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Why We Cook : Women on Food, Identity, and Connection
An inspirational and powerful book that celebrates women's stories, passions, history, and trailblazing achievements in the culinary world, with personal essays, recipes, Q&As, illustrated quotes, and more from over 100 women in the world of food - restaurateurs, sommeliers, food producers, activists, writers, and home cooks.
Inspiring, empowering, beautiful, and moving, Why We Cook explores the place where food meets feminism. In it, artist Lindsay Gardner brings together stories, essays, kitchen profiles, interviews, and more, featuring 112 women restaurateurs, food producers, activists, writers, professional chefs, and home cooks—all of whom are dedicated not only to their craft but to changing the world of food.
There are profiles on changemakers, like Cristina Martinez, a chef who emigrated from Mexico and who brings her Philadelphia community together through food while using her platform to champion immigrants’ rights; and Leah Penniman, who describes a day in her life on Soul Fire Farm, which she co-founded to combat racism in the food system. Evocative reflections on food and memory, like Rachel Khong's ode to her mother's love of fruit. And narrative recipes, like restaurateur Nicole Ponseca's Bibingka.
With her rich visual storytelling gifts—the book is filled with beautiful watercolour illustrations and portraits—Gardner not only captures a sense of what is unique about each of the women, bringing them to life but adds layers of nuance and insight to their words and their work. Together, their voices reveal the power of food to uplift and nourish, reveal complex questions, and effect change, and offer us all the opportunity to learn about each other and about ourselves.
Inspiring, empowering, beautiful, and moving, Why We Cook explores the place where food meets feminism. In it, artist Lindsay Gardner brings together stories, essays, kitchen profiles, interviews, and more, featuring 112 women restaurateurs, food producers, activists, writers, professional chefs, and home cooks—all of whom are dedicated not only to their craft but to changing the world of food.
There are profiles on changemakers, like Cristina Martinez, a chef who emigrated from Mexico and who brings her Philadelphia community together through food while using her platform to champion immigrants’ rights; and Leah Penniman, who describes a day in her life on Soul Fire Farm, which she co-founded to combat racism in the food system. Evocative reflections on food and memory, like Rachel Khong's ode to her mother's love of fruit. And narrative recipes, like restaurateur Nicole Ponseca's Bibingka.
With her rich visual storytelling gifts—the book is filled with beautiful watercolour illustrations and portraits—Gardner not only captures a sense of what is unique about each of the women, bringing them to life but adds layers of nuance and insight to their words and their work. Together, their voices reveal the power of food to uplift and nourish, reveal complex questions, and effect change, and offer us all the opportunity to learn about each other and about ourselves.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2021
50 people are currently reading
786 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
April 29, 2021
When I dove into Why We Cook by Lindsay Gardner, I was a bit apprehensive about how the author would combine recipes, chef spotlights, discussions on identity, and social activism in a way that would let this work serve as both a cookbook and a narrative on women in the kitchen. I’m delighted to say that the author has succeeded! This is an absolute pleasure to read (the essays from Julia Turshen, Bonnie Tsui, Niki Nakayama, and others are delightful), and the variety in recipes will have home cooks forcing themselves to decide which to try first. Jessica B. Harris’ Chicken Yassa, with Sengalese origins, is her “good luck” recipe, and Mimi Mendoza will convince every baker that yes, they can handle Caneles de Bordeaux, beautiful little cakes that include vanilla, rum, and beeswax. Gardner is also the illustrator, and the colorful pops and full-page works are absolutely beautiful, whether featuring a pictorial guide to making soba noodles or a portrait of Haile Thomas, who founded the nonprofit HAPPY (Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth), which provides holistic heath education to kids in underserved communities. Back matter includes a full list and contact information for each contributor and acknowledgements. The table of contents includes an index to recipes, essays, profiles, etc...
June 25, 2022
Like a lot of these "mass interview" and survey books, this is a mixed bag and can quickly start reading like a blog. Also, as with a lot of books about people who call themselves chefs and influencers (gods, how I hate that term), some of these folks are clearly using this as a platform for marketing their "personal brand" (another term I loathe) with their spiel rather than with any sincerity. You dig through quite a bit of that to get to the gems, responses that are thoughtful or brutally honest, essays that paint a memory, etc. Not surprisingly, the best bits tend to be by women who have worked in the industry so long that they are far beyond talking in buzz phrases and hashtags. The illustrations are nice, too. I had a hard time telling if some of them are computer-generated or created by hand, but they add some fun to the book either way.
July 5, 2023
Beautiful, warm, inspiring - Why We Cook made me want to be in my garden, invite friends around the table for good food, and dream big about community and social change. An absolute delight from start to finish.
January 10, 2024
I really wish I liked this collection more, but it was far too chaotic for me and the array of contributors didn't seem to mesh very well.
March 4, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book. Inspiring and thoughtful. The watercolor illustrations were a joy.
December 15, 2023
This book is a beautiful collection of women talking about food, why they cook food, what food makes them feel, etc. It was fantastic to read. The illustrations are magic too.
March 4, 2021
I admit it, I am one of those people who read cookbooks for fun, and I am addicted to shows like “Great British Baking”. There is something so heart-warming and wholesome about the act of doing, or even thinking about, food preparation for the people you care about - to me it really is a “food is love” thing.
Enter this lovely book.
The best way to describe it is a beautifully illustrated series of conversations, short essays, recipes and musings from the contributors, who represent a broad and inclusive set of women across the food industry. You can read it straight through, or pick up and read a section at a time as you would any coffee table book.
I read this book more casually, over the course of several days and found the comments provided touched all the right notes. Many of the stories emphasized the way we all would love to eat - based on the traditional cultural focus of locally sourced or harvested food and fresh herbs and their preparation in season.
There’s a lot of content, nicely laid out, and some of the highlights for me included:
- What preparing food means to women and how our roles in food preparation within the family are evolving.
- How culture is reflected in cooking and how deeply intertwined our memories/emotions from our homelands and our childhoods are to food.
- The contributors reflect the ever-growing appreciation for diversity and inclusivity in the cooking industry. I for one am so grateful for all the multi-cultural ingredients, recipes and videos that are out there now, and am looking forward to trying several of the recipes in this book.
4 wonderful stars.
A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Workman Publishing Company, and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented here are my own.
Enter this lovely book.
The best way to describe it is a beautifully illustrated series of conversations, short essays, recipes and musings from the contributors, who represent a broad and inclusive set of women across the food industry. You can read it straight through, or pick up and read a section at a time as you would any coffee table book.
I read this book more casually, over the course of several days and found the comments provided touched all the right notes. Many of the stories emphasized the way we all would love to eat - based on the traditional cultural focus of locally sourced or harvested food and fresh herbs and their preparation in season.
There’s a lot of content, nicely laid out, and some of the highlights for me included:
- What preparing food means to women and how our roles in food preparation within the family are evolving.
- How culture is reflected in cooking and how deeply intertwined our memories/emotions from our homelands and our childhoods are to food.
- The contributors reflect the ever-growing appreciation for diversity and inclusivity in the cooking industry. I for one am so grateful for all the multi-cultural ingredients, recipes and videos that are out there now, and am looking forward to trying several of the recipes in this book.
4 wonderful stars.
A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Workman Publishing Company, and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented here are my own.
June 2, 2021
This book is in the same vein as Charlotte Druckman's book Women on Food, but Why We Cook focuses more on women, diversity, and food. It's a collection of essays, interviews, recipes and more from 112 women working in food. There is a variety of writings so it reads really quickly. There are also some compilations of answers to cooking/food related questions both from professionals and home cooks alike. Overall, a quick read about women and their passions and inspiration for the food they make (whether professionally or at home).
A quote I liked:
[Answering the question Who is your mentor or hero?] "...Also the Queen Mothers in Ghana, West Africa, who are the elders who really challenged me. They were like, 'In the US, is it true that a farmer puts a seed in the ground and doesn't pray, doesn't sing, doesn't pour libation, doesn't even say thank you, and expects the seed to grow?' They encouraged me to put the spiritual back into agriculture." - Leah Penniman, cofounder, co-executive director, and farm manager of Soul Fire Farm. (p. 235)
A quote I liked:
[Answering the question Who is your mentor or hero?] "...Also the Queen Mothers in Ghana, West Africa, who are the elders who really challenged me. They were like, 'In the US, is it true that a farmer puts a seed in the ground and doesn't pray, doesn't sing, doesn't pour libation, doesn't even say thank you, and expects the seed to grow?' They encouraged me to put the spiritual back into agriculture." - Leah Penniman, cofounder, co-executive director, and farm manager of Soul Fire Farm. (p. 235)
June 3, 2021
WHY WE COOK, is a recommended book about the world of food. It works on so many levels in that it studies food from so many angles. It is empowering as well, letting women view how food can change their world, and their philosophies.
There are 112 women featured in the book, and the essays and interviews and recipes represent a most diverse range. You can pretty well open the book anywhere if you are so inclined, and discover stories from women and why food has come to be an integral part of their existence. There are also many illustrations done by Lindsay Gardner adding another layer to the book.
The profiles of these women are short but to the point, packing a lot into each designated profile. There are such women as Robyn Sue Fisher who is the founder and CEO of Smitten Ice Cream. Her corporate consulting job was taking its toll on her at one point. She enrolled in business school at Stanford, taking a course for start-up entrepreneurs. She did research on the ice cream industry, learning about all facets of its production. She wanted to create a better ice cream machine than what was out there, and with the help of a retired space engineer, she developed the first prototype of her Brrr machine.
In 2011 she opened her first store which has grown to five in Northern California. She has six patents on her Brrr machine, and as they say the rest is history.
You will be most impressed by the stories in the book, how a simple vision became a life’s passion, revolving around food. There are also special sections such as What kitchen tools do you love the most? What season makes you the most excited to cook? What legacy do you hope to create with your life’s work? and What do you hope will change in the future?
Life has been changed thanks to food, and these women who have carved their niche thanks to their perseverance and faith in food and themselves.
There are 112 women featured in the book, and the essays and interviews and recipes represent a most diverse range. You can pretty well open the book anywhere if you are so inclined, and discover stories from women and why food has come to be an integral part of their existence. There are also many illustrations done by Lindsay Gardner adding another layer to the book.
The profiles of these women are short but to the point, packing a lot into each designated profile. There are such women as Robyn Sue Fisher who is the founder and CEO of Smitten Ice Cream. Her corporate consulting job was taking its toll on her at one point. She enrolled in business school at Stanford, taking a course for start-up entrepreneurs. She did research on the ice cream industry, learning about all facets of its production. She wanted to create a better ice cream machine than what was out there, and with the help of a retired space engineer, she developed the first prototype of her Brrr machine.
In 2011 she opened her first store which has grown to five in Northern California. She has six patents on her Brrr machine, and as they say the rest is history.
You will be most impressed by the stories in the book, how a simple vision became a life’s passion, revolving around food. There are also special sections such as What kitchen tools do you love the most? What season makes you the most excited to cook? What legacy do you hope to create with your life’s work? and What do you hope will change in the future?
Life has been changed thanks to food, and these women who have carved their niche thanks to their perseverance and faith in food and themselves.
February 11, 2021
𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐍 “𝗪𝐇𝐘 𝗪𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊”
𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫: Lindsay Gardner
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: March 2nd, 2021
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: last month I made the decision of reading at least one food and beverage related book a month, to keep learning and being inspired in my field of work. This month’s choice was “𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘞𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘬”, a collection of POVs, recipes, essays from women of hospitality around the world.
I learned so many things with this book! It’s not a surprise to me that the high positions of this field are mostly occupied by man and it was inspiring to hear stories of how women are opening the path for more female voices in the industry. I loved reading how these women (chefs, restauranteurs, sommeliers, etc) identified the problems and overcame them. The way the book was put together is very dynamic - mixing interviews with essays, profiles and storytelling.
One of my favorites phrases of the book was: “𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 - 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺” - Jude Rodil (Master Sommelier)
Unfortunately my reading experience was a bit ruined by the format that the book took on my kindle, mixing up phrases and paragraphs - but the version for sale is a beautiful table coffee book with a hardcover and Gardener’s beautiful illustrations.
I will definitely buy this book once released and recommend it to my female colleagues in the hospitality and F&B fields!
Thank you @netgalley and @workmanpub for gifting me this eARC in exchange of an honest review.
𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫: Lindsay Gardner
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: March 2nd, 2021
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: last month I made the decision of reading at least one food and beverage related book a month, to keep learning and being inspired in my field of work. This month’s choice was “𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘞𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘬”, a collection of POVs, recipes, essays from women of hospitality around the world.
I learned so many things with this book! It’s not a surprise to me that the high positions of this field are mostly occupied by man and it was inspiring to hear stories of how women are opening the path for more female voices in the industry. I loved reading how these women (chefs, restauranteurs, sommeliers, etc) identified the problems and overcame them. The way the book was put together is very dynamic - mixing interviews with essays, profiles and storytelling.
One of my favorites phrases of the book was: “𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 - 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺” - Jude Rodil (Master Sommelier)
Unfortunately my reading experience was a bit ruined by the format that the book took on my kindle, mixing up phrases and paragraphs - but the version for sale is a beautiful table coffee book with a hardcover and Gardener’s beautiful illustrations.
I will definitely buy this book once released and recommend it to my female colleagues in the hospitality and F&B fields!
Thank you @netgalley and @workmanpub for gifting me this eARC in exchange of an honest review.
August 2, 2022
Lindsay Gardner's whimsical-yet-substantive illustrations make this a charming book that is a pleasant mish-mosh of reflections, substantive essays, and lighter fare (inspirational quotes and magazine-type survey questions). While there are a few recipe, it isn't a cookbook--although I certainly would have appreciated an index (foods, recipes, people). The table of contents suffices, however, split into "Memorable Meals", "Kitchen Portraits", "Essays", "Home Cooks in Conversation", "Recipes" (listed by contributor, rather than dish), "Profiles" and "Contributors in Conversation." I found the "in conversation" bits to be the least engaging on the whole, although the occasional nugget of wisdom or a surprising witticism made them worth reading. Not all the "essays" carry the same weight -- Cara Mangini's list of seasonal eating choices doesn't really compare to Osayi Endolyn's "Like Paradise" that uses five paragraphs to offer an intimate, honest, and humble look at the importance of our quirky roots and spaces where cooking happens. That said, I'm glad both were included, but I would have liked a bit more sense of narrative and build across the book. The Profiles and Kitchen Portraits are where I think the book has the deepest value--illuminating and amplifying important women who have contributed much to the world of food in multiple ways.
Because the book does not have an overarching narrative, however, it is a great gift for the cooks in your life. It is easy to put down, easy to pick back up, and would be of interest for a cook who may not be an avid reader. We need more of this type of book that will amplify lesser-heard voices and appeal to a wide audience through beautiful illustrations and an approachable tone.
Because the book does not have an overarching narrative, however, it is a great gift for the cooks in your life. It is easy to put down, easy to pick back up, and would be of interest for a cook who may not be an avid reader. We need more of this type of book that will amplify lesser-heard voices and appeal to a wide audience through beautiful illustrations and an approachable tone.
March 8, 2021
If you like cooking, baking, food, eating, reading about food, beautiful illustrations, or any combination of these things then you'll find something to like in this book. Profiles of chefs and food industry women, home cooks, recipes, essays, memorable meals, and more. There's something for everyone and you can dip into this book randomly to find something beautiful that will make you hungry for something you've never heard of, or something you've had a thousand times - just without that new description.
There's something so pleasing, I think, in reading about food and cooking. Especially when the content is all coming from or about women. I liked this book a lot. I know I didn't capture everything in my first read/glance through, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the book and the women inside a little more.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
There's something so pleasing, I think, in reading about food and cooking. Especially when the content is all coming from or about women. I liked this book a lot. I know I didn't capture everything in my first read/glance through, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the book and the women inside a little more.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 5, 2021
Beautifully illustrated tribute to women in the food industry. Lots of variety in the format - essays by the women, stories about them, interviews, quotes, recipes, and sometimes general questions with brief answers by four to seven women. During most periods of history, aside from farming and hunting, women have been chiefly responsible for feeding their families. They took care of the "kitchen gardens" for the vegetables and herbs they needed, tending the cows and chickens, preserved the produce and meat, and prepared the meals. So, it is ironic that a constant theme throughout the book is how these women had to struggle to be taken seriously in their chosen professions. More of a coffee table book than a reading book. I also think that since the background information on the various women is sparse, the book as a whole would be more interesting to avid "foodies" who may already be familiar with the women who are profiled.
November 10, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very enjoyable. I was very intrigued by this book because I read something about it online and then I also read the blurb after so i felt like i had to read it!
It took me a little time to read it since I'm in a bit of a reading slump but I ended up finishing it in the end. it was not because the book was shit but because I didn't feel like reading most of the time. The book itself was actually pretty good.
I really liked how everything was formatted in this book when it comes to text and picture wise because it made it very calm but still fun to look at. I also really enjoyed the style of writing since it didn't use too many complicated words that I would possibly have to look up since I'm sadly not a walking dictionary.
I think this book was pretty good :D
This book was very enjoyable. I was very intrigued by this book because I read something about it online and then I also read the blurb after so i felt like i had to read it!
It took me a little time to read it since I'm in a bit of a reading slump but I ended up finishing it in the end. it was not because the book was shit but because I didn't feel like reading most of the time. The book itself was actually pretty good.
I really liked how everything was formatted in this book when it comes to text and picture wise because it made it very calm but still fun to look at. I also really enjoyed the style of writing since it didn't use too many complicated words that I would possibly have to look up since I'm sadly not a walking dictionary.
I think this book was pretty good :D
December 15, 2020
I love to cook, so I was excited to receive Why We Cook as an e-ARC through NetGalley. This beautifully illustrated book was a compilation of essays, recipes, Q&As, and more from over 100 female professional and amateur chefs.
What I Liked:
The illustrations were the best part of this book. They were absolutely stunning and I ended up reading this on my phone to be able to see them in color (versus reading on my Kindle). I also love books have recipes inside that aren't a straight up cook book and I will be trying out some of the recipes.
What I Disliked:
I didn't care for the structure of this book. It felt like it jumped around a lot and there did not seem to be cohesion from one essay, Q&A, etc to the next.
For foodies or those who watch food shows (Food Network, Netflix, etc) this book is an easy, entertaining, impressive read into the lives of female chefs.
What I Liked:
The illustrations were the best part of this book. They were absolutely stunning and I ended up reading this on my phone to be able to see them in color (versus reading on my Kindle). I also love books have recipes inside that aren't a straight up cook book and I will be trying out some of the recipes.
What I Disliked:
I didn't care for the structure of this book. It felt like it jumped around a lot and there did not seem to be cohesion from one essay, Q&A, etc to the next.
For foodies or those who watch food shows (Food Network, Netflix, etc) this book is an easy, entertaining, impressive read into the lives of female chefs.
February 5, 2021
3.5 stars. Beautifully illustrated compilation celebrating women in food. The book contains essays on Memorable Meals, Kitchen Portraits showing them in their kitchens and giving their backgrounds, essays, Home Cooks in Conversation (q&a with home cooks), a handful of recipes, Profiles, and Contributors in Conversation (q&a with chefs). There's a lot of info in here on food, cooking, the planet, and difficulties women in the restaurant industry and related food associated professions encounter. There were lots of great quotes. The recipes were unique and included because of a story from the creator.
This would be a good gift for a woman who is very interested in food or hoping to make it a career.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This would be a good gift for a woman who is very interested in food or hoping to make it a career.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2022
The kind folks at Workman Publishing recently sent me a copy of a new book – released in March 2021 - filled with gorgeous watercolor art, sprinkled with rare recipes, and sporting a variety of content you would not believe! There’s essays, articles about ingredients, discussion of vegetables and fresh garden produce, conversations and interviews with chefs from around the country. Actually, the subtitle pretty much sums up the purpose of the author’s efforts in producing this fine homage: “Women on Food, Identity, and Connection.” In addition to being an interesting read for you, it would also make a great gift for a food-lover on your friends-list. Check it out…
I met this book while at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, WA
I met this book while at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, WA
October 20, 2022
Love this book not only because it is about food but also about change for women's human rights and gender equality. The title caught my eye and did not disappoint. It was nourishing and refreshing to read the words of the 112 women in the food industry, their stance on climate action - women's rights - equality - good food - slow food - and more. I consider these women unsung heroes, leaders, and decision-makers for food sustainability and balance between our inner selves and our chosen professions. This book is so timely in that it serves women well and inspires women to pursue their dreams in an industry that has been overrun by male chefs, arrogance, and aggression. It can be done.
November 26, 2022
Again, another food book that I was a tad disappointed in because I expected something different-- I want more Bee Wilson in my books! A historical walkback or social psychological deconstruction of "why we cook"- answering the question from a philosophical perspective from a single point, not from gathering responses from anyone and everyone. Though, I was pleasantly excited to see Soul Fire Farm, local to our area, represented with her social justice perspective on farming.
But still, it always ends up being solely focused on injustice and becomes a political tool to wield when I'd rather have food for thought about women's connection to food.
But still, it always ends up being solely focused on injustice and becomes a political tool to wield when I'd rather have food for thought about women's connection to food.
January 27, 2021
This book was a delight! The paintings are beautiful and provide a beautiful backsplash to the inspiring and entertaining stories, quotes, and recipes of home cooks, professional chefs, activists, and others. If you love to cook and also have a penchant for justice and equity, you will certainly enjoy this book. It would also make a great gift for the feminist cook or baker in your life. I'm glad I read this and would wholeheartedly recommend it to others.
*I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2021
This is a very satisfying read! I loved hearing the stories about the different ways women have been inspired to grow, prepare, and serve food. How family and emotions play such an important role. I was heartened to learn all the ways women are doing their part to nourish their families, communities, and, in some cases, the world! Pleasant and satiating. This is not a cookbook per se although there are some recipes.
December 7, 2021
One of the best books I've read this year, highlighting women from all facets of the food industry and how they are changing our tables, our perceptions, our world. Inspiring interviews, recipes, essays, and beautiful illustrations. Showing us how these women and food in general can help us in the fight for justice. Easy to pickup and read at any point, but worth sitting down and devouring. Gifting this to all my friends.
April 15, 2021
This is a really cool collection. I loved the illustrations and variety of topics covered. The essays were so short, which was a pro and a con--it made for quick reading, but I also wanted to read more each person had to write. This is a good jumping-off point to seek out more food writing and cookbooks from these authors.
July 21, 2021
Stories from inspiring women in the culinary world. The recipes here are so homey and you can tell that each one means so much to each of the chefs. As a woman who was once involved in the culinary world, it is great to have this curated book with amazing stories and great recipes that come from the heart of each of the chefs.
August 18, 2021
Just a really lovely book of essays, recipes, and interviews - a beautiful blending of a cookbook and a food and culture magazine. And, the illustrations are so warm and inviting. I picked the book up by cover alone, and kept it two days longer than I should have (my fine will be worth it) just to finish grazing through the pages to the end.
January 31, 2022
Not exactly what I expected so I was a bit disappointed. I would’ve liked more of the original essays;the profiles were very bland and seemed just to serve as advertisements for the chef’s restaurant. I wanted to know more about the growth of the woman’s role in the industry so more historical stories would’ve been interesting.
April 6, 2023
Thoughtful, engaging, and inspiring. The subject matter is of great interest to me and I loved how welcoming the conversational tone is -- almost like sitting down at the table with all of these dynamic women. And the watercolor illustrations are simply wonderful. Highly recommended for all people who eat food.
January 28, 2021
I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed that this was a book about famous chefs/cooks, but I was hoping that it would at least have one recipe by each woman.
I enjoyed that this was a book about famous chefs/cooks, but I was hoping that it would at least have one recipe by each woman.
February 16, 2021
This is an eclectic mix of stories by and about real women and their motivations behind what gets them into the kitchen. While everyone has a different story, many of the components were the same. It was interesting, but I don't feel like I would have missed out on anything if I hadn't read it.
May 24, 2021
The gorgeous illustrations really set this book apart. It includes essays, meditations, thoughts, and even some recipes from over 100 women chefs. She shares powerful thoughts about the creation of community and family from chefs from all over the globe. It's a fun book to dip in and out of.
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