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Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More
A young chef whose dreams were cut short savors every last minute as she explores food and adventure, illness and mortality in this stunning, lyrical memoir and family story that sweeps from Pakistan to New York City and beyond.
"Savor is moving, heartbreaking, and defiantly hopeful."--Mohsin Hamid, New York Times bestselling author of The Last White Man and Exit West
Fatima Ali won the hearts of viewers as the Fan Favorite of Bravo's Top Chef in season fifteen. Twenty-nine years old, she was a dynamic, boundary-breaking chef and a bright new voice for change in the food world. After the taping wrapped and before the show aired, Fati was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Not one to ever slow down or admit defeat, the star chef vowed to spend her final year traveling the world, eating delicious food, and making memories with her loved ones. But when her condition abruptly worsened, her plans were sidelined. She pivoted, determined to make her final days count as she worked to tell the story of a brown girl chef who set out to make a name for herself, her food, and her culture.
Including writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh, and her collaborator, Tarajia Morrell, this deftly woven account is an inspiring ode to the food, family, and countries Fatima loved so much. Alternating between past and present, readers are transported back to Pakistan and the childhoods of both Fatima and Farezeh, each deeply affected by cultural barriers that shaped the course of their lives. From the rustic stalls of the outdoor markets of Karachi to the kitchen and dining room of Meadowood, the acclaimed three-star Michelin restaurant where she apprenticed, Fati reflects on her life and her identity as a chef, a daughter, and a queer woman butting up against traditional views.
This triumphant memoir is at once an exploration of the sense of wonder that made Fatima so special, and a shining testament to the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, it is a story about what it means to truly live, a profound and exquisite portrait of savoring every moment.
"Savor is moving, heartbreaking, and defiantly hopeful."--Mohsin Hamid, New York Times bestselling author of The Last White Man and Exit West
Fatima Ali won the hearts of viewers as the Fan Favorite of Bravo's Top Chef in season fifteen. Twenty-nine years old, she was a dynamic, boundary-breaking chef and a bright new voice for change in the food world. After the taping wrapped and before the show aired, Fati was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Not one to ever slow down or admit defeat, the star chef vowed to spend her final year traveling the world, eating delicious food, and making memories with her loved ones. But when her condition abruptly worsened, her plans were sidelined. She pivoted, determined to make her final days count as she worked to tell the story of a brown girl chef who set out to make a name for herself, her food, and her culture.
Including writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh, and her collaborator, Tarajia Morrell, this deftly woven account is an inspiring ode to the food, family, and countries Fatima loved so much. Alternating between past and present, readers are transported back to Pakistan and the childhoods of both Fatima and Farezeh, each deeply affected by cultural barriers that shaped the course of their lives. From the rustic stalls of the outdoor markets of Karachi to the kitchen and dining room of Meadowood, the acclaimed three-star Michelin restaurant where she apprenticed, Fati reflects on her life and her identity as a chef, a daughter, and a queer woman butting up against traditional views.
This triumphant memoir is at once an exploration of the sense of wonder that made Fatima so special, and a shining testament to the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, it is a story about what it means to truly live, a profound and exquisite portrait of savoring every moment.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published October 11, 2022
122 people are currently reading
7020 people want to read
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October 12, 2022
Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More is at times hopeful, uplifting, heartbreaking, sad and moving. Fatima Ali was a Pakistani Chef and a fan favorite on "Top Chef" in season fifteen. The world was her oyster. She hoped to change the way people looked at food and culture. She had dreams and was inspiring. She died too young.
Fatima was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. She was given a terminal diagnosis and she vowed to make her final year count. She chose to travel and try amazing food. When her illness got in the way, she came home, and began writing this book. It is heartfelt, heartbreaking and moving. Her mother, Farezeh, also wrote chapters and they had Tarajia Morrell to help with this memoir.
The book chronicles Fatima's life in Pakistan and in the United States. It shows her love of cooking, her country, and her life. I admire both Fatima and her mother's honesty and courage in sharing with the world their struggles, their triumphs, their love, and their pain.
This was a beautifully written memoir that moved me but also had me wanting to find the episodes of the cooking shows she competed in. To watch her doing what she loved and was passionate about.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Fatima was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. She was given a terminal diagnosis and she vowed to make her final year count. She chose to travel and try amazing food. When her illness got in the way, she came home, and began writing this book. It is heartfelt, heartbreaking and moving. Her mother, Farezeh, also wrote chapters and they had Tarajia Morrell to help with this memoir.
The book chronicles Fatima's life in Pakistan and in the United States. It shows her love of cooking, her country, and her life. I admire both Fatima and her mother's honesty and courage in sharing with the world their struggles, their triumphs, their love, and their pain.
This was a beautifully written memoir that moved me but also had me wanting to find the episodes of the cooking shows she competed in. To watch her doing what she loved and was passionate about.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 19, 2022
We have loved Top Chef from day one. Therefore, when offered it, I chose to read this book to get lowdown on what it was like for a contestant. I didn't know that I would be getting so much more. Fatima Ali was a memorable force during her time on that show, selected by viewers as Fan Favorite, and her passion for her native Pakistani cuisine was paramount. She saw this appearance as a stepping stone toward her ultimate goal, that of opening her own restaurant and introducing those distinct flavors to American palates.
Tragically, her wish list evolved into a bucket list of restaurants worldwide in order to taste specialties of renown chefs, of which she wanted to become a member. Her dreams cut short by a virulent, cruel cancer, taking her life before the age of 30. This memoir is a marvel. Despite the tragedies, it is never maudlin or self pitying, and the fact that Fatima's words were processed and presented by Tarajia Morrell, who only had a week to work with her, remarkable. Interspersed are chapters by Fati's mother, Farezeh, heartfelt and wrenching. The world has lost the chance to celebrate Fati's talent and appreciate her food, but Farezeh lost a piece of her heart yet bravely contributed to this beautiful book. I was reminded of When Breath Becomes Air, by Dr. Paul Kalinithi, written during his final months and finished by his wife, Lucy. Both books will occupy the same chamber of my heart.
Tragically, her wish list evolved into a bucket list of restaurants worldwide in order to taste specialties of renown chefs, of which she wanted to become a member. Her dreams cut short by a virulent, cruel cancer, taking her life before the age of 30. This memoir is a marvel. Despite the tragedies, it is never maudlin or self pitying, and the fact that Fatima's words were processed and presented by Tarajia Morrell, who only had a week to work with her, remarkable. Interspersed are chapters by Fati's mother, Farezeh, heartfelt and wrenching. The world has lost the chance to celebrate Fati's talent and appreciate her food, but Farezeh lost a piece of her heart yet bravely contributed to this beautiful book. I was reminded of When Breath Becomes Air, by Dr. Paul Kalinithi, written during his final months and finished by his wife, Lucy. Both books will occupy the same chamber of my heart.
July 22, 2022
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
So here's the thing. I am (always have been, always will be) drawn to books that fully gut me. The ones that I casually think about for weeks after finishing reading them, and feel the waves of pain over and over again. Is this because I'm actually a robot and this is the only instance in which I feel human emotions? Perhaps. We can only speculate.
Having watched a good amount of Top Chef in my day, I can confidently say that Fatima was immediately one of my favorite from the second she stepped onto the screen, and remains in my opinion one of the best people ever to have been on the show. She had such a magnetism to her, that I knew would translate in a book written by her. Her story is, of course, gut-wrenching. She was able to express it in such a way that you really could put yourself in her mindset as she lived through these vastly different chapters of her life. And the descriptions of food throughout the novel, by both Fatima and Farezeh, had my mouth watering the entire time I was reading. There's nothing like a really vivid description of specific plates and flavors... except, I guess, actually getting to experience those things in real life.
This was an exceptionally written memoir, and though I definitely came into it expecting to have my heart strings tugged upon, I didn't think it would hit me quite in the way that it did. In particular, Farezeh's telling of her point of view was really just a semi truck to the feels. My tiniest nitpicks are that I think some of the arrangement of chapters could have been manipulated so that we weren't repeating time periods quite as much, but it was still not difficult to follow along with the timelines of events.
I also typically don't read the acknowledgments at the end of books (tsk tsk, I know), but Mohammed did such a great job on that. It honestly was just as touching as the rest of the memoir was.
If you love food novels, and aren't too scared of having a good cry, I would highly recommend picking this one up as soon as humanly possible.
So here's the thing. I am (always have been, always will be) drawn to books that fully gut me. The ones that I casually think about for weeks after finishing reading them, and feel the waves of pain over and over again. Is this because I'm actually a robot and this is the only instance in which I feel human emotions? Perhaps. We can only speculate.
Having watched a good amount of Top Chef in my day, I can confidently say that Fatima was immediately one of my favorite from the second she stepped onto the screen, and remains in my opinion one of the best people ever to have been on the show. She had such a magnetism to her, that I knew would translate in a book written by her. Her story is, of course, gut-wrenching. She was able to express it in such a way that you really could put yourself in her mindset as she lived through these vastly different chapters of her life. And the descriptions of food throughout the novel, by both Fatima and Farezeh, had my mouth watering the entire time I was reading. There's nothing like a really vivid description of specific plates and flavors... except, I guess, actually getting to experience those things in real life.
This was an exceptionally written memoir, and though I definitely came into it expecting to have my heart strings tugged upon, I didn't think it would hit me quite in the way that it did. In particular, Farezeh's telling of her point of view was really just a semi truck to the feels. My tiniest nitpicks are that I think some of the arrangement of chapters could have been manipulated so that we weren't repeating time periods quite as much, but it was still not difficult to follow along with the timelines of events.
I also typically don't read the acknowledgments at the end of books (tsk tsk, I know), but Mohammed did such a great job on that. It honestly was just as touching as the rest of the memoir was.
If you love food novels, and aren't too scared of having a good cry, I would highly recommend picking this one up as soon as humanly possible.
August 10, 2025
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really really wanted to like this book, but it took me months to get through because of how repetitive the writing was. This is in no way a judgment of Fatima Ali or her accomplishments, or the tragedy of her death from cancer. But this book is not well written. It easily could have been a hundred pages shorter and just as, if not more, meaningful. The majority of the book felt just like an info dump about her life without any significant reflection. The repetitive romanticizing of becoming a chef and food was so frequent and almost copy paste that it made the book feel even longer. There were so many parts of Ali’s identity or life that were important but any writing about it felt incredibly surface level. Often times it even felt like there were conflicting views within the book, but with out any kind of connection to piece together the change or growth. The two chapters out of almost fifty that actually stood out to me were actually written from her mother Farezah’s perspective. There were also heavy topics such as child abuse and sexual assault that should have been noted as content warnings.
December 18, 2024
My Mom and I watched Top Chef season 15 and both fell in love with the joyful, hilarious Pakistani chef named Fatima. We were so sad when she was eliminated and wanted to eat all of her beautiful food.
And after reading this book, I’m so glad I got to hear more of her story!
Because of my chronic pain and unknown health issues the section when Fati discovered she had cancer was a bit triggering and her last days were absolutely heartbreaking. I loved that we got to hear so much from her Mother and thought this was a great memoir.
And after reading this book, I’m so glad I got to hear more of her story!
Because of my chronic pain and unknown health issues the section when Fati discovered she had cancer was a bit triggering and her last days were absolutely heartbreaking. I loved that we got to hear so much from her Mother and thought this was a great memoir.
October 19, 2022
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜.
Fatima Ali, a New York chef born in Pakistan, is known for competing in and winning an episode of Chopped on Food Network. A fan favorite, she also appeared on Bravo's Top Chef but within this memoir we are on an intimate journey from her childhood, where she shares what gave birth to her love of food and cooking, to her battle with cancer and her farewell to family, friends and fans. Tarajia Morrell was asked by Fatima to collaborate on a bucket list book based on her dream travel and meals, but life had other plans, her book became something else entirely. Cancer invaded her body, yet another obstacle in her life, one that she fought to the very end. Farezeh Durrani (a contributor), Fatima's mother, gave her daughter permission to write this book, despite knowing that she would, as Fatima said, bear the brunt of her child's searing revelations, shames and regrets. For how can Fatima give an honest rendering of her days without writing about her mother, stripping them both bare in the process? Fearless, that was always what her beloved child was, tirelessly forging a culinary career, living life on her terms, and trying to be a good example for young Pakistani girls. Some gifts are painful, and that's what this love letter to food and life is.
It is beside her maternal grandmother, Nano, whose masterful bargaining at the markets in Pakistan and delicious kitchen secrets that Fatima first apprenticed. Her father, too, loved to watch cooking shows and indulge in exotic ingredients he bought on his travels through different parts of the world. Despite being a lawyer, it was his love of food that he shared with Fatima and her brother Mohammad, encouraging them to try them all. Not even moving to the other side of the world nor the breakdown of her family could change how she felt about cooking, a lifelong passion. While this is a beautiful trip through flavors, textures and smells that inspired Fatima's future career, it is also a harrowing tale of trauma and illness. Family secrets altered her young life, and no matter how hard her mother tried to shelter her child from ugliness, to raise her to be a proper, respectful Pakistani girl, it is her own fears that cost her daughter the most. The reflections are not about punishment, it is a cleansing through confronting uncomfortable truths, as if to purge it from her soul. With Ewing’s Sarcoma (a rare bone cancer, tumor) making a return after she fights it off, robbing her of her future dreams, there isn't any time left to live in the dark. Never does the reader doubt the bond Fatima and Farezeh shared, nor does any account of the ways she failed her daughter detract from the love between them, love that not even death can erase. I believe if she could have traded places with Fatima, she would have done it without hesitation. Farezeh's chapters made me feel compassion for both of them, but nothing stunned me more than the courage that burned within Fatima. Even at her sickest, in most painful moments, she wanted to live a meaningful life, to inspire others and go forward being true to her heart's desires, shame be damned. Her strength isn't without fear, of her illness, of slowly seeing her days disappear when all she wanted was to 'cast the cancer out through sheer will'. How can it be that for all the odds she beat, the demons that didn't destroy her when she was an innocent child, that now this evil disease won't retreat? Despite her own suffering, she still cared about the children on her floor and the unjust facts of the disease that would take their lives too.
I think about Farezeh often, despite feeling deeply touched we can put the book down and move on with our lives, while ultimately it is an ever-present void for her, the place her Fatima once occupied. There is courage in her heart too, in sharing such a private relationship with the world, Fatima confessed that her mother deserves credit for the force of her will in fighting to stay alive. As a mother, I couldn't help but cry, particularly for the helplessness we feel when our children's lives are on the line. As a patient who has dealt with illnesses, I know all to well the cage of disease. The anger that boils when our body can refuse our needs, demands- so much crueler for the young. It is inspiring, beautiful and devastating. Not just a book for chefs, food lovers, or those battling cancer, it is a memoir that will move any reader. Fatima's road to a culinary career, her culture, travels, family and love make such a bittersweet memorial. Yes, read it.
Published October 11, 2022
Random House
Ballantine
𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜.
Fatima Ali, a New York chef born in Pakistan, is known for competing in and winning an episode of Chopped on Food Network. A fan favorite, she also appeared on Bravo's Top Chef but within this memoir we are on an intimate journey from her childhood, where she shares what gave birth to her love of food and cooking, to her battle with cancer and her farewell to family, friends and fans. Tarajia Morrell was asked by Fatima to collaborate on a bucket list book based on her dream travel and meals, but life had other plans, her book became something else entirely. Cancer invaded her body, yet another obstacle in her life, one that she fought to the very end. Farezeh Durrani (a contributor), Fatima's mother, gave her daughter permission to write this book, despite knowing that she would, as Fatima said, bear the brunt of her child's searing revelations, shames and regrets. For how can Fatima give an honest rendering of her days without writing about her mother, stripping them both bare in the process? Fearless, that was always what her beloved child was, tirelessly forging a culinary career, living life on her terms, and trying to be a good example for young Pakistani girls. Some gifts are painful, and that's what this love letter to food and life is.
It is beside her maternal grandmother, Nano, whose masterful bargaining at the markets in Pakistan and delicious kitchen secrets that Fatima first apprenticed. Her father, too, loved to watch cooking shows and indulge in exotic ingredients he bought on his travels through different parts of the world. Despite being a lawyer, it was his love of food that he shared with Fatima and her brother Mohammad, encouraging them to try them all. Not even moving to the other side of the world nor the breakdown of her family could change how she felt about cooking, a lifelong passion. While this is a beautiful trip through flavors, textures and smells that inspired Fatima's future career, it is also a harrowing tale of trauma and illness. Family secrets altered her young life, and no matter how hard her mother tried to shelter her child from ugliness, to raise her to be a proper, respectful Pakistani girl, it is her own fears that cost her daughter the most. The reflections are not about punishment, it is a cleansing through confronting uncomfortable truths, as if to purge it from her soul. With Ewing’s Sarcoma (a rare bone cancer, tumor) making a return after she fights it off, robbing her of her future dreams, there isn't any time left to live in the dark. Never does the reader doubt the bond Fatima and Farezeh shared, nor does any account of the ways she failed her daughter detract from the love between them, love that not even death can erase. I believe if she could have traded places with Fatima, she would have done it without hesitation. Farezeh's chapters made me feel compassion for both of them, but nothing stunned me more than the courage that burned within Fatima. Even at her sickest, in most painful moments, she wanted to live a meaningful life, to inspire others and go forward being true to her heart's desires, shame be damned. Her strength isn't without fear, of her illness, of slowly seeing her days disappear when all she wanted was to 'cast the cancer out through sheer will'. How can it be that for all the odds she beat, the demons that didn't destroy her when she was an innocent child, that now this evil disease won't retreat? Despite her own suffering, she still cared about the children on her floor and the unjust facts of the disease that would take their lives too.
I think about Farezeh often, despite feeling deeply touched we can put the book down and move on with our lives, while ultimately it is an ever-present void for her, the place her Fatima once occupied. There is courage in her heart too, in sharing such a private relationship with the world, Fatima confessed that her mother deserves credit for the force of her will in fighting to stay alive. As a mother, I couldn't help but cry, particularly for the helplessness we feel when our children's lives are on the line. As a patient who has dealt with illnesses, I know all to well the cage of disease. The anger that boils when our body can refuse our needs, demands- so much crueler for the young. It is inspiring, beautiful and devastating. Not just a book for chefs, food lovers, or those battling cancer, it is a memoir that will move any reader. Fatima's road to a culinary career, her culture, travels, family and love make such a bittersweet memorial. Yes, read it.
Published October 11, 2022
Random House
Ballantine
September 14, 2022
Fatima was a brilliant chef to watch on Top Chef and so I couldn’t wait to read this. I really appreciate all the effort that made this wonderful and heart wrenching story possible. Fatima and her mother didn’t hold back in writing and sharing. As a Top Chef fan I loved hearing about Fatima’s time on the show and her friendships with Carrie, Joe Flamm, & Joe Sasto. Really well done and bring the tissues.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy.
January 2, 2023
Pakistani-born Culinary Institute of America valedictorian Fatima Ali (“Chef Fati”) was an award-winning Manhattan Chef, winner of the television show “Chopped,” fan favorite contestant on “Top Chef,” and James Beard Award-winning essayist for “Bon Appetit” magazine. Chef Fati was a hard-working executive sous chef for “Stella 34” and “Fonda Del Sol” restaurants. She commanded and earned respect and loyalty both in and out of the kitchen, made lifelong friends, and had a close-knit family whose love is palpable, and evidenced throughout the filled-in chapters by Fati’s mom, Farezah Durrani, and acknowledgements by her brother, Mohammed Ali (“Mo”). Fati was a survivor from the day she was born in August, 1989, defying death with inhaled amniotic fluid that caused pneumonia and left her clinging to life in the Newborn ICU. She also survived the bullying by the students in her class when her parents divorced and Farezah took Fati and Mo to Texas. Moving back to Lahore, Pakistan, Farezah met and married Fati and Mo’s stepfather. Fati experienced the trauma of being sexually abused at a young age, an issue which her parents never addressed or sought counseling for to prevent the family from gossip and shame. Busy working trough the gnawing ache in her shoulders which she assumed was from work, the searing, burning pain she began to suffer then made it impossible to ignore. Her bartender friend told her she had a plum-sized lump on her shoulder, which after delays for insurance reasons was finally diagnosed as Ewing’s Sarcoma, a bone and soft-tissue cancer which usually afflicts young boys. After many rounds of chemotherapy and surgery, Fati was told she was in remission, only to find about a month later that she was, in fact, riddled with sarcoma throughout her body. She was given a year to live, and planned to travel to experience the cuisine of world-class chefs and their restaurants, and realize her dream of going on a safari. Unfortunately, Fati’s disease progressed rapidly and aggressively, leaving her only a short time. She then decided it was time to write her memoir, choosing writer Tarajia Morrell as her memoirist. She wanted to tell her story, the story of the young, queer, brown, female chef who wanted to be on television, to open her own restaurant, and introduce the world to the beauty of Pakistani cuisine. On her deathbed, Fati called everyone out for the hurts they inflicted upon her, and made amends to all whom she hurt, giving her the ability to pass away in peace at age twenty-nine in January, 2019.
This is an incredibly powerful book, summoning a host of emotions for the reader: joy, pain, anger, empathic heartbreak, admiration, awe, fascination. Fatima Ali was an incredible woman whose too-short life is celebrated and mourned by those who knew her, and those of us who wish we did. The writing from her interviews is exquisite, her incredibly well-versed mother filled in all the pieces to honor her daughter and make her story complete, and her brother’s acknowledgements are so tender and personal, that I felt Fati speaking through them and through the pages. It’s so much more than a memoir, it is the story of a strong, brave, powerful woman who didn’t have time to actualize her dream to own her own restaurant and feed hungry children. I sobbed for so long throughout and at the end of the acknowledgements that I had to step away from the book for a couple of days to digest it in order to have the ability to put my thoughts into words. We can all glean something important through the story of Fatima Ali’s life, whether it’s realizing that we don’t have unlimited time here on earth, the value of hard work, finding peace within is always possible, or the ability to be strong, this inspirational story has merit and value for all readers.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Fatima Ali and Tarajia Morrell, The Durrani and Ali Family, and Ballantine Books/Random House for the ability to read and review this ARC.
This is an incredibly powerful book, summoning a host of emotions for the reader: joy, pain, anger, empathic heartbreak, admiration, awe, fascination. Fatima Ali was an incredible woman whose too-short life is celebrated and mourned by those who knew her, and those of us who wish we did. The writing from her interviews is exquisite, her incredibly well-versed mother filled in all the pieces to honor her daughter and make her story complete, and her brother’s acknowledgements are so tender and personal, that I felt Fati speaking through them and through the pages. It’s so much more than a memoir, it is the story of a strong, brave, powerful woman who didn’t have time to actualize her dream to own her own restaurant and feed hungry children. I sobbed for so long throughout and at the end of the acknowledgements that I had to step away from the book for a couple of days to digest it in order to have the ability to put my thoughts into words. We can all glean something important through the story of Fatima Ali’s life, whether it’s realizing that we don’t have unlimited time here on earth, the value of hard work, finding peace within is always possible, or the ability to be strong, this inspirational story has merit and value for all readers.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Fatima Ali and Tarajia Morrell, The Durrani and Ali Family, and Ballantine Books/Random House for the ability to read and review this ARC.
December 23, 2022
I went into reading this completely blind. I didn’t know who Fatima Ali was, but I chose it because it was a memoir of a woman who achieved much in a short time of life. I was familiar with the name Fatima Ali and knew her as a famous chef, but I have never seen a single episode of Top Chef, Chopped or any other shows she was featured on.
Knowing that Fatima Ali died much too young from a rare and aggressive bone cancer made reading her story even more heartbreaking and unbelievable. She was an amazing chef, a loyal daughter and sister, and a loving friend to nearly every person she ever met. The food world lost a great resource and a woman who knew how to savor every bite of life. She was on the brink of huge success and it just seemed so unfair that her life was taken at the age of 29.
"Kitchens were where the love began. That much was already clear to my seven-year-old mind.
The essential question was already nascent in me: What greater expertise could one possess than to feed those they loved?"
Fatima Ali
Fatima Ali grew up in Pakistan and loved watching food shows in their own living room. She became curious about creating amazing dishes and mixing spices and flavors that left those relishing in the joy of her food. She dreamed of attending the most prestigious culinary school in the US and she did, attending the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and training under some of New York City’s top chefs.
Fatima decided to write this book after being diagnosed with cancer, so her time became limited and she needed to find someone else to finish writing her story. She chose Tarajia Morrell as well as Fatima’s mother and brother sharing chapters in the book. She doesn’t just share about her life as a chef, but as a child growing up in Pakistan and her struggles within her family.
"…my family was a new shape, a table missing its fourth leg. My father had vanished from our lives.
Still, although ours was now a three-legged table, we balanced quite sturdily."
Fatima Ali
Fatima’s story is quite amazing and all along I just kept thinking, how could this story be over for her? How could she not get the chance to go back to her home country and make food more accessible for the people there? How could such an amazing person not get the care she so desperately needed? Due to insurance issues and being passed around by doctors her cancer was allowed to grow and spread until a time when there was nothing that could be done. I cringed at her descriptions of pain and her inability to eat the food she wanted to. Even though she wasn’t able to travel the world, enjoying the wide variety of dishes she dreamed of eating, she spent her final days tasting food from local chefs and friends who made special meals just for her.
"It wasn’t just the achievement of cooking that made me so elated; it was the triumph of feeding people. That was my moment of epiphany: I’m going to be a chef."
Fatima Ali
Her story is absolutely inspiring but also heartbreaking. The ending is deeply sad and my heart broke for her family as they had to say goodbye to their special Fatima. But, I am certain that anyone who met her or loved her is far better for having done so.
"The vocabulary to describe the dread you feel when you know your child is deeply unwell has not been invented yet. Maybe because parents who have experienced it do not wish to revisit that moment ever again if they can help it. It is fear incarnate. It is an undoing."
Farezeh, mother of Fatima Ali
Knowing that Fatima Ali died much too young from a rare and aggressive bone cancer made reading her story even more heartbreaking and unbelievable. She was an amazing chef, a loyal daughter and sister, and a loving friend to nearly every person she ever met. The food world lost a great resource and a woman who knew how to savor every bite of life. She was on the brink of huge success and it just seemed so unfair that her life was taken at the age of 29.
"Kitchens were where the love began. That much was already clear to my seven-year-old mind.
The essential question was already nascent in me: What greater expertise could one possess than to feed those they loved?"
Fatima Ali
Fatima Ali grew up in Pakistan and loved watching food shows in their own living room. She became curious about creating amazing dishes and mixing spices and flavors that left those relishing in the joy of her food. She dreamed of attending the most prestigious culinary school in the US and she did, attending the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and training under some of New York City’s top chefs.
Fatima decided to write this book after being diagnosed with cancer, so her time became limited and she needed to find someone else to finish writing her story. She chose Tarajia Morrell as well as Fatima’s mother and brother sharing chapters in the book. She doesn’t just share about her life as a chef, but as a child growing up in Pakistan and her struggles within her family.
"…my family was a new shape, a table missing its fourth leg. My father had vanished from our lives.
Still, although ours was now a three-legged table, we balanced quite sturdily."
Fatima Ali
Fatima’s story is quite amazing and all along I just kept thinking, how could this story be over for her? How could she not get the chance to go back to her home country and make food more accessible for the people there? How could such an amazing person not get the care she so desperately needed? Due to insurance issues and being passed around by doctors her cancer was allowed to grow and spread until a time when there was nothing that could be done. I cringed at her descriptions of pain and her inability to eat the food she wanted to. Even though she wasn’t able to travel the world, enjoying the wide variety of dishes she dreamed of eating, she spent her final days tasting food from local chefs and friends who made special meals just for her.
"It wasn’t just the achievement of cooking that made me so elated; it was the triumph of feeding people. That was my moment of epiphany: I’m going to be a chef."
Fatima Ali
Her story is absolutely inspiring but also heartbreaking. The ending is deeply sad and my heart broke for her family as they had to say goodbye to their special Fatima. But, I am certain that anyone who met her or loved her is far better for having done so.
"The vocabulary to describe the dread you feel when you know your child is deeply unwell has not been invented yet. Maybe because parents who have experienced it do not wish to revisit that moment ever again if they can help it. It is fear incarnate. It is an undoing."
Farezeh, mother of Fatima Ali
November 4, 2022
I receivd a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved watching Fatima Ali on her season of Top Chef, and it was devastating to hear about her cancer diagnosis and subsequent passing. I was thrilled when I heard she had worked on a memoir, but the execution fell short.
Tarajia Morrell was tasked with interviewing Ali and her family and penning Ali's memoir. She is an adequate writer, but not a food writer, and the descriptions of dishes Ali cooked and the foods she fell in love with throughout her life lacked substance and passion. Ali also wanted her mother's story in her memoir, and while a little background would have set the stage for who she became and why, there were many chapters written from Farezeh's point of view. This didn't feel necessary, and it was irritating when stories were shared twice (from each point of view - Ali could have shared her mother's responses when they differed/when necessary). Morrell wrote both Farezeh's and Fatima's chapters, but having one co-writer for two individuals meant that were not two distinct voices. There were also some technical issues, such as frequent shifting between tenses.
While there is a little behind the scenes on Top Chef, fans will be disappointed there isn't more, and the friendship that flourished between Padma Lakshmi and Ali was (disappointingly) omitted entirely.
I did enjoy learning more about the dichotomies in Ali's life - she had lives in both Pakistan and the United States, dated both men and women, and lived as both a Muslim and modern American. I also wasn't aware of the traumas that she endured as a child, or of the sometimes complicated nature of her family structure. Still, though, the book fell flat and was disappointing overall.
I loved watching Fatima Ali on her season of Top Chef, and it was devastating to hear about her cancer diagnosis and subsequent passing. I was thrilled when I heard she had worked on a memoir, but the execution fell short.
Tarajia Morrell was tasked with interviewing Ali and her family and penning Ali's memoir. She is an adequate writer, but not a food writer, and the descriptions of dishes Ali cooked and the foods she fell in love with throughout her life lacked substance and passion. Ali also wanted her mother's story in her memoir, and while a little background would have set the stage for who she became and why, there were many chapters written from Farezeh's point of view. This didn't feel necessary, and it was irritating when stories were shared twice (from each point of view - Ali could have shared her mother's responses when they differed/when necessary). Morrell wrote both Farezeh's and Fatima's chapters, but having one co-writer for two individuals meant that were not two distinct voices. There were also some technical issues, such as frequent shifting between tenses.
While there is a little behind the scenes on Top Chef, fans will be disappointed there isn't more, and the friendship that flourished between Padma Lakshmi and Ali was (disappointingly) omitted entirely.
I did enjoy learning more about the dichotomies in Ali's life - she had lives in both Pakistan and the United States, dated both men and women, and lived as both a Muslim and modern American. I also wasn't aware of the traumas that she endured as a child, or of the sometimes complicated nature of her family structure. Still, though, the book fell flat and was disappointing overall.
December 31, 2022
this is a 6 star book. it's a memoir by fatima ali, recounted in the last weeks of her life -- in her words and transcribed by a collaborator, with the writing of her mother woven in.
the writing is gorgeous, the descriptions of food (fatima was a rising star chef), images of her pakistani hometown and the kitchens she would find herself in, and the portrait of her family are extraordinary. one of the best books i've read (maybe ever).
wow there are actual tears streaming down my face ok
the writing is gorgeous, the descriptions of food (fatima was a rising star chef), images of her pakistani hometown and the kitchens she would find herself in, and the portrait of her family are extraordinary. one of the best books i've read (maybe ever).
wow there are actual tears streaming down my face ok
December 28, 2024
One of the most moving books I have read all my life. Fatima Ali was a contestant in Top Chef season 15. I randomly selected to watch that season, and came across Fatima. Being a Pakistani chef, her South Asian heritage and the cuisine choices she made in the contest resonated with me (She cooked a well-received biriyani in one round.). She became an early favorite of mine, for whom I rooted wholeheartedly. The way she conducted herself both in individual tests and group contests was endearing. She was a darling of most other contestants. She didn't win the season but lasted for a respectable number of weeks. After finishing the season, I searched in social media to follow her but got a rude shock that she had passed away due to a rare form of cancer that she was diagnosed with shortly after finishing Top Chef. Knowing that she had a limited time to live, she decided to travel and taste amazing food. But even that became a challenge after some time, so she wrote this memoir. Her mother also wrote some of the initial chapters. It is an astonishing tale of courage, strength and character, a veritable and motivating record of triumph over struggles and challenges. I was moved to tears at many places at the life that she has lived and inspired. Despite the tragedies, she keeps her voice very illuminating, and I loved the way she described her relationships with her family members, particularly her brother and half-siblings. Death has robbed us of a great chef and a great human. She will live in my memory for a long time!
August 2, 2024
I was first introduced to Chef Fatima Ali on Top Chef Season 15; a young female chef from Pakistan, she was simultaneously confident, proud, and dazzling. Years later I was shocked to learn of her diagnosis of cancer and her passing - one that came far too soon for such a promising individual. "Savor: A Chef's Hunger For More" came together in the final year of her life, a part-memoir of Fatima's life with shared segments from her mother Farezeh as well.
This is a triumphant and poignant look back on Fatima's life - from the origins of her family and her childhood growing up in Karachi, Pakistan to her early discovery of her love for cooking and her eventual journey to the US as a culinary student and eventual chef. There so many beautifully descriptive passages and moments in the novel, from Fatima's discovery of food as a way to connect with her biological father; her pursuit to be the best as a competition solely against herself; her success in cooking a feast for a family gathering of 60 at a mere 16 years of age; and her grueling years working in kitchens across NYC to eventually securing an opportunity to work at the three Michelin-starred Meadowood in Napa Valley.
Although the ending is known, it doesn't make it any less bittersweet. A poignant, emotional work that covers just how closely food, family, and culture are interwoven into our stories and identities.
This is a triumphant and poignant look back on Fatima's life - from the origins of her family and her childhood growing up in Karachi, Pakistan to her early discovery of her love for cooking and her eventual journey to the US as a culinary student and eventual chef. There so many beautifully descriptive passages and moments in the novel, from Fatima's discovery of food as a way to connect with her biological father; her pursuit to be the best as a competition solely against herself; her success in cooking a feast for a family gathering of 60 at a mere 16 years of age; and her grueling years working in kitchens across NYC to eventually securing an opportunity to work at the three Michelin-starred Meadowood in Napa Valley.
Although the ending is known, it doesn't make it any less bittersweet. A poignant, emotional work that covers just how closely food, family, and culture are interwoven into our stories and identities.
January 28, 2024
What an incredible memoir, easily one of the best I've ever read. Mom and daughter's narratives are expertly woven together, making each story richer for the other's perspective. Highly recommend!
It's been a long time since I was a cog in a kitchen-machine, and while food based memoirs have given me a generic since of nostalgia, Fatima's words about her time in kitchens rekindled that spark in me, at least a smidge. Her descriptions of her long days and sense of comradery highlighted the best of the industry and make me long to return, just a little. I'm far too old for that level of daily grind now, but I thoroughly appreciated being transported back to that passionate fervor. Her love of food and everything it entails is a profound loss for the rest of us, now that it is gone.
This is also a memoir of family and culture, and the hardships that come with both. Note there are TW's for sexual assault/child sexual assault, and obviously death, cancer, hospitals, and medical adjacent things. Walking through Fatima's end of life was also handled expertly, and was deeply touching - absolutely heart wrenching. No dry eyes here!
It's been a long time since I was a cog in a kitchen-machine, and while food based memoirs have given me a generic since of nostalgia, Fatima's words about her time in kitchens rekindled that spark in me, at least a smidge. Her descriptions of her long days and sense of comradery highlighted the best of the industry and make me long to return, just a little. I'm far too old for that level of daily grind now, but I thoroughly appreciated being transported back to that passionate fervor. Her love of food and everything it entails is a profound loss for the rest of us, now that it is gone.
This is also a memoir of family and culture, and the hardships that come with both. Note there are TW's for sexual assault/child sexual assault, and obviously death, cancer, hospitals, and medical adjacent things. Walking through Fatima's end of life was also handled expertly, and was deeply touching - absolutely heart wrenching. No dry eyes here!
May 25, 2024
Such a happy, devastating, gorgeous book. Written in the final weeks of Fatima’s life, she (along with her transcriber and her mother) weave together a story of Fatima’s upbringing in Pakistan, her journey through chef-dom (including her time on Chopped and Top Chef), her diagnosis with terminal cancer, and everything in between. I was engrossed and could not put it down. The gripe I usually have with memoirs is the writing itself, but not here - the writing was beautiful. The descriptions of food had me salivating and the recounting of the end of her life had me in tears. If you don’t who Fatima Ali is - read this book and it will feel like you’ve known her forever.
July 31, 2023
absolutely battered by the end of this book and honestly the perfect memoir. fatima’s storytelling and her ability to recount her life was incredible and even made me want to cook even more and gave me a new sense of life/adventure. i fell in love with all that she wrote and couldn’t help but sob at the end. a wonderful read and one that i earnestly would recommend. it comes at you from nowhere - i didn’t think i would enjoy it as much as i did but i was blown to bits.
April 27, 2023
As I started listening to this, I will admit I thought about stopping. Not for any particular reason, but I couldn't remember why I had added it to my list to begin with. I'm so glad I continued listening. Wow. What a BEAUTIFULLY told story. The way the chapters from Fatima and her mom were interwoven, the fantastic descriptions of foods, the descripti emotions... It was really a wonderful book. I was on a walk while listening to the end, and I was nearly sobbing. It provided personal introspection as well. Wow.
October 2, 2024
everyone. should. read. this.
it’s evocative and poignant, simultaneously crushing and uplifting. i cannot say enough good things
it’s evocative and poignant, simultaneously crushing and uplifting. i cannot say enough good things
October 3, 2023
What a beautiful sad and inspiring read
January 14, 2023
Proper thoughts coming in the next Substack but I love love loved this book about Fatima Ali, a talented Pakistani chef who passed away at age 29 from an aggressive sarcoma. From only having a year to live her bucket list she lives only a few months (this is not a spoiler, it’s mentioned in the first few pages) and the book instead is about her life and death and her mother’s life, and their bond. I finished this book in tears. It is sensitive and nuanced and vibrant and I admired Fatima’s tenacity and clarity of goals. Part three was powerful - it’s not often to read Muslims reflecting on death, and dying and Fatima’s descriptions of the preciousness of life are a gift. 5 stars.
November 8, 2022
A heartbreaking read since we know the outcome right from the start of the book. A young chef is determined to tell her story before she dies of cancer. And tell it she does, with the help of her family and the co-author she chooses to help with the project. Her story is fascinating and takes the reader all over the world both geographically and culturally. It's also a story of generational differences and change. And mostly it is the story of a Pakistani family and all that they endured to follow their dreams and find success.
An amazing person wrote this book. May she rest in peace.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It was fascinating in so many ways.
An amazing person wrote this book. May she rest in peace.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It was fascinating in so many ways.
November 3, 2022
I love most books about chefs and this one is very good. Despite the sad ending.
October 25, 2023
My review is:
❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭
But really, this book was beautiful. Highly recommend reading it.
❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭
But really, this book was beautiful. Highly recommend reading it.
January 25, 2024
Young Pakistani coming of age, dealing with trauma and coming to terms with her identity, she pursues her dreams, and then her life is cut tragically short.
Chef Fatima Ali, along with her mother (Farezeh Durrani) and a ghost writer (Tarajia Morrell), tells the story of her life. Ali was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer right as her star was rising, coming off her performance on the Bravo cooking competition show Top Chef, and eventually was given a terminal prognosis. It was with the knowledge of her limited time left that she wanted to write a book, first a book about living her last year to the fullest, and then, when that became impossible, it became this book - her memoir.
Like many who will read this memoir, I came to it after having seen Fatima Ali's season of Top Chef, where she was voted that season's fan favorite. Ali came across as energetic, funny, and quick, while putting up some excellent looking/sounding food. Ali also seemed like a fierce competitor, respectful of and well liked by the other contestants. This book delves into her life before and after that show, reinforcing all the attributes she seemed to exemplify on the show, but it gets far more personal. Ali was savy about what she gave away on camera, where she wouldn't be able to frame the narrative herself, but took the opportunity to be thorough about who she was and where she came from now that it would be in her words (again with the assistance of Tarajia Morrell). She did not always have an easy path, but she was determined and was emphatic in her insistence that in many ways she was quite fortunate as well.
I can imagine some may not like the back and forth chapters, altering between Fatima Ali and her mother, Farezeh Durrani, sometimes recounting the same scenes, but I found the overlap an interesting way to see two points of view and given where we knew the story would inevitably lead, I think the perspective of someone that loved Fatima was additive. The audio format was performed well with a narrator for each of them.
This book is her love letter to food, her profession, her family, and her friends, but she also didn't leave out the tough bits and the things that she knew some would judge her for - such as finding love and exploring her sexuality.
Chef Fatima Ali, along with her mother (Farezeh Durrani) and a ghost writer (Tarajia Morrell), tells the story of her life. Ali was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer right as her star was rising, coming off her performance on the Bravo cooking competition show Top Chef, and eventually was given a terminal prognosis. It was with the knowledge of her limited time left that she wanted to write a book, first a book about living her last year to the fullest, and then, when that became impossible, it became this book - her memoir.
Like many who will read this memoir, I came to it after having seen Fatima Ali's season of Top Chef, where she was voted that season's fan favorite. Ali came across as energetic, funny, and quick, while putting up some excellent looking/sounding food. Ali also seemed like a fierce competitor, respectful of and well liked by the other contestants. This book delves into her life before and after that show, reinforcing all the attributes she seemed to exemplify on the show, but it gets far more personal. Ali was savy about what she gave away on camera, where she wouldn't be able to frame the narrative herself, but took the opportunity to be thorough about who she was and where she came from now that it would be in her words (again with the assistance of Tarajia Morrell). She did not always have an easy path, but she was determined and was emphatic in her insistence that in many ways she was quite fortunate as well.
I can imagine some may not like the back and forth chapters, altering between Fatima Ali and her mother, Farezeh Durrani, sometimes recounting the same scenes, but I found the overlap an interesting way to see two points of view and given where we knew the story would inevitably lead, I think the perspective of someone that loved Fatima was additive. The audio format was performed well with a narrator for each of them.
This book is her love letter to food, her profession, her family, and her friends, but she also didn't leave out the tough bits and the things that she knew some would judge her for - such as finding love and exploring her sexuality.
November 19, 2022
This book broke my heart. The book is really about grief. Fatima's grief that she won't be able to accomplish everything she dreamed of because of her life being cut so short. Her mother's grief over trying so hard to save a daughter that death was stealing away. Her brother's grief over losing his best friend. For as much sadness as there is in this book, there is equal or even more hope. I found so much joy in learning about Fatima's culinary awakening and all of the wonderful things she was able to do. I loved seeing how close she was to family and how she made friends with people wherever she went. She had such a fire inside of her and I cried at the end of this book when she dies. Her story is told from her own perspective and that of her mother. The writing was beautiful and I know she had some help getting the words on paper, but her spirit shines through this book. Her mother's final chapter was lovely and her brother's acknowledgments were touching. She had SO MANY people who loved her. This was a gorgeous book from start to finish. My only criticism is that sometimes her mom's sections didn't always feel like they aligned with Fatima's. It was a little disjointed, but I know that she also had to tell her own story so that Fatima's made sense. I will also add a content warning because I appreciated knowing about this ahead of time. There is a graphic cow slaughtering scene in chapter nine. It's pretty quick to get through, but heads up to those who are sensitive. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
February 6, 2023
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
As a fan of Fatima from her appearance at Top Chef, I knew I had to read this book - forever grateful for receiving this ARC. All I knew about her was the pieces/parts you saw on TC. I had no idea she had so much depth to her life and story.
This memoir starts with the writer meeting Fatima in the hospital to help her write her memoir during what she believes is the last year of her life. Then the devastating news, her cancer is much more aggressive than thought, maybe weeks, not a year.
Then with chapters written by Fatima and her mom, Fatima's story goes back to her grandparents and comes forward. I cannot fathom what her mom has gone through regarding Fatima's health - physical and mental. From being born and having a complication at delivery through losing her at 29 to cancer.
Fatima's story of being a Pakistani woman in a mans world with views that wanted to hold her back. From her childhood, she had wanted to emulate her big brother and do everything he could. When the culture told her she couldn't - she pushed back by exceling at sports. When she graduated from a prestigious high school and wanted to become a chef, everyone said she was wasting her time. She proved them wrong! Fatima blazed a path to set an example for little brown girls everywhere.
This story makes me want to go out and explore the restaurants around me and travel to experience the things that Fatima could not.
As a fan of Fatima from her appearance at Top Chef, I knew I had to read this book - forever grateful for receiving this ARC. All I knew about her was the pieces/parts you saw on TC. I had no idea she had so much depth to her life and story.
This memoir starts with the writer meeting Fatima in the hospital to help her write her memoir during what she believes is the last year of her life. Then the devastating news, her cancer is much more aggressive than thought, maybe weeks, not a year.
Then with chapters written by Fatima and her mom, Fatima's story goes back to her grandparents and comes forward. I cannot fathom what her mom has gone through regarding Fatima's health - physical and mental. From being born and having a complication at delivery through losing her at 29 to cancer.
Fatima's story of being a Pakistani woman in a mans world with views that wanted to hold her back. From her childhood, she had wanted to emulate her big brother and do everything he could. When the culture told her she couldn't - she pushed back by exceling at sports. When she graduated from a prestigious high school and wanted to become a chef, everyone said she was wasting her time. She proved them wrong! Fatima blazed a path to set an example for little brown girls everywhere.
This story makes me want to go out and explore the restaurants around me and travel to experience the things that Fatima could not.
October 23, 2022
Thank you to my friends at NetGalley and Random House Publishing for inviting me to read and review Savor, a chef’s hunger for more by Fatima Ali.
This book gutted me. Fatima Ali was only 28, finally getting the acclaim she was seeking, when a searing pain sent her to the ER with a diagnosis that would alter her life.
This memoir beautifully captures her spirit, talent, creativity, capabilities, yearning and desires to change the way people see and taste food, especially Pakistani dishes. In alternating chapters we get to travel and experience the smells, sights and sounds of Fatima’s childhood visiting the bustling markets of Lahore and exploring her formative years. Her mother and grandmother were both strong role models who helped shape Fatima and gave her the tools to travel to the US to accomplish her dreams of being an internationally recognized chef. Her story mixed with her mother’s recollections are poignant and heartfelt.
I highly recommend reading this book, just have plenty of tissues by your side. Credit to Tarajia Morrell who so lovingly and expertly wove all the threads of this story into a book to savor.
This book gutted me. Fatima Ali was only 28, finally getting the acclaim she was seeking, when a searing pain sent her to the ER with a diagnosis that would alter her life.
This memoir beautifully captures her spirit, talent, creativity, capabilities, yearning and desires to change the way people see and taste food, especially Pakistani dishes. In alternating chapters we get to travel and experience the smells, sights and sounds of Fatima’s childhood visiting the bustling markets of Lahore and exploring her formative years. Her mother and grandmother were both strong role models who helped shape Fatima and gave her the tools to travel to the US to accomplish her dreams of being an internationally recognized chef. Her story mixed with her mother’s recollections are poignant and heartfelt.
I highly recommend reading this book, just have plenty of tissues by your side. Credit to Tarajia Morrell who so lovingly and expertly wove all the threads of this story into a book to savor.
March 6, 2025
You might have heard of Fatima Ali from her win on Chopped and her run as a contestent on Season 15 of Top Chef. When she was diagnosed with cancer and her time left to live decreased, one of her last goals was to write a book about herself. Together with writer Tarajia Morrell, they set together to tell her life story and help the world learn a little more about growing up in Pakistan, her love of food and cooking, and the journey she took to become the success that she was.
It's definitely going to be heartbreaking, so get your tissues out. Parts of the book are told from the point of view of her mother, Farezeh, to give more background into who was was. Farezeh opens up about her struggles as a young mother and her drive to become more educated about the world in order to raise children who could assert their own independence when they grow up. Fatima reveals very personal moments from her childhood that have left traumatic scars. There's lots of love between her and her mother, brother, and the rest of the extended family, and it's clear from the alternating points of view.
A beautiful read that I'd highly recommend.
It's definitely going to be heartbreaking, so get your tissues out. Parts of the book are told from the point of view of her mother, Farezeh, to give more background into who was was. Farezeh opens up about her struggles as a young mother and her drive to become more educated about the world in order to raise children who could assert their own independence when they grow up. Fatima reveals very personal moments from her childhood that have left traumatic scars. There's lots of love between her and her mother, brother, and the rest of the extended family, and it's clear from the alternating points of view.
A beautiful read that I'd highly recommend.
November 2, 2022
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've been putting this one off because I knew it would make me cry. And cry I did.
I expected this to be a poignant, moving memoir about Fatima Ali's upbringing in Pakistan and the US, her journey as a chef and connoisseur of food, and her time on Chopped and Top Chef. But I didn't anticipate how moving her mother's chapters would be; her additional perspective adds depth to the reader's perception of Fatima, of her strength, conviction, and zeal for life. I also didn't expect to become angrier than I already am at our healthcare system and the joke that is private insurance; the US and Pakistan both fail Fatima in myriad ways during her life, but I am far more incensed at her experience in what are supposed to be some of the best hospitals and medical centers in our country.
If you don't mind crying rivulets of tears (which will manifest the most during the last quarter of this book), pick this one up.
I've been putting this one off because I knew it would make me cry. And cry I did.
I expected this to be a poignant, moving memoir about Fatima Ali's upbringing in Pakistan and the US, her journey as a chef and connoisseur of food, and her time on Chopped and Top Chef. But I didn't anticipate how moving her mother's chapters would be; her additional perspective adds depth to the reader's perception of Fatima, of her strength, conviction, and zeal for life. I also didn't expect to become angrier than I already am at our healthcare system and the joke that is private insurance; the US and Pakistan both fail Fatima in myriad ways during her life, but I am far more incensed at her experience in what are supposed to be some of the best hospitals and medical centers in our country.
If you don't mind crying rivulets of tears (which will manifest the most during the last quarter of this book), pick this one up.
November 26, 2022
Though I am a huge fan of all types of cooking and restaurant shows, I was only passingly familiar with Fatima Ali, Chopped's youngest professional champion, and competitor/fan favorite on Top Chef. The story of her much-too-short life is one of personal fortitude, intelligence and ambition, combined with a lifelong passion for food. Faced with a year to live, she designed a bucket list of eating around the world, but the realities of her illness made even that meager hope impossible. Instead, Ali spent her last weeks talking with her family, friends, and writer Tarajia Morrell, who crafted this book to tell her story. The food world friends and luminaries who helped make those last few months bearable are testament to her meteoric rise in such a difficult industry, and the impact Ali had in her 29 short years on this planet. Her story is perfect reading for any foodie, but even more than that, it is perfect for anyone considering a life that challenges societal norms. A must read.
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