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The Migrant Chef: The Life and Times of Lalo García
A New Yorker Best Book of 2023 • An NPR 2023 "Books We Love" Pick
A chef’s gripping quest to reconcile his childhood experiences as a migrant farmworker with the rarefied world of fine dining.
Born in rural Mexico, Eduardo “Lalo” García Guzmán and his family left for the United States when he was a child, picking fruits and vegetables on the migrant route from Florida to Michigan. He worked in Atlanta restaurants as a teenager before being convicted of a robbery, incarcerated, and eventually deported. Lalo landed in Mexico City as a new generation of chefs was questioning the hierarchies that had historically privileged European cuisine in elite spaces. At his acclaimed restaurant, Máximo Bistrot, he began to craft food that narrated his memories and hopes.
Mexico City–based journalist Laura Tillman spent five years immersively reporting on Lalo’s from Máximo’s kitchen to the onion fields of Vidalia, Georgia, to Dubai’s first high-end Mexican restaurant, to Lalo’s hometown of San José de las Pilas. What emerges is a moving portrait of Lalo’s struggle to find authenticity in an industry built on the very inequalities that drove his family to leave their home, and of the artistic process as Lalo calls on the experiences of his life to create transcendent cuisine. The Migrant Chef offers an unforgettable window into a family’s border-eclipsing dreams, Mexico’s culinary heritage, and the making of a chef.
A chef’s gripping quest to reconcile his childhood experiences as a migrant farmworker with the rarefied world of fine dining.
Born in rural Mexico, Eduardo “Lalo” García Guzmán and his family left for the United States when he was a child, picking fruits and vegetables on the migrant route from Florida to Michigan. He worked in Atlanta restaurants as a teenager before being convicted of a robbery, incarcerated, and eventually deported. Lalo landed in Mexico City as a new generation of chefs was questioning the hierarchies that had historically privileged European cuisine in elite spaces. At his acclaimed restaurant, Máximo Bistrot, he began to craft food that narrated his memories and hopes.
Mexico City–based journalist Laura Tillman spent five years immersively reporting on Lalo’s from Máximo’s kitchen to the onion fields of Vidalia, Georgia, to Dubai’s first high-end Mexican restaurant, to Lalo’s hometown of San José de las Pilas. What emerges is a moving portrait of Lalo’s struggle to find authenticity in an industry built on the very inequalities that drove his family to leave their home, and of the artistic process as Lalo calls on the experiences of his life to create transcendent cuisine. The Migrant Chef offers an unforgettable window into a family’s border-eclipsing dreams, Mexico’s culinary heritage, and the making of a chef.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2023
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2901 people want to read
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May 12, 2023
Hard times pay off for a child caught in the gristmill of North America’s food industry
The first time I heard about Eduardo García (also known as Eduardo “Lalo” García Guzmán or simply “Lalo García” on the cover of this new biography) was in a long 2017 profile in The New York Times. I remember that profile because it told such an incredible story: A Mexican child who began life as a migrant agricultural laborer in the American South grew up to become one of the most celebrated chefs in Mexico. Six years since that Times profile García still is not a household name in the U.S., I think, because he has not appeared on any of our top-rated TV cooking shows. I watch a lot of food shows and I’ve never seen him. Why? Because his immigration status prevents him from entering the U.S. again. But, if you follow global travel-and-food media, his Máximo Bistrot in Mexico City is on multiple “top restaurant” lists. Then, of course, there is this highly praised new book by Laura Tillman that Norton is hoping will catch on with a nationwide audience.
Stay tuned: García may show up before we know it on some popular TV cooking show. More than that, I’m wondering who will play García in the dramatic TV series about his life. There must be such a series in the planning stages, now that this book is gaining traction. After all, how many TV shows have we seen about culinary “bad boy” Anthony Bourdain? García has Bourdain beat on the “bad boy” scale after a couple of trips to U.S. prisons earlier in García’s life.
This book is so timely. Everywhere we turn, these days, we are hearing about the evils of the global food industry from fat content to unfair labor practices to poor treatment of animals. Here, in this new book, is the dramatic-yet-true story of a boy from the most impoverished underclass of the American food industry surviving trauma and leaping to the pinnacle of the fine dining world. García is tough, savvy, talented and has a heart of gold for the workers he employs. In fact, he’s not a “bad boy” at all. He’s a culinary saint.
It's that story, which Tillman painstakingly reports from five years of following García, that earns 5 stars for this book from me. As a journalist, I was trained in graduate courses in ethnography at the University of Michigan and I can tell you: Tillman’s work on this book feels a lot to me like the blend of ethnography and journalism that produces the most compelling, authentic stories.
But, then, while reading this book, I kept getting hungry. You will, too, I’m sure. Consider this passage:
Sauces in shades of light brown, forgettable smudges of mud when spooned on the plate by a different hand, were recast (by García) as earth tones that heightened the intense orange of a roasted carrot, the blush in the crisp skin of red snapper. On black pottery, tentacles of seared octopus glowed next to pools of beans and mole negro.
OK, maybe you don’t like grilled octopus like I do. The point is: This book makes readers hungry. And for some reason Norton and Tillman did not include a single recipe! That decision initially frustrated me. For a number of years in my career as a journalist, I wrote about food and restaurants for newspapers and magazines. The first humbling lesson food writers learn about this sub-genre of journalism is: “It’s all about the recipes!” I had editors beat me over the head with that truth over and over again.
So, it astonishes me that Norton and Tillman would lay out this inspiring story and not even toss a few recipes our way.
My solace is that I’m almost certain we’re going to see a Lalo García cookbook coming down the publishing pipeline soon. And, when it does, I’ll be placing one of the first pre-orders on Amazon.
The first time I heard about Eduardo García (also known as Eduardo “Lalo” García Guzmán or simply “Lalo García” on the cover of this new biography) was in a long 2017 profile in The New York Times. I remember that profile because it told such an incredible story: A Mexican child who began life as a migrant agricultural laborer in the American South grew up to become one of the most celebrated chefs in Mexico. Six years since that Times profile García still is not a household name in the U.S., I think, because he has not appeared on any of our top-rated TV cooking shows. I watch a lot of food shows and I’ve never seen him. Why? Because his immigration status prevents him from entering the U.S. again. But, if you follow global travel-and-food media, his Máximo Bistrot in Mexico City is on multiple “top restaurant” lists. Then, of course, there is this highly praised new book by Laura Tillman that Norton is hoping will catch on with a nationwide audience.
Stay tuned: García may show up before we know it on some popular TV cooking show. More than that, I’m wondering who will play García in the dramatic TV series about his life. There must be such a series in the planning stages, now that this book is gaining traction. After all, how many TV shows have we seen about culinary “bad boy” Anthony Bourdain? García has Bourdain beat on the “bad boy” scale after a couple of trips to U.S. prisons earlier in García’s life.
This book is so timely. Everywhere we turn, these days, we are hearing about the evils of the global food industry from fat content to unfair labor practices to poor treatment of animals. Here, in this new book, is the dramatic-yet-true story of a boy from the most impoverished underclass of the American food industry surviving trauma and leaping to the pinnacle of the fine dining world. García is tough, savvy, talented and has a heart of gold for the workers he employs. In fact, he’s not a “bad boy” at all. He’s a culinary saint.
It's that story, which Tillman painstakingly reports from five years of following García, that earns 5 stars for this book from me. As a journalist, I was trained in graduate courses in ethnography at the University of Michigan and I can tell you: Tillman’s work on this book feels a lot to me like the blend of ethnography and journalism that produces the most compelling, authentic stories.
But, then, while reading this book, I kept getting hungry. You will, too, I’m sure. Consider this passage:
Sauces in shades of light brown, forgettable smudges of mud when spooned on the plate by a different hand, were recast (by García) as earth tones that heightened the intense orange of a roasted carrot, the blush in the crisp skin of red snapper. On black pottery, tentacles of seared octopus glowed next to pools of beans and mole negro.
OK, maybe you don’t like grilled octopus like I do. The point is: This book makes readers hungry. And for some reason Norton and Tillman did not include a single recipe! That decision initially frustrated me. For a number of years in my career as a journalist, I wrote about food and restaurants for newspapers and magazines. The first humbling lesson food writers learn about this sub-genre of journalism is: “It’s all about the recipes!” I had editors beat me over the head with that truth over and over again.
So, it astonishes me that Norton and Tillman would lay out this inspiring story and not even toss a few recipes our way.
My solace is that I’m almost certain we’re going to see a Lalo García cookbook coming down the publishing pipeline soon. And, when it does, I’ll be placing one of the first pre-orders on Amazon.
October 5, 2023
A gripping narrative that is at once a comprehensive biography, a deep dive into gastronomy and the fine dining establishment, a food-centric travelogue, and an examination of the inequities caused by colonialism, migration, and social classism. Tillman’s familiarity with her subject — both Lalo and Mexico— takes the reader on a multi-decade journey from Mexico to the U.S. and back again. Well-written and engaging, i devoured the book. Pun intended.
April 20, 2023
I absolutely tore through this book. A portrait of a brilliant chef and complicated man with a storied past. The Migrant Chef touches on themes of race and class, immigration and law, all through the delicious lens of Mexico City’s vibrant food scene. Lalo’s story is one for the ages.
November 10, 2023
A young boy comes to the United States with his parents and siblings only to get into trouble with the police as a young adult. There’s nothing unusual about that. A couple of deportations later, though, that young man, Lalo García, opened a restaurant in Mexico City that is now regularly described as one of the best in the world. In April of this year, Food & Wine magazine declared it the “best international restaurant.”
The high-end leisure magazine Frommer’s describes García as “a local kid made good.” That’s short and catchy, but writer Laura Tillman is more honest. Tillman, who is based in Mexico City, spent years with chef García trying to understand him and his success. In her recent book, The Migrant Chef: The Life and Times of Lalo García, she reveals his success as a product of his life in all its complexity.
García isn’t a saint. He’s a hard-working, creative, ambitious, and committed to his family. He’s a quick learner who cares deeply about giving people a chance and helping boost the lives and careers of the people who have proven themselves around him: his staff.
But he’s also someone with a past. Back when he was younger, he caught an aggravated assault conviction that led to three years in a Georgia prison. Thanks to that past, he can’t get back into the United States where his mom and siblings live and where he has a son from a long-ended relationship—a relationship that García admits wasn’t helped by his own behavior.
To diners, to his family, to his staff, that past is history. It hardly matters if it matters at all. But to U.S. immigration law, that past is all that matters.
For García’s remarkable story—an ordinary migrant who becomes extraordinary—read Laura Tillman’s recent book The Migrant Chef.
The high-end leisure magazine Frommer’s describes García as “a local kid made good.” That’s short and catchy, but writer Laura Tillman is more honest. Tillman, who is based in Mexico City, spent years with chef García trying to understand him and his success. In her recent book, The Migrant Chef: The Life and Times of Lalo García, she reveals his success as a product of his life in all its complexity.
García isn’t a saint. He’s a hard-working, creative, ambitious, and committed to his family. He’s a quick learner who cares deeply about giving people a chance and helping boost the lives and careers of the people who have proven themselves around him: his staff.
But he’s also someone with a past. Back when he was younger, he caught an aggravated assault conviction that led to three years in a Georgia prison. Thanks to that past, he can’t get back into the United States where his mom and siblings live and where he has a son from a long-ended relationship—a relationship that García admits wasn’t helped by his own behavior.
To diners, to his family, to his staff, that past is history. It hardly matters if it matters at all. But to U.S. immigration law, that past is all that matters.
For García’s remarkable story—an ordinary migrant who becomes extraordinary—read Laura Tillman’s recent book The Migrant Chef.
Read
March 1, 2024In The Migrant Chef: The Life and Times of Lalo Garcia, journalist Laura Tillman took a 5-year-long deep dive into not only the life of the famous Mexico City chef Lalo Garcia, but into Mexican food history, migrant farm workers & US-Mexico food policy, fine dining, and more. Lalo started out life in a Mexican village, became a US migrant farm worker with his family around age 10, started working in restaurants, was deported, returned when his father developed cancer (very likely as a result of work-related pesticides), started making a name for himself on the US restaurant scene, and eventually was again deported and permanently banned from returning to the US. He settled in Mexico City where he has become an uber-successful chef. This 200-page book packs in a lot of information from politics to sourcing local food to a holistic view of an immigrant persevering to achieve a better life.
July 1, 2025
I liked this book bc it showed how messy success stories can be. Yes, Lalo Garcia is now a famous, successful chef, but he had to risk his health picking fruit as a child, leave his family behind, and spend time in prison just to have the same opportunities as someone who was born with more privilege. He has the success that many covet but still must grapple with the pain of his past and the injustices that people with his Mexican heritage face. You can’t fetishize “authentic” cultural food without acknowledging the people behind it with real struggles.
October 22, 2024
Gives a perspective on migrant experiences, food, Mexico, and more.
July 21, 2025
Hats off to the author. Enough material and story for an article at most, she spins an interesting tale that fills a book.
April 4, 2024
An interesting biography of one of the top chefs in Mexico, Lalo Guzman. Growing up in a poor rural town in Mexico, illegally entering the U.S. with parts of his family in his preteen years, missing out on a formal education to work as a roaming harvest helper for little pay under often dangerous situations, getting in trouble, spending time in jail, climbing the ropes in the restaurant business, just to be deported. Talent, hard work and the woman in his life help him overcome his past and continue his dream to create the best dining experience with the best local ingredients.
Lalo‘s story is certainly gripping and brings up a lot of topics from illegal immigration, agriculture work conditions, family and love, restaurant business challenges, corruption, food, of course, etc, but I didn’t find the writing as compelling as I had hoped.
Lalo‘s story is certainly gripping and brings up a lot of topics from illegal immigration, agriculture work conditions, family and love, restaurant business challenges, corruption, food, of course, etc, but I didn’t find the writing as compelling as I had hoped.
October 14, 2023
I think this book is strong evidence for restaurants writing memoirs and less cookbooks when it comes to their history and their stories. Laura does an exceptional job highlighting the Mexican culinary landscape as it relates to the US and the world. She had no better subject than Chef Lalo whose existence is a culmination of policies and practices that have shaped the Mexican landscape. I wish there was more on how he sees his impact and future plans and it would have been swell to have some photos considering it’s a biography (this is a small piece of feedback)
August 22, 2023
I am not usually a big biography reader, but this story of an ambitious, talented, complex chef completely changed my mind! In recounting Lalo’s life, Laura provides windows into migrant farm working, the high-end kitchen and everywhere in between. Plus the writing is just SO GOOD- empathetic and precise. And the food descriptions will get your stomach rumbling! Highly recommend!!
May 7, 2024
Garcia's story sits at the intersection of so many issues confronting humans in the US and Mexico today, many of them well-documented. Illegal immigration may be the issue that spends the most time on the front of newspaper pages but issues of the health of farm workers, the education of their children, and crime are also a part of the national consciousness. So, too, does Tillman make these realities an important part of this hero's story.
I would say this is a Greek tragedy set in modern-day United States and Mexico but the ending is not entirely sad nor does it involve hoary acts of depravity.
I'd say it is a biography as it captures the story of a life, one lived between the poverty of Garcia's youth, his BIG MISTAKE which is the turning point of his life, and his life's work as a chef at his own restaurant(s).
What it isn't, though Tillman spends a few words considering Mexican cooking and its indigenous ingredients, is a look at the cuisine of Mexico. Would we even know of Garcia had he not come through Enrique Olvera's and Eric Ripert's kitchens before launching restaurants of his own? Probably. Garcia's will is a strong force, one that few people contend with success. Olvera smoothed the edges from the challenging path for any chef/restaurateur.
I found myself missing the discussion of Garcia's most popular dishes, how they came into the world, and evolved as he grew as a chef or as other of his team interpreted the dishes. Without this sensory component to the story, the tale of the chef and his most famous restaurant falls a bit flat. Cooking with indigenous ingredients and developing a personal style are key to any chef's success but plenty of chefs are doing these things.
Tillman also glosses over how Garcia's family was able to stay in the United States, despite their status. Since Garcia and his siblings were all born in Mexico, they could not be Dreamers, but then what? How were they able to stay? Since Tillman is intent on sharing all the problems of Mexican immigration to the US since World War II, why not complete the picture with this family's cross-border success story. Not including this detail is a missed opportunity.
That said, I am also glad that Tillman did not tie the story up in a bow. A true Greek tragedy does not end happily, but there are plenty of lessons to learn from the hero's journey.
I would say this is a Greek tragedy set in modern-day United States and Mexico but the ending is not entirely sad nor does it involve hoary acts of depravity.
I'd say it is a biography as it captures the story of a life, one lived between the poverty of Garcia's youth, his BIG MISTAKE which is the turning point of his life, and his life's work as a chef at his own restaurant(s).
What it isn't, though Tillman spends a few words considering Mexican cooking and its indigenous ingredients, is a look at the cuisine of Mexico. Would we even know of Garcia had he not come through Enrique Olvera's and Eric Ripert's kitchens before launching restaurants of his own? Probably. Garcia's will is a strong force, one that few people contend with success. Olvera smoothed the edges from the challenging path for any chef/restaurateur.
I found myself missing the discussion of Garcia's most popular dishes, how they came into the world, and evolved as he grew as a chef or as other of his team interpreted the dishes. Without this sensory component to the story, the tale of the chef and his most famous restaurant falls a bit flat. Cooking with indigenous ingredients and developing a personal style are key to any chef's success but plenty of chefs are doing these things.
Tillman also glosses over how Garcia's family was able to stay in the United States, despite their status. Since Garcia and his siblings were all born in Mexico, they could not be Dreamers, but then what? How were they able to stay? Since Tillman is intent on sharing all the problems of Mexican immigration to the US since World War II, why not complete the picture with this family's cross-border success story. Not including this detail is a missed opportunity.
That said, I am also glad that Tillman did not tie the story up in a bow. A true Greek tragedy does not end happily, but there are plenty of lessons to learn from the hero's journey.
October 22, 2023
This is a welcome break from the chef-hero book (which is not my favorite, I will admit right off the bat--I prefer the grittier versions of a rags to fame stories)--Lalo Garcia is a great story of who crosses the US-Mexico border and why. The author originally wanted to learn more about the experiences of the cooks, servers, and dishwashers who served Mexico’s elite amid the nation’s widening wealth gap at Máximo Bistrot, a fine dining restaurant in Mexico City. But when chef Lalo García came to the phone, he offered her something else: his experiences of midnight border crossings, migrant field work, imprisonment, deportation, and an unprecedented rise from being a dishwasher in Atlanta to becoming one of Mexico’s most respected culinary talents. And it is just that wild a ride.
García’s grandfather began migrant work under the Bracero Program, which permitted Mexican men to work in the U.S. on short-term contracts. Years later, after Bracero ended, García’s father, Lupe, started migrant farm work and was eventually able to earn a green card under President Ronald Reagan’s amnesty for agricultural workers. García was still a boy when he joined his father on the trail from rural Mexico to work on farms between Florida and Michigan, gathering fruit as the seasons flowed from April to November. As a teenager, after his family had settled in Georgia, García turned to restaurant work. His dexterity and speed honed in the fields shone while washing dishes and prepping food, earning accolades from cooks and gradually securing his place on the line. He earned enough money to buy fashionable clothes and a brand-new Mustang. But in a moment of youthful impetuosity, he drove the getaway car for a robbery and was caught. After serving a prison sentence, he was deported to his grandparents’ home in Mexico.
He does return to the US when his father is dying but he realizes that the future is much brighter for him in Mexico. He has a lot of foibles, he is bad boyfriend material, but he is a talented chef and someone who treats his staff with respect. This story is worth knowing, and it made me want to spend a week eating in Mexico City before too long.
García’s grandfather began migrant work under the Bracero Program, which permitted Mexican men to work in the U.S. on short-term contracts. Years later, after Bracero ended, García’s father, Lupe, started migrant farm work and was eventually able to earn a green card under President Ronald Reagan’s amnesty for agricultural workers. García was still a boy when he joined his father on the trail from rural Mexico to work on farms between Florida and Michigan, gathering fruit as the seasons flowed from April to November. As a teenager, after his family had settled in Georgia, García turned to restaurant work. His dexterity and speed honed in the fields shone while washing dishes and prepping food, earning accolades from cooks and gradually securing his place on the line. He earned enough money to buy fashionable clothes and a brand-new Mustang. But in a moment of youthful impetuosity, he drove the getaway car for a robbery and was caught. After serving a prison sentence, he was deported to his grandparents’ home in Mexico.
He does return to the US when his father is dying but he realizes that the future is much brighter for him in Mexico. He has a lot of foibles, he is bad boyfriend material, but he is a talented chef and someone who treats his staff with respect. This story is worth knowing, and it made me want to spend a week eating in Mexico City before too long.
March 10, 2025
This autobiography of the life of Lalo Garcia, portrays the life of many immigrants that come from Mexico to the Unites States, in the sense of facing similar challenges when it comes to agricultural labor jobs and constant movement. Though Garcia got lucky in life even with the challenges and endeavors he had to face to get to the point he is at the moment in time. I wouldn't essentially say he got lucky but he was blessed for everything he went through, though due to his immigration status with the U.S. it does sadness someone not being able to see your son during his whole life; making sure he doesn't think that you've abandoned him, Garcia pays homage to his sun by naming his most successful restaurant "Maximo" after his son. The whole biography felt more a cry for his son to reach out to him, or reassure him he never forgot about his son. Over pretty good, writing style is consistent does go into depth of other peoples lifestyle/lives, but majority of the people or individuals that Lalo Garcia surrounds or surrounded himself around at some point in his life.
May 14, 2025
This book tells the story of one of the top chefs in Mexico City. The chef is born into a family based in a small town north of the capital. His father is a migrant laborer who is away in the USA much of the time, until the young boy is "old enough" to join his father at the age of 9 or 10, picking fruits and vegetables in a truly migrant life from Florida to Michigan. Eventually, the family settles down in Atlanta where the chef first finds his interest in cooking, but also finds the wrong side of the law. Eventually, he serves time for armed robbery and is permanently deported. Now in Mexico, he manages to hook up with the best known chef in Mexico and eventually open his own highly regarded restaurant. The focus and effort and work ethic of this man are amazing, as is what he has been able to achieve against all odds.
July 13, 2024
A small window into migrant history from a singular perspective
Read the book before and on the way to Mexico city after watching Eva Longoria’s searching for Mexico one plate at a time (it’s a variant of Stanley Tucci’s Italy show) where she talks to/“interviews” Lalo at a Chinampa. Interesting read about his life, but the book could have done more expanding out and painting a broader picture of the cultural context, and gotten a more nuanced take of him from others around him. The end felt a bit incomplete, left me hanging, although somewhat expected because he’s still alive. Still, worth reading if you are curious about migrant and immigrant lives.
Read the book before and on the way to Mexico city after watching Eva Longoria’s searching for Mexico one plate at a time (it’s a variant of Stanley Tucci’s Italy show) where she talks to/“interviews” Lalo at a Chinampa. Interesting read about his life, but the book could have done more expanding out and painting a broader picture of the cultural context, and gotten a more nuanced take of him from others around him. The end felt a bit incomplete, left me hanging, although somewhat expected because he’s still alive. Still, worth reading if you are curious about migrant and immigrant lives.
February 8, 2023
This is a great biography of a man who became a world-class chef despite his very humble beginnings. The author spent 5 years researching Lalo and it shows: this is a wonderfully written biography that reads as easy as a novel ... you know for all those non-fiction-loathers in your life.
There is a lot in this book about how he overcame inequalities and that was inspiring: this is a definite MUST-READ for Hispanic Heritage Month!
HIghly recommended to those interested in biography, social justice or someone just looking for a great read
#shortbutsweetreviews
There is a lot in this book about how he overcame inequalities and that was inspiring: this is a definite MUST-READ for Hispanic Heritage Month!
HIghly recommended to those interested in biography, social justice or someone just looking for a great read
#shortbutsweetreviews
March 30, 2023
This book is a wide-reaching look at not just one of Mexico's most currently acclaimed chefs but also so many of the elements important to the story of Mexico City and Mexican food's emergence as the worldwide obsession that it is today. I thought Tillman did a good job of diving deep into a both complicated and ingenious person, while also highlighting many of his predecessors and showcasing the evolution of the food scene in Mexico over the last several decades. It was an engaging and fast read, especially for someone who is interested in the Mexico food world.
January 9, 2024
This biography is haunting and important, especially for anyone interested in the haute food scene. It's important to know not just the food you are being served and where it comes from, but of the people making it for you. This is so much more than just a story about food- it tackles inequity, the migrant crisis along the US-Mexico border, why locally sourced food is so much more expensive, and many other issues that cross the border of food and humanity. It definitely caused me to think. Thank you to the publisher and author for my copy.
February 1, 2023
This book touches on so many great themes in one inspiring life story: migration, food, perseverance, and creativity. The Migrant Chef is well researched, well written, and in addition to a great narrative is full of fascinating history and context around migration and cooking in Mexico. It'll be a huge surprise if anyone can finish the story without booking a flight to Mexico City or day-dreaming about reservations at one of Lalo's restaurants.
May 27, 2023
Absolutely adored this book. While narrative nonfiction, it reads like a perfectly paced novel, but thoughtfully blends in social history to contextualize Lalo Garcia’s rise to prominence on the fine dining scene of Mexico City. Lalo’s compelling story takes him from a small village, to working as a migrant farm worker at ten years old, to prison and deportation, only to rebuild his life to extraordinary success back in Mexico. Absorbing, enlightening, evocative.
July 16, 2023
Such a great read and so well researched and detailed. It tells the story of a compelling and complex individual who despite all odds has risen to the top of his profession and yet makes time to teach what he has learned to those aspiring chefs who want to learn his craft. His story is carefully told reflecting all the nuanced aspects of his life in a page turner of a book. It even inspired me to learn more about Mexican cuisine! Looking forward to Ms. Tillman’s next book.
August 8, 2023
I listened to the audible recording to the Migrant Chef: The Life and times of Lalo Garcia. The narrator was very engaging and added to the really interesting story of a Chef/Artist’s life. The book is well written and does a really good job of weaving together personal stories and reflections on Lalo’s life and the history of food, migration and Mexico. I become aware of the depth of Mexican cuisine and history.
Highly recommend.
Susan
Highly recommend.
Susan
February 12, 2024
A deep dive into the life and work of Eduardo “Lalo” Garcia. A story of a troubled youth who blossomed into an integral part of elevating Mexican food to a level never before considered. A contemporary of Eric Rupert, Lalo is a self made master. By studying others, and outworking them, he climbed to the top of the gastronomic ladder of both Mexican and international acclaim. This book reads as a gripping narrative of his life and work.
July 24, 2024
Interesting biography of one of Mexico's most famous chefs. A lot of research and effort went into the writing of this book to ensure its authenticity as the story is told. While interesting, the telling just wasn't compelling to me. I enjoyed reading the story of Lalo's life, his upbringing through to his successful career (and everything in between which comprises a lot), but I found the book itself to lose energy at points.
February 2, 2023
In her thrilling narrative, Laura Tillman chronicles the dizzying life and vertiginous rise of Lalo Guzman, following his metamorphosis as he crosses borders and moves from working the fields, to starting as a cook, to a stint in jail, finally emerging as a star chef in one of the most exciting restaurants in Latin America.
July 14, 2023
This biography is elegantly written and exhaustively researched . It tells the story of the transformation of immigrant child to world renowned chef. It touches on many issues including the immigrant experience, the criminal justice system, the foodie movement, and the trials and tribulations of the restaurant business among others. Highly recommended!
July 17, 2023
Laura's brilliance shines through every page of this remarkable story. Her factual details are combined with the embracing emotions of this incredible man and his incredible journey.
Read it for so many reasons - his plight as it may reflect millions, his talent and the sharing of good food, the history behind it all - and some impressive Spanish words!!
Read it for so many reasons - his plight as it may reflect millions, his talent and the sharing of good food, the history behind it all - and some impressive Spanish words!!
December 5, 2023
I loved this book, and I learned so much from it. Lalo Garcia's life is fascinating, and I loved the picture this book painted of the world of food and fine dining in Mexico City. The author does an incredible job weaving facts, details, and accounts of Garcia's life into a biography that reads like a novel. I couldn't put it down.
December 20, 2023
Highly highly recommend this book. It begins like a biography of a famous chef, slips into class politics, moves into a challenging picture of immigration and race dynamics, and comes back out with a beautiful story of food and belonging. I wish this was my last book of 2024 because it is my favorite
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