What do you think?
Rate this book
Chef's Table by Lynn Charles
Chef Evan Stanford has climbed the New York City culinary ladder one proper rung at a time, earning himself the Rising Star James Beard award and an executive chef position at one of New York City's favored restaurants in Hell's Kitchen. But in his quest to build his reputation, he's forgotten what got him there; the lessons on food—and life—from a loving neighbor back home in Illinois.Patrick Sullivan lives a contented life in Brooklyn cooking at Johnny's diner, keeping the memory of his grandmother and her Irish cooking alive even in the foods she never taught him to prepare. When Chef Stanford comes into his diner requesting and enjoying one of his grandmother's specialties, he's swept up by Evan's drive, his passion, forcing himself to reconsider if a contented life is a fulfilled one.With much in common, the two men—and Evan's particularly spoiled pug Dini—begin a journey through their culinary histories falling into an easy friendship. Even with the joys of their newfound love, and the guidance and support of friends old and new, can they tap into that secret recipe of great love, great food and transcendent joy?
Unknown Binding
First published December 2, 2014
4 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Charles
12 books63 followersAuthor and rusty musician living in the country, dreaming of the city.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 10, 2018
4.75 stars rounded up
You should hear my deep sigh when I finished this one... it is another exquisitely satisfying read for me. Not much of a complain, thus my 5-stars rating (again, within days, from the same author!)
Yes, there were a couple of times when I thought it was a little dragging but at the same time, I thought it was realistic, and some of Evan's fears resonated with me. Also, it's probably one of the reasons why I don't want to work in a job that is my "passion" because if I lose that passion, it's heartbreaking. Of course, I applaud those people who are doing their passion as their job.
The whole food artistry of it is excellent; an example of what foodie romance supposed to be, I guess.
I love that this story has solid romance that is set even before the third act; Evan loves Patrick, Patrick loves Evan, and there's nothing to challenge it. Then we focus the rest in about making one's dream come true and live that happily ever after.
*SIGH IN SATISFACTION*
You should hear my deep sigh when I finished this one... it is another exquisitely satisfying read for me. Not much of a complain, thus my 5-stars rating (again, within days, from the same author!)
Yes, there were a couple of times when I thought it was a little dragging but at the same time, I thought it was realistic, and some of Evan's fears resonated with me. Also, it's probably one of the reasons why I don't want to work in a job that is my "passion" because if I lose that passion, it's heartbreaking. Of course, I applaud those people who are doing their passion as their job.
The whole food artistry of it is excellent; an example of what foodie romance supposed to be, I guess.
I love that this story has solid romance that is set even before the third act; Evan loves Patrick, Patrick loves Evan, and there's nothing to challenge it. Then we focus the rest in about making one's dream come true and live that happily ever after.
*SIGH IN SATISFACTION*
August 31, 2016
An inconsistent read for me. A wonderful start, with a sweet, slow build. I loved the characters, and loved the food. Then it started to drag and I got a little bored. And then it picked up again...before it got bogged down again.
The characters:
Patrick was a sweetheart who was comfortable in his own skin, happy. He seemed to be right where he wanted to be. Evan was more complex. Sometimes, I couldn't decide if it was inconsistent characterization or just contradictions in his personality, but I think it was just who he was...complicated. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, on and off page, who added a fun element to the story...including Dini :)
Some niggles:
-In the beginning, there might have been a few too many instances of blushing and shyness with the MCs.
-Roger's character felt off to me. The scene where they met him felt stiff and clumsy, not natural like interactions with other characters (and 58 isn't old!).
The relationship:
I liked the friendship the MCs developed, with humor that kept me grinning. They had nice chemistry, although I would have liked more sexual tension. When they did get together, the writing felt a little awkward- not clinical, but it didn't flow as well as other scenes. Maybe it was too much telling? Too much detail? Also, phrases like he giggled low in his chest (isn't that a chuckle?) and Patrick smiled up at him seductively, peeking up through his lashes like a coy minx. (Patrick?) and word choices like squelch tripped me up and took me out of the story.
The story:
Sometimes, I'm in the mood for a gentle story with a slow build. Something tender and romantic. So this should have been perfect for me, but I think there were too many pages for such a story. A story this long needs more conflict or action, something to drive the plot forward, to keep it from dragging. Also, I missed the great secondary characters when they disappeared after we started getting to know them. After a while, I got tired of reading about Patrick and Evan in bed, in the kitchen, and walking the dog. The secondary characters eventually returned, sort of, and the pacing picked up for awhile, but the story still lacked that certain something. The drama surrounding Evan's career wasn't enough, and it dragged on too long.
Side note:
The story Roger told Evan didn't make any sense to me. I have a hard time believing that would have happened...a kitchen left in that state, a bank letting it sit for that long?
The writing:
For the most part, I liked the writing style, but I did have a few issues in addition to what I already mentioned.
-There were many instances of too much telling and summarizing.
-At times it felt like the narrative was getting buried under adjectives, with too much descriptive detail.
-Sometimes, I couldn't figure out who the narrator was. It was like a third person was describing what was happening and I missed getting the MCs thoughts, feelings.
-A lot happened off page, especially later in the story.
-There was a formatting issue with a few quick time jumps that weren't marked. Each time, it pulled me from the story as I had to reread the previous section to see if I missed something. Other time jumps were marked, so I'm guessing some were just missed.
The food:
Some people might not like all the food references, but I loved it, especially in the beginning. I have fantasies about cooking and baking like that, and enjoy reading stories with that as a setting. I did wonder, though, how a cook in a low budget diner could afford to prepare the meals Patrick did with the ingredients he used.
A promising start that kind of fizzled for me, but it was still a nice read, and I'll be watching for more from this author.
The characters:
Patrick was a sweetheart who was comfortable in his own skin, happy. He seemed to be right where he wanted to be. Evan was more complex. Sometimes, I couldn't decide if it was inconsistent characterization or just contradictions in his personality, but I think it was just who he was...complicated. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, on and off page, who added a fun element to the story...including Dini :)
Some niggles:
-In the beginning, there might have been a few too many instances of blushing and shyness with the MCs.
-Roger's character felt off to me. The scene where they met him felt stiff and clumsy, not natural like interactions with other characters (and 58 isn't old!).
The relationship:
I liked the friendship the MCs developed, with humor that kept me grinning. They had nice chemistry, although I would have liked more sexual tension. When they did get together, the writing felt a little awkward- not clinical, but it didn't flow as well as other scenes. Maybe it was too much telling? Too much detail? Also, phrases like he giggled low in his chest (isn't that a chuckle?) and Patrick smiled up at him seductively, peeking up through his lashes like a coy minx. (Patrick?) and word choices like squelch tripped me up and took me out of the story.
The story:
Sometimes, I'm in the mood for a gentle story with a slow build. Something tender and romantic. So this should have been perfect for me, but I think there were too many pages for such a story. A story this long needs more conflict or action, something to drive the plot forward, to keep it from dragging. Also, I missed the great secondary characters when they disappeared after we started getting to know them. After a while, I got tired of reading about Patrick and Evan in bed, in the kitchen, and walking the dog. The secondary characters eventually returned, sort of, and the pacing picked up for awhile, but the story still lacked that certain something. The drama surrounding Evan's career wasn't enough, and it dragged on too long.
Side note:
The story Roger told Evan didn't make any sense to me. I have a hard time believing that would have happened...a kitchen left in that state, a bank letting it sit for that long?
The writing:
For the most part, I liked the writing style, but I did have a few issues in addition to what I already mentioned.
-There were many instances of too much telling and summarizing.
-At times it felt like the narrative was getting buried under adjectives, with too much descriptive detail.
-Sometimes, I couldn't figure out who the narrator was. It was like a third person was describing what was happening and I missed getting the MCs thoughts, feelings.
-A lot happened off page, especially later in the story.
-There was a formatting issue with a few quick time jumps that weren't marked. Each time, it pulled me from the story as I had to reread the previous section to see if I missed something. Other time jumps were marked, so I'm guessing some were just missed.
The food:
Some people might not like all the food references, but I loved it, especially in the beginning. I have fantasies about cooking and baking like that, and enjoy reading stories with that as a setting. I did wonder, though, how a cook in a low budget diner could afford to prepare the meals Patrick did with the ingredients he used.
A promising start that kind of fizzled for me, but it was still a nice read, and I'll be watching for more from this author.
December 5, 2014
Chef Evan Stanford is far more than a just classy chef. He has fulfilled many of his life’s dreams, but feels stuck, with nothing else to shoot for in his mind. When he meets Patrick Sullivan, an Irish-American cook at a Brooklyn diner (think: greasy spoon) who is just a few credits short of being a Culinary Institute graduated pastry chef, there aren’t instant fireworks and hearts and flowers flying. What we get in Chef’s Table is a well-developed love story with two very realistic characters. Their relationship develops over time, with all the stops and starts you’d expect from a couple of men from very different backgrounds, with very different goals and dreams. Watching them merge their separate paths throughout the course of the first half of the book was an emotional journey told as only Charles can.
Did you notice in that last paragraph that I said “first half of the book”? That’s right. The best part of this book for me came after the protagonists got together, because Charles showed what it’s like to live in a relationship with someone over time. There is more to this story than a meet cute and a falling-in-love. Evan and Patrick have to make a go of their relationship. These are adults with adult responsibilities and adult problems, and they have to grow together or they will grow apart. Charles creates this tension masterfully, without clichéd, unnecessary angst. Life brings enough angst of its own, don’t you know? No need to throw in cheating, old flames, or silly arguments. Showing two people living out their lives together in a relationship is not easy, but Charles is a master at it.
Charles also interjects laugh-out-loud humor along the way. My husband literally laughed out loud at a couple of the passages I read for him after I snorted a few too many times while reading before bed. I don’t think I have ever read a book that has made me laugh as hard as this one, as well as brought tears to my eyes. Watch for Rosey and Angel, and Roger, and Dini the dog. Their antics will have you rolling with laughter. And my favorite- the SpongeBob reference.
I am not a foodie. I don’t dine out at fancy restaurants. I don’t cook fancy food or have the entire Williams-Sonoma (or even Pampered Chef) catalog in my kitchen. I get by with family favorites, comfort food, and casseroles. A lot of casseroles. Needless to say, I wasn’t sure at first that I could get into a book about a high-class chef and his kitchen. Thank goodness I was willing to give it a try.
If you are looking for a book filled with clichés and thinly created characters, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a well-written, compelling story with characters you can fall in love with while they are falling for each other? Pick up a copy of Chef’s Table. You won’t regret it.
Did you notice in that last paragraph that I said “first half of the book”? That’s right. The best part of this book for me came after the protagonists got together, because Charles showed what it’s like to live in a relationship with someone over time. There is more to this story than a meet cute and a falling-in-love. Evan and Patrick have to make a go of their relationship. These are adults with adult responsibilities and adult problems, and they have to grow together or they will grow apart. Charles creates this tension masterfully, without clichéd, unnecessary angst. Life brings enough angst of its own, don’t you know? No need to throw in cheating, old flames, or silly arguments. Showing two people living out their lives together in a relationship is not easy, but Charles is a master at it.
Charles also interjects laugh-out-loud humor along the way. My husband literally laughed out loud at a couple of the passages I read for him after I snorted a few too many times while reading before bed. I don’t think I have ever read a book that has made me laugh as hard as this one, as well as brought tears to my eyes. Watch for Rosey and Angel, and Roger, and Dini the dog. Their antics will have you rolling with laughter. And my favorite- the SpongeBob reference.
I am not a foodie. I don’t dine out at fancy restaurants. I don’t cook fancy food or have the entire Williams-Sonoma (or even Pampered Chef) catalog in my kitchen. I get by with family favorites, comfort food, and casseroles. A lot of casseroles. Needless to say, I wasn’t sure at first that I could get into a book about a high-class chef and his kitchen. Thank goodness I was willing to give it a try.
If you are looking for a book filled with clichés and thinly created characters, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a well-written, compelling story with characters you can fall in love with while they are falling for each other? Pick up a copy of Chef’s Table. You won’t regret it.
December 1, 2014
A delicious romance from start to finish, CHEF'S TABLE is a heartfelt and entertaining story about discovering who you are while experiencing the incredible journey that is finding love.
Ask any of his acquaintances and they would tell you that Chef Evan Stanford lives a charmed life. Having worked his way from busboy to executive chef, he has developed a reputation for hard work, creativity and excellence both in and out of the kitchen. However, if you asked Evan, you would discover that not everything is as it seems. His overwhelming success is marred by the sense that something is missing, or was lost along the way... but what?
Patrick creates simple yet delicious dishes in a local diner. His love for cooking is only surpassed by his love of living. Content with his place in life, Patrick can't help but be swept away by the passionate and driven Chef that shows up in his diner one night and keeps coming back for more.
Opposite personalities attract over their mutual love of the flavors, textures, and adventure of creating new and delicious dishes. Each young man challenges the other to look beyond what is comfortable and reach for something more.
CHEF'S TABLE is an engaging story with passionately written characters, mouthwatering word pictures and emotions so honest they were nearly tangible. Evan and Patrick have a unique chemistry that represents the ideal of unconditional love and the supporting characters are both hilarious and enchanting. A true feel-good romance with a happy ever after, CHEF'S TABLE reminded me of the importance of family, love, living life to the fullest and appreciating every day for the gift it is.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
Ask any of his acquaintances and they would tell you that Chef Evan Stanford lives a charmed life. Having worked his way from busboy to executive chef, he has developed a reputation for hard work, creativity and excellence both in and out of the kitchen. However, if you asked Evan, you would discover that not everything is as it seems. His overwhelming success is marred by the sense that something is missing, or was lost along the way... but what?
Patrick creates simple yet delicious dishes in a local diner. His love for cooking is only surpassed by his love of living. Content with his place in life, Patrick can't help but be swept away by the passionate and driven Chef that shows up in his diner one night and keeps coming back for more.
Opposite personalities attract over their mutual love of the flavors, textures, and adventure of creating new and delicious dishes. Each young man challenges the other to look beyond what is comfortable and reach for something more.
CHEF'S TABLE is an engaging story with passionately written characters, mouthwatering word pictures and emotions so honest they were nearly tangible. Evan and Patrick have a unique chemistry that represents the ideal of unconditional love and the supporting characters are both hilarious and enchanting. A true feel-good romance with a happy ever after, CHEF'S TABLE reminded me of the importance of family, love, living life to the fullest and appreciating every day for the gift it is.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
December 17, 2014
"Chef's Table" is an intelligent, charming, grown-up love story set in the stressful, fast-paced world of New York City cuisine. That the protagonists are two gay men is secondary to the story; whatever your orientation, you will be rooting for Evan and Patrick to get it together, melding their passion for food and a steady, loving relationship. Lynn Charles has a true gift for writing dialogue and describing scenes so vividly that she puts you directly into the action -- whether it's the center of a bustling NYC kitchen during the dinner rush or in the middle of some of the steamiest love scenes I've ever read. Charles writes with such expertise about the culinary field that you will come away from the book feeling truly edified. Here's hoping this is just the first of many offerings from Ms. Charles.
December 11, 2014
Five months ago, I was lucky enough to meet Lynn Charles at a book signing for another author we both admire. We shared a quick hug as I searched for my place in line, but as that was essentially the end of our encounter, I was left wanting to spend more time with her.
I feel the same way about Chef's Table. I could read about these men, their friends, their lives, for several hundred more pages and still be clamoring for more. This is not to say the book is too short — in fact, of the books currently available from Interlude Press, Chef’s Table is among the longer ones — but that their story is so engrossing that I would gladly read about their trips to the pharmacy or an afternoon spent doing laundry and watching the news. As it was, I sped through the book in a matter of hours, stopping (reluctantly) only to sleep and work. I didn’t want to put it down.
Knowing that Lynn had worked with a chef to get the terminology and descriptions right, I was a little nervous when I opened the book for the first time, afraid that I would get bogged down by phrases I didn’t understand. My worries were unfounded; though Lynn does use a fair bit of “chef speak” throughout the book, new terms are usually clarified in layman’s terms right away, often in the form of Evan explaining something to Patrick or vice versa. I feel like I learned a little bit about cooking by reading this book, and I certainly didn’t set out intending for that to happen.
I really should have known better, though — I’ve read other, unpublished stories Lynn has written, often about topics unfamiliar to me, and she has always, somehow, managed to write about the more technical aspects in ways that are as accessible as they are lyrical, making even the uninitiated feel right at home wherever the story may be set. In the case of this book, that is often the hustling, bustling kitchens Patrick and Evan know so well.
Like the cover, this book is vibrant and joyful and often whimsical, but it’s not all fluff. There’s decidedly more to it than that, and it’s in the hard moments that Evan and Patrick — like all humans — really show their mettle. Their tempers — and temperaments — get the best of them sometimes, but they push through and come out the other side a little better for it.
I will admit, I didn’t particularly like Evan at first. He struck me as a snob, and I don’t have patience for snobs, even fictional ones. He grew on me as I learned his story, though, and I came to love him fairly quickly, despite his tendency toward hot-headedness when stressed.
Patrick, on the other hand? I fell in love with him in the time it took him to say 14 sentences (I counted). I don’t think I’ve ever been so truly enraptured by a character that quickly, but something about his Irish charm turned my head the same way it did Evan’s. Patrick is a delight.
Together? They’re irresistible, just like this novel.
One suggestion: Before you sit down to read Chef’s Table, I recommend you do two things: make sure you’re not reading on an empty stomach, and have something tasty nearby anyway. Trust me, you will get hungry reading this luscious book. Don’t be like me; I started reading on an empty stomach and went in search of something sweet around the time Lynn started describing Patrick’s delectable cheesecakes, only to find someone had eaten the last slice of pumpkin pie.
I feel the same way about Chef's Table. I could read about these men, their friends, their lives, for several hundred more pages and still be clamoring for more. This is not to say the book is too short — in fact, of the books currently available from Interlude Press, Chef’s Table is among the longer ones — but that their story is so engrossing that I would gladly read about their trips to the pharmacy or an afternoon spent doing laundry and watching the news. As it was, I sped through the book in a matter of hours, stopping (reluctantly) only to sleep and work. I didn’t want to put it down.
Knowing that Lynn had worked with a chef to get the terminology and descriptions right, I was a little nervous when I opened the book for the first time, afraid that I would get bogged down by phrases I didn’t understand. My worries were unfounded; though Lynn does use a fair bit of “chef speak” throughout the book, new terms are usually clarified in layman’s terms right away, often in the form of Evan explaining something to Patrick or vice versa. I feel like I learned a little bit about cooking by reading this book, and I certainly didn’t set out intending for that to happen.
I really should have known better, though — I’ve read other, unpublished stories Lynn has written, often about topics unfamiliar to me, and she has always, somehow, managed to write about the more technical aspects in ways that are as accessible as they are lyrical, making even the uninitiated feel right at home wherever the story may be set. In the case of this book, that is often the hustling, bustling kitchens Patrick and Evan know so well.
Like the cover, this book is vibrant and joyful and often whimsical, but it’s not all fluff. There’s decidedly more to it than that, and it’s in the hard moments that Evan and Patrick — like all humans — really show their mettle. Their tempers — and temperaments — get the best of them sometimes, but they push through and come out the other side a little better for it.
I will admit, I didn’t particularly like Evan at first. He struck me as a snob, and I don’t have patience for snobs, even fictional ones. He grew on me as I learned his story, though, and I came to love him fairly quickly, despite his tendency toward hot-headedness when stressed.
Patrick, on the other hand? I fell in love with him in the time it took him to say 14 sentences (I counted). I don’t think I’ve ever been so truly enraptured by a character that quickly, but something about his Irish charm turned my head the same way it did Evan’s. Patrick is a delight.
Together? They’re irresistible, just like this novel.
One suggestion: Before you sit down to read Chef’s Table, I recommend you do two things: make sure you’re not reading on an empty stomach, and have something tasty nearby anyway. Trust me, you will get hungry reading this luscious book. Don’t be like me; I started reading on an empty stomach and went in search of something sweet around the time Lynn started describing Patrick’s delectable cheesecakes, only to find someone had eaten the last slice of pumpkin pie.
December 4, 2014
I knew when I picked it up for the very first time, I'd love this book. Lynn Charles didn't disappoint. In fact, it was surprisingly delightful!
Chef's Table is the love story of Evan, a James Beard award winning chef, and Patrick, a cook in a Brooklyn diner. And a great love story it is, but it is so much more than that.
The way Charles develops her characters, and the depth to which she accomplishes it is quite beautiful. By a few chapters in, I felt like I knew Evan and Patrick intimately – they are such different characters with such different personalities, but neither of them felt contrived, and I liked both of them as people. And it's not just her protagonists – from Rosey and Roger to Oona and Millie, Charles develops a strong supporting cast, and my only criticism is that I wanted more. I wanted to meet Patrick's family, I wanted more memories of Oona and Millie, I wanted more backstory. A story can only be so long, though, and Charles did a fantastic job of reeling it in where other writers can grow wordier than necessary.
And the love story itself – it rang true to me, with ups and downs and disagreements and utter bliss and miscommunication. Nothing was ever all sunshine and rainbows, which I appreciate in a good book – I love the fact that art reflects reality so well, and their relationship felt real. Slow to grow, the love between Evan and Patrick is a believable love, but a strong one all the same. I identified with them, with their petty fights and the strength of their passion both. I rooted for them from the beginning, where their similar career paths made for a steady support system for the both of them, and grew into a beautiful friendship. I think that's what I appreciated the most – that more than anything, they were friends, companions, that they had a working relationship outside of the bedroom.
What really brought the book full-circle for me, though, what made me love it, is how Charles manages to transport her readers into the fast-paced world of food service, introducing a whole new language and making this foodie's mouth water with her descriptions of the meals Patrick and Evan prepare. She very clearly either has experience in a professional kitchen, or has interviewed someone else who does very, very thoroughly. Her details are spot-on. I think there is a special kind of bonding that happens over food, and I may be biased because I'm an amateur cook myself, dabbling in gourmet styles, always seeking a new challenge in my kitchen, but in so many ways food is love to me. Combine that with a great romance, and you've got yourself a book that I will want to read more than once.
Kudos to Charles and the team at Interlude Press for producing such a charming, enjoyable book. I loved it – my highest recommendations for this one!
(Also, just a thought, can we make the Running Duck happen? Because THAT is a place where I'd like to eat.)
Chef's Table is the love story of Evan, a James Beard award winning chef, and Patrick, a cook in a Brooklyn diner. And a great love story it is, but it is so much more than that.
The way Charles develops her characters, and the depth to which she accomplishes it is quite beautiful. By a few chapters in, I felt like I knew Evan and Patrick intimately – they are such different characters with such different personalities, but neither of them felt contrived, and I liked both of them as people. And it's not just her protagonists – from Rosey and Roger to Oona and Millie, Charles develops a strong supporting cast, and my only criticism is that I wanted more. I wanted to meet Patrick's family, I wanted more memories of Oona and Millie, I wanted more backstory. A story can only be so long, though, and Charles did a fantastic job of reeling it in where other writers can grow wordier than necessary.
And the love story itself – it rang true to me, with ups and downs and disagreements and utter bliss and miscommunication. Nothing was ever all sunshine and rainbows, which I appreciate in a good book – I love the fact that art reflects reality so well, and their relationship felt real. Slow to grow, the love between Evan and Patrick is a believable love, but a strong one all the same. I identified with them, with their petty fights and the strength of their passion both. I rooted for them from the beginning, where their similar career paths made for a steady support system for the both of them, and grew into a beautiful friendship. I think that's what I appreciated the most – that more than anything, they were friends, companions, that they had a working relationship outside of the bedroom.
What really brought the book full-circle for me, though, what made me love it, is how Charles manages to transport her readers into the fast-paced world of food service, introducing a whole new language and making this foodie's mouth water with her descriptions of the meals Patrick and Evan prepare. She very clearly either has experience in a professional kitchen, or has interviewed someone else who does very, very thoroughly. Her details are spot-on. I think there is a special kind of bonding that happens over food, and I may be biased because I'm an amateur cook myself, dabbling in gourmet styles, always seeking a new challenge in my kitchen, but in so many ways food is love to me. Combine that with a great romance, and you've got yourself a book that I will want to read more than once.
Kudos to Charles and the team at Interlude Press for producing such a charming, enjoyable book. I loved it – my highest recommendations for this one!
(Also, just a thought, can we make the Running Duck happen? Because THAT is a place where I'd like to eat.)
December 1, 2014
When I first picked up this book I knew before going into it that it was going to be a wonderful warm book that was undoubtedly going to make me hungry.
It was all of that and more.
The story to me was like curling up in a warm blanket on a winter’s day. The characters were all real and palpable, as if they were people that I already knew and loved and I was just stopping by catch up with them. The main characters, Patrick Sullivan and Evan Stanford held my heart in the palms of their respective hands before they had hardly uttered a word.
I am neither a foodie nor someone that knows a lot about different cuisines or food staples that are not my own. I admit that while I had to google pictures and descriptions of almost every dish described in this book, they were written in such a way that I was hungry 95% of the time before even knowing what exactly it was. It made me yearn to be able to zip on down to the diner and have Patrick whip me up something amazing for lunch.
Another thing that really drew me in was the wonderful way in which the characters interacted with each other. The love that bloomed between the two leads. It was natural and unforced and made my heart ache in the best ways. The differences between them seem to gel them together rather than to keep them apart. Two halves of a whole. While many stories are all about the build up and culminate in the point where the two leads get together, this book takes it a step further and let’s us marinate a bit in their relationship and see how they make it work while growing as individuals and growing together.
Do yourself a favor and pic up this book, you will not regret it in the slightest. It’s delicious and warm and even laugh out loud funny at times. Even now, weeks later I still feel the affects of having the withdrawals of being ripped from a well crafted story and yearning to able to go back to the beginning.
It was all of that and more.
The story to me was like curling up in a warm blanket on a winter’s day. The characters were all real and palpable, as if they were people that I already knew and loved and I was just stopping by catch up with them. The main characters, Patrick Sullivan and Evan Stanford held my heart in the palms of their respective hands before they had hardly uttered a word.
I am neither a foodie nor someone that knows a lot about different cuisines or food staples that are not my own. I admit that while I had to google pictures and descriptions of almost every dish described in this book, they were written in such a way that I was hungry 95% of the time before even knowing what exactly it was. It made me yearn to be able to zip on down to the diner and have Patrick whip me up something amazing for lunch.
Another thing that really drew me in was the wonderful way in which the characters interacted with each other. The love that bloomed between the two leads. It was natural and unforced and made my heart ache in the best ways. The differences between them seem to gel them together rather than to keep them apart. Two halves of a whole. While many stories are all about the build up and culminate in the point where the two leads get together, this book takes it a step further and let’s us marinate a bit in their relationship and see how they make it work while growing as individuals and growing together.
Do yourself a favor and pic up this book, you will not regret it in the slightest. It’s delicious and warm and even laugh out loud funny at times. Even now, weeks later I still feel the affects of having the withdrawals of being ripped from a well crafted story and yearning to able to go back to the beginning.
January 2, 2015
This book was an excellent read. I read it in less than a day while laid up from a back injury and it kept me hooked from the start to the very end (no small feat when I think about how much pain I was in!)
Charles's attention to detail is enviable, and those details wove a decadent background and theme that supported a wonderful romance and love story. Her description of the food wove a sensual tapestry all around Patrick and Evan that wen't beyond description, but that drew the reader in through all senses -- through reading as they cooked together, the beautiful and exciting food, the smells and flavors, the texture. All of this sensuality made for incredibly sexy intimacy between the characters that I easily lost myself in.
I was so drawn to the kindness and sweetness of their story. We get to see their flaw -- both through their own eyes, then each others -- but with a perfectly light touch, so that we can root for flawed characters who are intrinsically lovable.
Not all light reads are able to accomplish what Charles did here. This story isn't trite, nor did I feel that it depended on cliches to drive the plot. We didn't have to wait through most of the book for one of them to "wake up" and realize he was meant for the other. Instead, this was a story about character growth, about connecting with our selves and our muses, and about the courage it takes to chase dreams by taking risks.
My only complaint is that I would have loved to see more of their relationship while navigating the creation and opening of The Running Duck. But that's a quibble.
I recommend this so so so highly.
Charles's attention to detail is enviable, and those details wove a decadent background and theme that supported a wonderful romance and love story. Her description of the food wove a sensual tapestry all around Patrick and Evan that wen't beyond description, but that drew the reader in through all senses -- through reading as they cooked together, the beautiful and exciting food, the smells and flavors, the texture. All of this sensuality made for incredibly sexy intimacy between the characters that I easily lost myself in.
I was so drawn to the kindness and sweetness of their story. We get to see their flaw -- both through their own eyes, then each others -- but with a perfectly light touch, so that we can root for flawed characters who are intrinsically lovable.
Not all light reads are able to accomplish what Charles did here. This story isn't trite, nor did I feel that it depended on cliches to drive the plot. We didn't have to wait through most of the book for one of them to "wake up" and realize he was meant for the other. Instead, this was a story about character growth, about connecting with our selves and our muses, and about the courage it takes to chase dreams by taking risks.
My only complaint is that I would have loved to see more of their relationship while navigating the creation and opening of The Running Duck. But that's a quibble.
I recommend this so so so highly.
December 3, 2014
A sweet city romance that celebrates food and the people who work in the restaurant business. The main characters are likeable, flawed human beings facing real-life challenges with a few stumbles and a lot of love. The scenes of restaurant life were great -- I could really feel the hustle and bustle,
December 22, 2014
This book is like the best kind of comfort food: warm, inviting, and a little bit of an indulgence. Author Lynn Charles obviously did her research into the culinary world and the characters jump off the page. It's a finely tuned love story that goes perfectly with a decadent slice of cheesecake and a bottle of wine (or whatever your guilty pleasure might be).
November 30, 2014
I was thoroughly engaged by the two leads in this believable and charming romance.
The love story was wonderful. Evan and Patrick are strongly characterised and caught my attention immediately. Evan’s controlled and contained - an exceptional chef who has already achieved many of his ambitions. He’s outwardly certain and inwardly concerned that there’s no more to him than the things he has already done. Patrick is charming and warm. He’s making his own way through the world he’s chosen, settling perhaps for something less than he could achieve, but valuing generosity and personal history. They’re both strong willed and thoughtful and committed and moral. I was ferociously on their side as a couple from the first moment they met.
The attraction and emotional connection between the men really worked for me, and it was clear from every moment of eye contact. I believed the way they looked at one another. Their conversations sparkled. I longed for them to come closer to one another.
Their differences felt real, like real people with real histories drawn together and trying to reconcile with and compromise around those differences. I particularly appreciated that any difficulties and roadblocks in the romance were character driven, consistent, required work to overcome and came naturally out of the two men and how they loved. I love character based tension, and that was a huge strength of the book. Their love felt powerful - both real and earned by the characters and the narrative.
I have no particular connection with the world of fancy dining and commercial kitchens. Yet I still felt like I was part of the restaurant culture. The story has plenty of detail, especially early on, enough detail to create a universe that I have never seen before. I loved living in that kitchen. In fact, I could have done with even more restaurant culture toward the end.
I always love a story in which the lead characters have goals outside of one another. When they require actual work. These boys have obstacles to deal with because of their careers.
Overall I devoured this book. The romance is so delightful that it swept me up, and I loved being present for their lives, their ambitions, their ups and downs in their relationship, and all the gorgeous ways they loved one another.
It was such a pleasure.
The love story was wonderful. Evan and Patrick are strongly characterised and caught my attention immediately. Evan’s controlled and contained - an exceptional chef who has already achieved many of his ambitions. He’s outwardly certain and inwardly concerned that there’s no more to him than the things he has already done. Patrick is charming and warm. He’s making his own way through the world he’s chosen, settling perhaps for something less than he could achieve, but valuing generosity and personal history. They’re both strong willed and thoughtful and committed and moral. I was ferociously on their side as a couple from the first moment they met.
The attraction and emotional connection between the men really worked for me, and it was clear from every moment of eye contact. I believed the way they looked at one another. Their conversations sparkled. I longed for them to come closer to one another.
Their differences felt real, like real people with real histories drawn together and trying to reconcile with and compromise around those differences. I particularly appreciated that any difficulties and roadblocks in the romance were character driven, consistent, required work to overcome and came naturally out of the two men and how they loved. I love character based tension, and that was a huge strength of the book. Their love felt powerful - both real and earned by the characters and the narrative.
I have no particular connection with the world of fancy dining and commercial kitchens. Yet I still felt like I was part of the restaurant culture. The story has plenty of detail, especially early on, enough detail to create a universe that I have never seen before. I loved living in that kitchen. In fact, I could have done with even more restaurant culture toward the end.
I always love a story in which the lead characters have goals outside of one another. When they require actual work. These boys have obstacles to deal with because of their careers.
Overall I devoured this book. The romance is so delightful that it swept me up, and I loved being present for their lives, their ambitions, their ups and downs in their relationship, and all the gorgeous ways they loved one another.
It was such a pleasure.
December 10, 2014
An engaging love story encompassing not just the two main characters but also their families and friends who shared their journey of personal dreams and discoveries and yes, their mutual love of food.
I have just finished reading Chef's Table and gosh! it was more than I expected in so many ways. Yes, the other reviewers' warnings are true this book will definitely make you hungry. I usually read books before going to bed but this story make it impossible as my stomach rumbled each time I get to the food part. I was feeling hungry for fancy dishes at 2 am. so it took me awhile to finish this book. I google some of the foodie terms or dishes as I was curious and will definitely try to find a place that serve some of those dishes.
This book is not just a romance novel but much more. The romance part was there from the first time Evan and Patrick met each other and how their story developed slowly and realistically (for me it was a gradual attraction cleverly evolved through each courses/chapters). It is a story about love and not just between Patrick and Evan but also from the rest of the supporting characters whom Charles have cleverly weaved through from the start of this story to the end. Each of them have their own stories and make Chef's Table even more full flavoured.
What surprises me was that I was taken along this personal journey of how to pull through the feeling of being stuck or being not quite "content" with your current state of life. But then the part that make this story not too heavy is having another person who understand and be with you along the way.
I don't want to give away too much as it will spoil this story. To sum it up finding a good satisfying love story to read is hard but Chef's Table certainly achieved that and it also introduced me to a new exciting world of good food.
I have just finished reading Chef's Table and gosh! it was more than I expected in so many ways. Yes, the other reviewers' warnings are true this book will definitely make you hungry. I usually read books before going to bed but this story make it impossible as my stomach rumbled each time I get to the food part. I was feeling hungry for fancy dishes at 2 am. so it took me awhile to finish this book. I google some of the foodie terms or dishes as I was curious and will definitely try to find a place that serve some of those dishes.
This book is not just a romance novel but much more. The romance part was there from the first time Evan and Patrick met each other and how their story developed slowly and realistically (for me it was a gradual attraction cleverly evolved through each courses/chapters). It is a story about love and not just between Patrick and Evan but also from the rest of the supporting characters whom Charles have cleverly weaved through from the start of this story to the end. Each of them have their own stories and make Chef's Table even more full flavoured.
What surprises me was that I was taken along this personal journey of how to pull through the feeling of being stuck or being not quite "content" with your current state of life. But then the part that make this story not too heavy is having another person who understand and be with you along the way.
I don't want to give away too much as it will spoil this story. To sum it up finding a good satisfying love story to read is hard but Chef's Table certainly achieved that and it also introduced me to a new exciting world of good food.
January 8, 2015
Though I hate to go for the easy dining metaphor here, I have to say I devoured this book and loved every bite.
Chef’s Table is set on the opposite ends of the gastronomic spectrum—a high-class Manhattan restaurant and a Brooklyn greasy spoon. Its two main characters fall on opposite ends as well. Chef Evan Stanford is as polished and classy as the meals he prepares. Short Order Cook Patrick Sullivan is as warm and down-to-earth as the comfort foods he prepares. A chance meeting between the two sets off a discovery of hungers (professional, dietary, emotional and sexual) that leads to a romance that I found sweet, sexy and very true to life.
The progression of the novel (cleverly divided into the courses of a full chef’s table meal) feels so natural and real. This is not melodrama. There are no temptations of infidelity or old flames creeping up for angst. This is a story of two men finding themselves and each other through the drama that arises from just being an adult and living life. Trust me, reading it will be like trying a new dish and discovering it is comfort food. Both characters (and each of Charles’ supporting characters for that matter) are well-developed, rounded characters that you will feel you know personally.
I have two recommendations regarding Chef’s Table. First, read it at your favorite restaurant because the descriptions of both chefs’ creations will have your mouth watering and make you crave a good meal. Second, sit in a booth near the back while reading because the sex scenes will have you fanning yourself and possibly blushing. (Hot! Hot! Hot!)
Okay. Three recommendations. The third is to go buy the book! Treat yourself to this delicious dish.
Chef’s Table is set on the opposite ends of the gastronomic spectrum—a high-class Manhattan restaurant and a Brooklyn greasy spoon. Its two main characters fall on opposite ends as well. Chef Evan Stanford is as polished and classy as the meals he prepares. Short Order Cook Patrick Sullivan is as warm and down-to-earth as the comfort foods he prepares. A chance meeting between the two sets off a discovery of hungers (professional, dietary, emotional and sexual) that leads to a romance that I found sweet, sexy and very true to life.
The progression of the novel (cleverly divided into the courses of a full chef’s table meal) feels so natural and real. This is not melodrama. There are no temptations of infidelity or old flames creeping up for angst. This is a story of two men finding themselves and each other through the drama that arises from just being an adult and living life. Trust me, reading it will be like trying a new dish and discovering it is comfort food. Both characters (and each of Charles’ supporting characters for that matter) are well-developed, rounded characters that you will feel you know personally.
I have two recommendations regarding Chef’s Table. First, read it at your favorite restaurant because the descriptions of both chefs’ creations will have your mouth watering and make you crave a good meal. Second, sit in a booth near the back while reading because the sex scenes will have you fanning yourself and possibly blushing. (Hot! Hot! Hot!)
Okay. Three recommendations. The third is to go buy the book! Treat yourself to this delicious dish.
Read
March 20, 2023Chef’s Table is a book I’ve been immensely looking forward to, despite knowing next to nothing about it. (And I was also regularly harassing BookDepository, until the book finally became available.) But then, romance in restaurants! And pugs in socks! (No, seriously.) What more do you need to know?
If you insist on knowing more, then there are lovely guys who cook, and there’s a dog, and all sorts of fascinating dishes, and falling in love, and generally a lot of niceness happens. Also, did I mention food? I consider myself a theoretical foodie TM, as I love reading about food, and also love eating it, but I have no interest whatsoever in preparing said food, so actually this novel could only have been more perfect for me if it came with a side on sfogliatelle or something. What I also particularly enjoyed was the language: I’m a sucker for the occasional moments of poetry in a novel (if that makes sense), and Lynn Charles is certainly one to deliver those moments.
I guess meeting this book was one of those serendipity occurrences, because it not only lived up to my expectations, but it also turned out to be just what I needed at the exact moment: I somewhat recognized myself in one of the protagonists, who loves what he’s doing (in theory), he is where he always wanted to be, and yet he’s extremely unhappy in his current situation. Evan, we should get a drink sometime.
If you insist on knowing more, then there are lovely guys who cook, and there’s a dog, and all sorts of fascinating dishes, and falling in love, and generally a lot of niceness happens. Also, did I mention food? I consider myself a theoretical foodie TM, as I love reading about food, and also love eating it, but I have no interest whatsoever in preparing said food, so actually this novel could only have been more perfect for me if it came with a side on sfogliatelle or something. What I also particularly enjoyed was the language: I’m a sucker for the occasional moments of poetry in a novel (if that makes sense), and Lynn Charles is certainly one to deliver those moments.
I guess meeting this book was one of those serendipity occurrences, because it not only lived up to my expectations, but it also turned out to be just what I needed at the exact moment: I somewhat recognized myself in one of the protagonists, who loves what he’s doing (in theory), he is where he always wanted to be, and yet he’s extremely unhappy in his current situation. Evan, we should get a drink sometime.
December 30, 2014
I love cooking and I really like the books starring chefs or bakers. You can always find a recipe or some new dish and especially get into a kitchen chef. It was exciting to live in the large kitchen of Chef Evan but also enter the small kingdom of Patrick.
Evan has worked so hard to achieve his high professional level: he left his home in Illinois to go to New York and slowly managed a grow and go from waiter to chef of an upscale restaurant. Now at 33 years is a respected chef but seems to have lost the passion, the enthusiasm that accompanied the early years, he lost all interest and stimulation in the kitchen. When he goes to dinner in local Patrick remains pleasantly surprised. It 's a simple kitchen, most of the recipes are of his grandmother or kitchen Irish folk. The passion and the cuisine of Chef Patrick help Evan regain his enthusiasm and his imagination lost and among them will be born a tender friendship.
The two main characters are very well characterized and very realistic: they have two strong personalities although very different. Patrick is passionate and solar and loves the simple and traditional cuisine while Evan is very determined and sophisticated, the kitchen only to those who can afford certain chic restaurants. Their diversity instead of dividing them join increasingly and was compelling to see grow their friendship and become a tender relationship
The philosophy of this book is that a good dish is also able to soothe the soul as Chef Evan cheesecake with Black Forest ..... Who would not want to be in his place?
It 's really a delightful book, enjoyable, fun, very well written, "to eat in one bite."
Evan has worked so hard to achieve his high professional level: he left his home in Illinois to go to New York and slowly managed a grow and go from waiter to chef of an upscale restaurant. Now at 33 years is a respected chef but seems to have lost the passion, the enthusiasm that accompanied the early years, he lost all interest and stimulation in the kitchen. When he goes to dinner in local Patrick remains pleasantly surprised. It 's a simple kitchen, most of the recipes are of his grandmother or kitchen Irish folk. The passion and the cuisine of Chef Patrick help Evan regain his enthusiasm and his imagination lost and among them will be born a tender friendship.
The two main characters are very well characterized and very realistic: they have two strong personalities although very different. Patrick is passionate and solar and loves the simple and traditional cuisine while Evan is very determined and sophisticated, the kitchen only to those who can afford certain chic restaurants. Their diversity instead of dividing them join increasingly and was compelling to see grow their friendship and become a tender relationship
The philosophy of this book is that a good dish is also able to soothe the soul as Chef Evan cheesecake with Black Forest ..... Who would not want to be in his place?
It 's really a delightful book, enjoyable, fun, very well written, "to eat in one bite."
July 26, 2015
This was surprisingly awesome. Yes, it was a bit lengthy at times (especially in the middle, it got me thinking, okay, anything else gonna happen in the second half or is this it? But don't worry, things do happen), and I found myself skipping ahead a couple of times, too.
Nevertheless, this was a really refreshing read, because the drama happening here had nothing to do with the usual props (miscommunications, misunderstandings, intolerant environment, characters being obstinate, stupid, blind, etc.), but with the characters themselves, their passions, their searching for happiness in their profession and in their private lives. And all of this felt really authentic. I loved Evan's drive, his incredible passion for cooking and creating food which came through even when he thought he lost all that. And I loved how Patrick got him, understood him, helped and supported him. Those two just fit together so well, so perfectly.
I loved that the POV was almost strictly Evan's, but the small interludes were based on Patrick's POV - and it was fun to see how differently the two of them judged themselves and each other. And finally, I loved the ending, that it wasn't
Very good!!
Nevertheless, this was a really refreshing read, because the drama happening here had nothing to do with the usual props (miscommunications, misunderstandings, intolerant environment, characters being obstinate, stupid, blind, etc.), but with the characters themselves, their passions, their searching for happiness in their profession and in their private lives. And all of this felt really authentic. I loved Evan's drive, his incredible passion for cooking and creating food which came through even when he thought he lost all that. And I loved how Patrick got him, understood him, helped and supported him. Those two just fit together so well, so perfectly.
I loved that the POV was almost strictly Evan's, but the small interludes were based on Patrick's POV - and it was fun to see how differently the two of them judged themselves and each other. And finally, I loved the ending, that it wasn't
Very good!!
September 2, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
While the story is about Evan and Patrick, cooking, and subsequently the food that is produced, is a third character. The first quarter of this book is highly detailed with their work lives and food descriptions and that was what initially attracted me to the book. I understood their language well, but the detailed aspects about cooking and the restaurant industry are something to consider before picking this one up. Their friendship, as well as their growing attraction, is a slower build and only one area of focus in the book.
Although Evan and Patrick grew up differently, they share a lot of the same passions and qualities. Evan had a hard time coming to terms with his sexuality at first and, while he has had relationships, he has remained emotionally unavailable and has never connected with true emotional intimacy. He has reached all of his career goals and the realization of the monotony of that is both grating on him and wearing his nerves. Patrick is content cooking in the diner, but never reached for more. The men grow to realize they can be more together and just as there is a hum and a vibe to a well-run kitchen, that becomes the background of Evan and Patrick’s life together.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
While the story is about Evan and Patrick, cooking, and subsequently the food that is produced, is a third character. The first quarter of this book is highly detailed with their work lives and food descriptions and that was what initially attracted me to the book. I understood their language well, but the detailed aspects about cooking and the restaurant industry are something to consider before picking this one up. Their friendship, as well as their growing attraction, is a slower build and only one area of focus in the book.
Although Evan and Patrick grew up differently, they share a lot of the same passions and qualities. Evan had a hard time coming to terms with his sexuality at first and, while he has had relationships, he has remained emotionally unavailable and has never connected with true emotional intimacy. He has reached all of his career goals and the realization of the monotony of that is both grating on him and wearing his nerves. Patrick is content cooking in the diner, but never reached for more. The men grow to realize they can be more together and just as there is a hum and a vibe to a well-run kitchen, that becomes the background of Evan and Patrick’s life together.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
August 16, 2015
4.5 stars!
This book was lovely and romantic and so so sweet. I loved the quiet buildup and the gentle way Patrick and Evan went from friends to lovers. The writing was practically flawless and all the food ... a true delight for your senses. There's no major drama in this one, no unnecessary angst or miscommunications or contrived conflict, simply a story of two men who meet and fall in love. And it's simply beautiful.
This book was lovely and romantic and so so sweet. I loved the quiet buildup and the gentle way Patrick and Evan went from friends to lovers. The writing was practically flawless and all the food ... a true delight for your senses. There's no major drama in this one, no unnecessary angst or miscommunications or contrived conflict, simply a story of two men who meet and fall in love. And it's simply beautiful.
March 22, 2017
4.5 stars
This was simply delicious. A wonderful description of food prep and life in a high-volume restaurant, with a lovely slow-burn romance right in the middle. This was like falling in love.
The story dragged a bit in the third act, and Evan has a habit of wallowing, but I’m not complaining. The author renders the obsession with gastronomy and the behind-the-scenes kitchen action with loving care. The romance is pretty hot and sweet, too. Recommended.
This was simply delicious. A wonderful description of food prep and life in a high-volume restaurant, with a lovely slow-burn romance right in the middle. This was like falling in love.
The story dragged a bit in the third act, and Evan has a habit of wallowing, but I’m not complaining. The author renders the obsession with gastronomy and the behind-the-scenes kitchen action with loving care. The romance is pretty hot and sweet, too. Recommended.
January 11, 2015
This was a lovely book. As the author tries to make clear it was the process of learning to love each other that was important not the HEA for the two main characters. (But the HEA was wonderful as well.) The writing was lyrical in places and the author brought Patrick and Evan to life. I just loved this story.
April 3, 2015
A well-layered and satisfying read with plenty of salivating descriptions of food being lavishly prepared-- gourmet and comfort, and through it all, a tale of two very different chefs, Patrick and Evan, coming together and learning from one another.
December 18, 2014
A sweet love story .
January 10, 2015
My 2015 in MM romance started of strong with this read. Lynn Charles's debut book was a breath of fresh air, at least for me, who's rather been jaded from reading too much. The thing about me is that I've started knowing what to expect, and often I'm right. Not that it's a bad thing, I love my familiar faces and personalities and tropes. But this book caught me off guard, because it read differently. I'm just not sure I'm 100% percent behind it, but I gave it 4 stars because I like the story that was told, and the people featured in that stories.
The main character are Evan and Patrick, both culinary sweethearts. Evan works as head chef of an Italian restaurant and Patrick at a diner. They are both so similar and yet different. They share an IMMENSE adoration for cooking and all things foods, but their personalities are so different. Evan is more short-tempered, reacts badly to pressure and could get unstable sometimes, but at the same time he's bolsterous, spontaneous, and just generally very passionate about things. Patrick is more mellow, and more mature at times, I guess. I like Patrick a bit more. He has this internal sense of groundedness, but he also has some self-esteem issues from his background. They are flawed characters, and I adore them for that.
I have to give it to the author for doing a great job at research, or it could be because she's from a culinary background. She knows her stuff. We are treated with constant, and I mean constant, cameo of delectable dishes, from the everyday cheesecakes to obscure Italian things I can't spell out. This is good, in a sense that it lends an air of authenticity to the book, and I love reading about food and how commercial kitchen functions.
BUT, it got too much sometimes. I'm sorry but do they have to talk about food all the time? And the constant namedropping of food dishes and cooking techniques got me rolling my eyes by the thousandth times I came eacross one. This is a book about cooking, not a cooking book. Some scenes in Evan's restaurant feels unnecessarily long. I skimmed most of them because I feel I don't serve any purpose to the narrative. They just show that Percy(i?) is a pain in Evan's ass. Speaking of Percy, I feel that the whole shebang with her drags on too long, he should have fired her like yesterday.
I also love all the supporting characters, they are lively and feel like real people with stories to tell. Stories I love reading about. It was all generally well-thought-out, the way she established all their histories, along with Evan's and Patrick's. Their relationship with food and cooking, and with one another.
The book could pass for literary fiction. I kind of got the feeling that the author was aiming to be a bit more than an MM romance. It doesn't completely feel smooth at some particular bits, but I applaud the effort nonetheless.
The main character are Evan and Patrick, both culinary sweethearts. Evan works as head chef of an Italian restaurant and Patrick at a diner. They are both so similar and yet different. They share an IMMENSE adoration for cooking and all things foods, but their personalities are so different. Evan is more short-tempered, reacts badly to pressure and could get unstable sometimes, but at the same time he's bolsterous, spontaneous, and just generally very passionate about things. Patrick is more mellow, and more mature at times, I guess. I like Patrick a bit more. He has this internal sense of groundedness, but he also has some self-esteem issues from his background. They are flawed characters, and I adore them for that.
I have to give it to the author for doing a great job at research, or it could be because she's from a culinary background. She knows her stuff. We are treated with constant, and I mean constant, cameo of delectable dishes, from the everyday cheesecakes to obscure Italian things I can't spell out. This is good, in a sense that it lends an air of authenticity to the book, and I love reading about food and how commercial kitchen functions.
BUT, it got too much sometimes. I'm sorry but do they have to talk about food all the time? And the constant namedropping of food dishes and cooking techniques got me rolling my eyes by the thousandth times I came eacross one. This is a book about cooking, not a cooking book. Some scenes in Evan's restaurant feels unnecessarily long. I skimmed most of them because I feel I don't serve any purpose to the narrative. They just show that Percy(i?) is a pain in Evan's ass. Speaking of Percy, I feel that the whole shebang with her drags on too long, he should have fired her like yesterday.
I also love all the supporting characters, they are lively and feel like real people with stories to tell. Stories I love reading about. It was all generally well-thought-out, the way she established all their histories, along with Evan's and Patrick's. Their relationship with food and cooking, and with one another.
The book could pass for literary fiction. I kind of got the feeling that the author was aiming to be a bit more than an MM romance. It doesn't completely feel smooth at some particular bits, but I applaud the effort nonetheless.
February 3, 2016
Chef’s Table tells the story of a romance between the Executive Chef of a respected Italian restaurant, Evan Stanford, and the cook at a local diner, Patrick Sullivan. As you might expect, they meet and fall in love and… well, I’ll let you imagine the rest. But Chef’s Table is also the story of shared passions and pleasures. It’s the story of how a passionate fire (food, in this case) can warm everyone who comes near.
James Beard Award-winning, classically-trained Evan Stanford is the Executive Chef at a well-respected restaurant in Manhattan. It’s what he’s dreamt of for a long time, aside from a sometimes rowdy, sometimes obstinate kitchen crew to deal with, and the repression of the restaurant owner, who would rather have consistency than innovation in his menu. Evan’s got stability and a good reputation, but feels his wings are clipped—his life seems more management than cuisine. By happenstance, he’s charmed by the cook at a local diner, Patrick Sullivan, who is nearly his opposite: not a chef but a diner cook, he’s got freedom enough to make the dishes he was taught to love as a child, to experiment and grow and make beautiful things, but he lacks good resources (like a fully-working stove) and the audience to truly appreciate what he does.
The two become friends and, soon after, lovers. They learn from each other, reigniting passion for what they do and firing up a longing for the freedom to really do something cool with food.
Chef’s Table is a story about passions—with an “s”, because sexual passion is only one of the ways in which one can connect to the world and to others. Of course, there’s sexual passion, but there���s more. There’s the old-and-infirm neighbor in the abandoned house, watering dead flowers every day, who becomes the recipient of care and attention from the two men. They bring him boxed food, and pull him into their circle of warmth. There’s the somewhat.. err, rough-hewn… cook called Rosey, who’s given a chance to really contribute to a community and turns out to be kinder and more loving than most other folks. There’s connection to families, both born and created ones, here and gone, and to heritage and memory and culture. Then there’s good food, too, and for fans of cookbooks and cooking shows and well-written menus and dreams of good food, there’s plenty of pleasure. In fact, all of these kinds of passion wind together in a loving and lovely way to make a picture of not just happiness—not just, as the novel suggests, “good enough”—but a really satisfying, fully-rounded life.
James Beard Award-winning, classically-trained Evan Stanford is the Executive Chef at a well-respected restaurant in Manhattan. It’s what he’s dreamt of for a long time, aside from a sometimes rowdy, sometimes obstinate kitchen crew to deal with, and the repression of the restaurant owner, who would rather have consistency than innovation in his menu. Evan’s got stability and a good reputation, but feels his wings are clipped—his life seems more management than cuisine. By happenstance, he’s charmed by the cook at a local diner, Patrick Sullivan, who is nearly his opposite: not a chef but a diner cook, he’s got freedom enough to make the dishes he was taught to love as a child, to experiment and grow and make beautiful things, but he lacks good resources (like a fully-working stove) and the audience to truly appreciate what he does.
The two become friends and, soon after, lovers. They learn from each other, reigniting passion for what they do and firing up a longing for the freedom to really do something cool with food.
Chef’s Table is a story about passions—with an “s”, because sexual passion is only one of the ways in which one can connect to the world and to others. Of course, there’s sexual passion, but there���s more. There’s the old-and-infirm neighbor in the abandoned house, watering dead flowers every day, who becomes the recipient of care and attention from the two men. They bring him boxed food, and pull him into their circle of warmth. There’s the somewhat.. err, rough-hewn… cook called Rosey, who’s given a chance to really contribute to a community and turns out to be kinder and more loving than most other folks. There’s connection to families, both born and created ones, here and gone, and to heritage and memory and culture. Then there’s good food, too, and for fans of cookbooks and cooking shows and well-written menus and dreams of good food, there’s plenty of pleasure. In fact, all of these kinds of passion wind together in a loving and lovely way to make a picture of not just happiness—not just, as the novel suggests, “good enough”—but a really satisfying, fully-rounded life.
June 3, 2015
This book is as delightful as the food it describes. Fun, flirty and down right hilarious! As a typical romance would have, the adult situations were passionate and more focused on the relationships than the actual sex. The setting was set for real life situations and goals that anyone would typically have. As for the food theme, I learned a lot of the different cultural traditions and skills as well as the drive the passion and the love that chefs put into their food.
February 13, 2015
This was so so good! I loved that the tension of the story wasn't built on complications in the romance, these boys could love each other and grow that love without petty problems, and it still was a full ride of emotions! All the food references were amazing and now I just want to go to a good restaurant and eat delicious food and appreciate it so so much... Mmmmmm. Such a good read, I loved it!
October 7, 2015
This book was delicious. It was the perfect brunch date, and Evan and Patrick were so much fun. I enjoyed watching the two of them fall for each other, and struggling to balance their personal and professional lives. I would caution potential readers though--don't pick this up unless you're within walking distance of your kitchen!
January 27, 2016
Delightful. A story of grown ups falling carefully in love, a story of fine food and old hurts and new beginnings and the ways people are different. Charming and kind, full of warmth and yet not fluffy.
May 15, 2018
5/5
I've read this a long time and recently re-read it, only to realize just now that I haven't rated and placed it into my favorites shelf. Stupid ol' me, but, alas, easily rectified.
Highly recommended!
I've read this a long time and recently re-read it, only to realize just now that I haven't rated and placed it into my favorites shelf. Stupid ol' me, but, alas, easily rectified.
Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews