushing the boundaries of food on the heels of a genius. We are also reminded that after all, it’s the chef cooking the food who makes the magic, not the recipe. As the book says, “Take another look, there is so much to eat…” KELLI BRETT