Good Taste: A Life of Food and Passion

by Alain Ducasse, Polly Mackintosh (Translator), Jay McInerney (Introduction)

A memoir and manifesto from the world’s most Michelin starred chef, Alain Ducasse, with introductions by internationally renowned writer Jay McInerney and chef Clare Smyth.  At twelve years old, Alain Ducasse had never been to a restaurant. Less than fifteen years later, he received his first Michelin star. Today he is one of just two chefs to have been awarded twenty-one stars.  Now, for the very first time, Ducasse shares a lifetime of culinary inspirations and passions in a book that is part memoir and part manifesto. Good Taste takes us on a journey from his childhood, where he picked mushrooms with his grandfather on a farm in Les Landes, to setting up groundbreaking schools and restaurants across the world. He is now taking off his chef’s whites and passing on what he knows to the next generation.  Ducasse writes a poignant ode to the humble vegetables that have inspired his entire cuisine and to the masters that guided him along the way, from Paris to New York to Tokyo. As he looks to the future, he reflects on just what ‘good taste’ means.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do you become a great chef? How do you develop a taste so fine that you can tell if butter was made by hand from cows grazing near the barn or with a mixer from cows grazing far away instead? This autobiography provides few answers but many examples of how taste is cultivated and refined, how it is expanded and differentiated.
There are no recipes in this book, but certainly many insights.

Come si diventa dei grandi chef? Come si sviluppa un gusto cosí fine da poter capire se il burro é stato fatto a mano da mucche che pascolano vicino alla stalla o con il mixer da mucche che pascolano invece lontano? Questa autobiografie fornisce poche risposte ma molti esempi di come si coltiva e si affina il gusto, come si amplia e si differenzia.
Non ci sono ricette in questo libro, ma sicuramente molti spunti.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Juliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My memories are of the vegetable garden, the surrounding forest, our modest lifestyle and the simple food the land offered us. […] It was there on the farm that my first tastes were formed, there that the seeds of my life were sown. It is my native land.” In Alain Ducasse’s Good Taste, translated by Polly Mackintosh, the chef with the joint highest number of Michelin stars writes of his upbringing and introduction to cooking, leading us through his journey into the world of fine-dining and his conception of a cuisine of “naturality”. Ducasse’s enthusiasm for both his work and the rawest materials of it — the chefs he trains, the produce and growers the whole system depends on — is palpable, infectious. “In this magnificent countryside, there is a different relationship between people and produce. I savour every minute of it.” “It is about being a part of history, for objects to acquire the patina of time and create places that are lived in. It is the same for the kitchens, dishes and moments we have created that are preserved in memory and speak of an encounter, a moment, an emotion, an inspiration and a tenaciousness.” It is an unusual mix of life-writing, food-writing, and business-writing, all the more enjoyable for that. It also benefits from entertaining openers from Jay McInerney and Clare Smyth, who calls Ducasse “in many ways, the grand conductor of his orchestra.” In Ducasse’s own words: “This is not a book of memories, nor […] of recipes. It is a different way of sharing the emotion conjured by a meal, a dish, a taste; of defining something ineffable; of telling a story; of evoking fleeting pleasures and engraving them within us.”

[Gill Mackintosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a short book, so I finished it quite quickly and am now rereading it; partly because I feel I didn't do justice to the first few chapters and partly because the chapters are written under subject matter, rather than chronology - something I found a bit confusing and needed to understand better.

Having re read it I would give it a cautious 4 star for fulfilling its description; it is indeed a manifesto - full of passion, innovation, single mindedness and commitment, and these qualities shine through on every page. Not being a 'foodie', it was fascinating getting inside the brain of one whose whole life has been dominated by a quest for excellence in terms of quality, flavour and technique. His ability to seek out the best in everything amazed me, as well as his constant dedication to experimentation, learning and educating others. At first I thought he came across as arrogant, but by the time I'd finished I realised that he's just someone who speaks plainly about himself and his achievements [and, notably, his failures], just as he compliments and promotes others.

Again, I would say that I struggled with all the names and date shifts and I would've liked to hear a few more anecdotes and seen more photos. From this point of view I'd give it a 3 star. I could've done with an 'Alain Ducasse Timeline'! He's obviously got a partner and children, but where [and how?!] did they fit in? No mention at all.

I think that it was just the right length. Anything longer would've been hard to keep reading owing to the continuous stream of names and - for me - lack of 'person' behind the passion.

[Jack Starkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.8. Great overview of Alain Ducasse’s philosophy told through the lens of his life - there are parts where it feels somewhat too self indulgent, and the emphasis on importance of development is somewhat ironic given the price point of fine dining. Nevertheless, a delightful read.

[Ebru Eltemur · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can finish this book in one sitting. It’s not necessarily a memoir or anything, but moreso a one sided conversation about Ducasse’s passions, dreams, professional journey and his culinary references.

[Liisi]

it is quite inspirational book that made me at least to wanting to know more about Alain Ducasse.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Alain Ducasse’s life and work, as well as his guiding philosophy. Thought-provoking, if less developed than what I would’ve liked. Solid short read

[JH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly short book of a man eager to summarize his life and vision. Interesting read. I am sure his life has many anecdotes worth expanding, yet this is not the book for these.