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Feeding Frenzy: Across Europe in Search of the Perfect Meal
Friends and fellow New Yorkers Stuart Stevens and Rachel "Rat" Kelly share two exercise and eating. Having exhausted nearly every posh Manhattan restaurant, former model Rat suggests they take their buffed bodies to new gastronomic heights via a tour of Europe's Michelin three-star restaurants. Rat's boyfriend will underwrite the trip--but only if they do the twenty-nine restaurants on their list in twenty-nine days.
What follows is nothing less than gustatory madness, a wacky dash in a cherry-red 1965 Mustang across England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and France through Europe's greatest food temples. Filled with hilarious misadventures, priceless exchanges with star chefs, wild excess, breathtaking scenery, and sensual depictions of once-in-a-lifetime meals, Feeding Frenzy will delight travelers and epicures alike.
What follows is nothing less than gustatory madness, a wacky dash in a cherry-red 1965 Mustang across England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and France through Europe's greatest food temples. Filled with hilarious misadventures, priceless exchanges with star chefs, wild excess, breathtaking scenery, and sensual depictions of once-in-a-lifetime meals, Feeding Frenzy will delight travelers and epicures alike.
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1997
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57 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Stevens
14 books85 followersAn American travel writer, political consultant and Daily Beast columnist. He is the cofounder of Washington, DC-based political media consultancy Stevens & Schriefer Group. He served as a top strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 3, 2024
2.5
A privileged white man goes to Europe to eat at a bunch of 3-Michelin star restaurants and somehow finds things to complain about
A privileged white man goes to Europe to eat at a bunch of 3-Michelin star restaurants and somehow finds things to complain about
December 16, 2012
The author decides on a whim to go, along with his New York gym buddy and former model Rachel “Rat” Kelly, on a tour of the famous restaurants of Europe that Michelin has graced with three stars. In a used and unreliable ’65 Mustang, along with an unwanted dog, the pair scramble from country to country in search of culinary delights.
Now, I love good travel writing, and I enjoy food writing, and I appreciate comedy from high to low. So you’d think this book, which combines them all, would be exactly my cup of tea, especially since I liked Stevens’ Night Train to Turkistan. But no; the book falls flat in many ways. There’s no denying that Stevens has a way with a witty line and a keen ear for the true yet absurd, much like a modern Jerome K. Jerome. However, like Jerome, he also has the tendency to prepare a set-up only to drop the idea, never to return. For example, at the beginning of the book he intimates that Rat’s airy attitude toward her boyfriend would lead to some sort of misunderstanding between them. No such thing ever occurs. He also sets up the ostensibly madcap premise that they must eat at every three-star restaurant in Europe, twenty-nine in as many days, so that Rat’s boyfriend will pay for the meal; they miss one early on, and no one is concerned. Most disappointingly, he is no foodie writer; though he admires the Trillins and Waverley Roots and cites them often, the menus and dishes fly by in too chaotic a fashion for the reader to appreciate. Add some sloppy editing (misspelled names, repeated passages), and Stevens’ charm and wit fail to earn him that extra star.
Now, I love good travel writing, and I enjoy food writing, and I appreciate comedy from high to low. So you’d think this book, which combines them all, would be exactly my cup of tea, especially since I liked Stevens’ Night Train to Turkistan. But no; the book falls flat in many ways. There’s no denying that Stevens has a way with a witty line and a keen ear for the true yet absurd, much like a modern Jerome K. Jerome. However, like Jerome, he also has the tendency to prepare a set-up only to drop the idea, never to return. For example, at the beginning of the book he intimates that Rat’s airy attitude toward her boyfriend would lead to some sort of misunderstanding between them. No such thing ever occurs. He also sets up the ostensibly madcap premise that they must eat at every three-star restaurant in Europe, twenty-nine in as many days, so that Rat’s boyfriend will pay for the meal; they miss one early on, and no one is concerned. Most disappointingly, he is no foodie writer; though he admires the Trillins and Waverley Roots and cites them often, the menus and dishes fly by in too chaotic a fashion for the reader to appreciate. Add some sloppy editing (misspelled names, repeated passages), and Stevens’ charm and wit fail to earn him that extra star.
July 24, 2020
The deal was, the author and a friend (a girl) were going to eat at each of Europe's 3-star restaurants in succession. If this worked out the friends boyfriend was going to pay for it all. This goes bad early on with the agreement they will just lie to the boyfriend about missing a day....or two. Along with a vintage Mustang purchased in the US and shipped to Europe in the hopes of selling it after the gastronomic trip is over is Henry the dog. We never learn what happens to the Mustang or to Henry who appears from somewhere unknown but goes along for the ride in the Mustang. I worried about Henry a lot. What was he doing while the two were chowing down and drinking for hours at all these restaurants? Who fed him and walked him? What happened to him at the end of the trip? We never know. I guess it is a law or something that all the 3-star restaurants must list their wares in French. Thus I haven't much of a clue what these people were eating. Good job if you can get it. Also we never find out if the boyfriend pays or not. Too many dangling stories.
November 21, 2023
I love his writing style although sometimes there wasn't a good transition from scene to scene. The first half was almost boring and incredulous. Rat was annoying and not sure why he traveled with her sometimes. Later it became more interesting but not my favorite.
March 3, 2012
The final Stevens travel book, at least as far as I can find… this one is different in that it is really an ode to fine dining. Stevens and his model friend Rat (short for Rachel) embark on a quest to dine at all 29 top Michelin-rated restaurants… in 29 days. And Stevens brings a cherry-red 1965 Mustang convertible along from the U.S. for the two to tool around in. Yes, it is all rather sickening, except it isn’t, because it has Stevens’ typical flair for the preposterous, and for finding humor when things go wrong…
…which of course they do. The Mustang, of course, has all kinds of mechanical issues, and finding a European mechanic who knows vintage Mustangs is a challenge.
And then there are the strange dynamics of Rat’s relationship with her fiancée, who supposedly will bankroll the whole adventure if Stevens and Rat do, in fact, hit all 29 restaurants in just 29 days. It is every bit as ridiculous and zany as Stevens’ earlier travel books, and just as fun to read.
…which of course they do. The Mustang, of course, has all kinds of mechanical issues, and finding a European mechanic who knows vintage Mustangs is a challenge.
And then there are the strange dynamics of Rat’s relationship with her fiancée, who supposedly will bankroll the whole adventure if Stevens and Rat do, in fact, hit all 29 restaurants in just 29 days. It is every bit as ridiculous and zany as Stevens’ earlier travel books, and just as fun to read.
October 31, 2010
Feeding Frenzy is subtitled "across Europe in search of the perfect meal." In the first 90 pages, not a whole lot of eating takes places but there's a LOT of detail about the Mustang the author has shipped to England from America.
Stuart and his platonic pal Rachel are on a quest to eat in all 29 Michelin-starred European restaurants in 29 days. This is an enjoyable read but not up to the standard of, say, Comfort Me With Apples, Heat and some of the other foodie books available. He's a good writer, though, and I'm anxious to read some of his other travel books.
Stuart and his platonic pal Rachel are on a quest to eat in all 29 Michelin-starred European restaurants in 29 days. This is an enjoyable read but not up to the standard of, say, Comfort Me With Apples, Heat and some of the other foodie books available. He's a good writer, though, and I'm anxious to read some of his other travel books.
June 2, 2008
A guy and a gal (platonic--were Harry and Sally wrong?) head across Europe to eat in all the 3-Michelin-starred restaurants on consecutive days. Pretty funny, although the author is a bit pompous at times. Still, I want this man's job. Maybe I should write the sequel: staying in all the top-rated hotels of Europe for a week at a time. Let me know if you'd be willing to fund my research. (:
November 30, 2008
The author whose previous books were most certainly not about three star restaurants with beautiful women. His previous books were about the miseries of crossing the Sahara, or the trials of central Asia. I must be a horrible person, because I enjoyed those tales of deprivation more than this jaunt across Europe eating at 3-stars for free.
March 2, 2010
Two American friends go on a wild European road trip in a vintage Mustang (whose brakes sometimes work) on a quest to eat in all of Europe's 3-star restaurants on consecutive days. It's a witty and madcap adventure, although I felt there was a little something lacking when compared to many of the other fantastic food memoirs out there.
June 12, 2013
A book to read when I'm feeling decadent. Wish I knew more French so I could translate all the courses/dishes. I'm glad that the author includes other thoughts that crossed his mine about Rat, Henry the Dog, the Mustang, how Michelin judges score, and current social issues, because if it was just about great food, the book would be kind of boring.
March 27, 2007
a travel book that is hilarious - set in Europe - I also read 2 other travel books by this author set in Africa and China and enjoyed them as well.
October 26, 2007
This was a hilarious adventure eating through Europe. Ah, I would love such a trip!
January 26, 2009
Getting myself excited for a Europe trip. Mmm food.
July 6, 2015
I thought this was a nice bit of humor for summer reading. Would help if my French language skills were better. Passed to a friend who enjoys cooking and used to work at a fine restaurant.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews