The Secret History of French Cooking: The Outlaw Chefs Who Made Food Modern

by Luke Barr

From the New York Times bestselling author of Provence, 1970, a lively, dramatic account of the spectacular rise of French “nouvelle cuisine,” and the renegade chefs of the 1960s and 1970s who revolutionized modern cooking.

In The Secret History of French Cooking, Luke Barr takes readers inside the culinary rebellion that upended the staid French food world and reinvented the role and cultural importance of chefs and restaurants. The very idea of the chef as creator—as innovator, artist, auteur—can be traced back to the legendary Paul Bocuse, Michel Guérard, and the Troisgros brothers, among other colorful characters. The book also tells the largely unknown story of a group of women chefs who fought for recognition in the all-male culinary establishment of the 1970s, and the villainous, powerful food critic who cast a shadow over the era.

A tale of rivalries; global success; and a ferocious backlash, of celebrity, money, politics, and incredibly delicious food, The Secret History of French Cooking is also the story of the birth of modern food and restaurant culture, the way we eat today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, History

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 17, 2026

About the author

Luke Barr is the author of THE SECRET HISTORY OF FRENCH COOKING (March 2026), RITZ & ESCOFFIER, and the New York Times bestseller PROVENCE, 1970. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, architect Yumi Moriwaki, and their two daughters.

Reviews

[Ula Tardigrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written story, full of colorful characters that were instrumental in the rise of French “nouvelle cuisine.” I think that it will be a very engaging read for those truly interested in culinary arts. Personally, I discovered that I don’t care enough about that topic so it was a bit too much for me - but it says more about me than about this book.

Thanks to the publisher, Dutton, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this arc.

If you’re interested in culinary history, I recommend taking a gander at The Secret History of French Cooking. This book discusses the French “nouvelle” cuisine and the stories of various chefs that contributed to the history of French food. I found it very engaging and interesting as I knew very little about French cuisine before this read!

5 ⭐️

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

TY to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

For those who love cooking and French cooking in particular, this book follows how and with whom French cooking became what is considered exceptional. The stories about the different chefs were fascinating and make one appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that go into fine cuisine.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cooking & biographies & this book was fun & engaging.

I enjoyed reading about the different French chefs & hearing a bit of their stories. I found the book to be fascinating.

Thanks to the author, publisher & Netgalley for the ARC read. All opinions are my own.