The Ten (Food) Commandments

by Jay Rayner

Britain's culinary Moses brings us the new foodie rules to live by, celebrating what and how we eat

The Ten Commandments may have had a lot going for them, but they don't offer those of us located in the 21st Century much in the way of guidance when it comes to our relationship with our food. And Lord knows we need it.

Enter our new culinary Moses, the legendary restaurant critic Jay Rayner, with a new set of hand-tooled commandments for this food-obsessed age. He deals once and for all with questions like whether it is ever okay to covet thy neighbour's oxen (it is), eating with your hands (very important indeed) and if you should cut off the fat (no). Combining reportage and anecdotes with recipes worthy of adoration, Jay Rayner brings us the new foodie rules to live by.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Food Writing, Humor

140 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

About the author

Jay Rayner is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster born in 1966.

Reviews

[Petra X]

Foodie frippery. The last chapter should have been entiled Ode to a Pig, since it's all about the author's enjoyment of every bit of pig he can eat, including disgusting shit-smelling andouillette sausages. His previous books show a porcine obsession as well. I'm on soft foods only right now but it's kind of hard to write odes to plain Greek yoghurt or overcooked udon noodles to slurp down.

[Ammar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny educational short book about food. Ten Commandments that relate to food, and how to eat and enjoy the meal.

One can use his/her fingers and hands and eat with them, and not use utensils and how this changes the sensation and the feeling of the meal.

How one can try weird dishes, push the boundaries of your gastronomical comfort zone and eat a mouldy piece of cheese or some skewered insects, or rotten fish.

You can eat alone and you can eat with company, it's always your choice and it's no ones business.

A whole chapter about Pigs and Cameron... the famous PIgGate.

Funny book that could be read in a sitting and immensely enjoyable and personal.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant! Really enjoyed this. Not sure I'd be brave enough to try some of the really stinky foods, as per one of his commandments, but I do try a lot of stuff when it comes to food, I am reasonably adventurous! I also share his annoyance with the modern stupidity of thinking some foods are "superfoods" and are going to cure you of something or prevent you from suffering something else. A load of cobblers! And these fads, as with the fads in clothing, change from one week to the next, one "superfood" being replaced by another supposedly superior "superfood" so you might as well disregard all of that as utter crap for people with more money than sense, and carry on eating normally, eat what you enjoy the taste of, sensible balanced diet, don't deny yourself a treat or two (you won't live longer by denying yourself - it'll just feel longer because you're not eating what you love!) and enjoy your dining experiences!

Read this book! It's a very handy size, it's about food, and it's a very enjoyable read! Probably best read on a full stomach so you don't make yourself ravenously hungry while reading it! Also read Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain. Another of my recommendations to you, especially if you love your food!

[Scarlett Brunstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Men are utter knobs” - Jay Rayner, 2016

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick witted and convincing as always, Jay Rayner manages to be incredibly likeable while yet also being incredibly stubborn and carnivorous. I reckon it's his ability to self mock, take ownership over his meat eating and contribute a raw personal honesty amidst tales of pork stews that does it for me.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whatever you may think of his views, it's clear that Jay Rayner is an entertaining writer. He is intelligent and witty but not condescending. His ten food commandments are, he acknowledges, his own particular bugbears but they do make a lot of sense, particularly in the contexts he presents. Where he is trying to slam a revolving door with me is in his exhortation that food does not equal medicine, a view I have patiently (to degrees) attempted to explain to people around me whenever a new Daily Mail food scare/miracle is published. Other than that the call to arms, or to hands, in not using utensils to eat certain food was one I had already heartily adopted. Throughout it all Rayner gives us insights into his childhood and into his larder as each chapter is illustrated with a couple of his recipes. More to the point his book is an incitement to experiment, to make your own rules and commandments and to enjoy food for what it is. All done in a short, but ultimately satisfying and entertaining read.

[Raghav · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important food related reads I've come across this year. Not only does it break a number of myths - especially about superfoods and stinky food - but also educates and entertains in the most humours of ways.

[Deirdre E Siegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Libby by Overdrive audiobook, upon reaching chapter 3, I purchased the Kindle book for the recipes, and Audible narration for Jay Rainer’s eloquence.
My father was a butcher, I was raised in New Zealand of the 60’s, where vegetable gardens, fruit trees and cricket wicket / rugby try line / goal posts shared the 1/4 acre backyard, the flowers lived in the front yard
We were raised on all the meat / offal and three vegetable meals.
We were encouraged to ENJOY food because back then food was healthy,
New Zealand was very under ‘over chemically treated’.
Trials and tribulations of life growing up were discussed over food, foods that were eaten with utensils of choice.
Our health was food based, we did not get sick, we got scrapes, grazes, stubbed digits or broken bits, all because we ate healthy well, slept well and played outside in all weathers by choice.
Jay Rayner as a first time reader / listener I am pleased to admit to love this book, thank you for the words and narrative, much appreciated. :-)

[Snoakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

As ever, Jay Rayner is witty and entertaining as he takes us through his personal ten food commandments.
He's preaching to the converted here, as I wholeheartedly agree with much of this book - particularly the sections on leftovers & so-called superfoods. In fact, this section alone makes this slim volume vital reading in my opinion. I don't think I could ever learn to love andouillette sausages though.

Each chapter or commandment ends with a recipe or two. I'm not sure how much I would use them, but then I'm lucky enough to be married to an extremely good cook. Needless to say, I've passed this over for him to read.

I'd love to see one of Jay's shows, but in the meantime, I'll look forward to whatever he writes next.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this to review as a Goodreads giveaway.

[Jackie McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jay Rayner is a funny, engaging writer. This book, by and large, is common sense interspersed with food writer humour and anecdotes from his time as a food critic. As one myself I related to most of it - particularly getting dining companions who want to dissect every mouthful, making for very boring dinners! Of course it's a small group of people who get this privilege to make comment upon the labours of others, so we can lean towards pomposity. Jay largely avoids this in his useful, entertaining little book.

[Reyiel Ananke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Good reads giveaways.

I love food. Either it is because of my upraising, my cultural back ground or just because food is good.

I real really enjoyed the sassy English humour of this book, who trying not to be too serious, still give a great insight on serious topics.

And you cannot go wrong when the book is full of personal recipes of amazing dishes.

This book is perfect for any food lover with a wicked sense of humour, and don´t take all the political side of this too seriously.

[Jill Blevins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable book with a cute premise. Witty, entertaining, and full of beautifully written thoughts unexpected from a "food writer." It didn't win me over with the Ten Commandments structure, but there it is in the title of the book, so that my prejudice. (Just a little too cute for me, but then again, I don't want to read anything to do with religion especially when wanting to enjoy food. Don't make me think about gluttony!)

Very quick read, very funny, very well-written, very informative without being dry or boring. He's such a gifted food critic and this is one more example.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thankyou Goodreads for this amusing little book. I must admit I have never read any of Jay Rayner's columns so this was a pleasant surprise, his writing clever and funny and very informative. An interesting read and actually the stuff about superfoods, I found absolutely fascinating. How often do we buy into the myths? A great book for anyone interested in food (and who isnt?)!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book! It's funny, informative and full of yummy recipes. But should only be read if you know something of Rayner and agree with his food philosophy-otherwise it might make you angry! If you love food, hate fads, enjoy eating meat (especially pork) and revel in being greedy this is the book for you!

[Susan Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious. He is so clever and makes salient points in a way that makes them easily remembered. Went and saw Jay speak at the Auckland Writers Festival and am hooked. Have two more of his books lined up to read.

[Udaibir Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read. It has been seasoned with the right amount of funny and sarcasm. I like the fact where Jay starts with a responsible approach to food not just what is appropriate and not appropriate.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guess this serves as an accessible and short introduction for those who want to know more about the history and science behind food (like me). Now that I'm done with this book I shall move on to other books about evolution of food etc

[Dipra Lahiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rayner is very opinionated (as can be expected from a reviewer), and doesn't pull any punches when putting forth his views. The chapter about the pleasure of eating with one's hands (instead of cutlery) should not surprise anyone in the subcontinent, as it's so obvious.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully opinionated and witty book about the delights of eating

[Kelly Pochyba · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars cause I read it in about an hour and laughed a bit and smiled heaps and yep can confirm its good. Perfect for a flight or a long bus or just sitting on the couch.

[Chee Chau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, witty with a big pinch of sarcasm.

[Suhel · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times unexpectedly hilarious, no fuss straight talking and happy taking contrarian views. Great quick read and filled with interesting recipes.

[Choopie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Read. Super entertaining and informative!!

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fun and informative. Rayner writes with wit, keeps things moving along at a pace and then are some very tempting recipes. It's nice to be able to review a reviewer

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy jay’s take on the food world, an entertaining group of short essays debunking many myths.

[Kit]

I bet the visit he made to the abbatoir was very very carefully managed by the abbatoir management.

[Dawn Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like food, I like Jay Rayner, I liked this book

[Gyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foodies will love this one. Loved reading about the benefits of using fingers rather than cutlery and how annoying slow eaters are (funny).

[Hannah Dickinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love reading about food.
3.5* … he’s annoying but it is funny

[Kathryn Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fantastic book - full of interesting facts and opinions. Jay Rayner knows how to put together a successful book. An interesting read from start to finish, would recommend to anyone who likes food or foodie books!


Jay Rayner