Food and the City

April 15, 2016
Exuberant New York chefs and restaurateurs share their culinary histories. Initially inspired by a conversation with an Upper West Side butcher, Yalof (Straight From The Heart: Letters of Hope and Inspiration from Survivors of Breast Cancer, 1997, etc.) began researching the "gastronomic landscape of New York City" throughout its five distinct boroughs. Eschewing the popular go-to dining destinations with their in-house "rock-star chefs," the author canvassed chefs and shop owners of some newer and less-well-known establishments representative of the region's diversity. Each interviewee generously shares his or her diverse background and offers unique and educative perspectives on taste, ingredients, and service experiences. An opening section on food-centered grass-roots businesses celebrates immigrant purveyors from Croatia, France, Greece, and Poland who all share a passion for hard work and flavorful delicacies both sweet and savory from their native lands. Personality and humor shine brightly throughout these essays, especially in the stories of Charlie Sahadi's years curating a Middle Eastern deli, "entertainologist" Lulu Powers' first catering blunders, and young cook MacKenzie Arrington's insightful restaurant coming-of-age. Others highlight the business end of the food industry--e.g., Louisiana-born praline perfectionist Lauren Clark, who ponders the necessary transitions small ventures must make to stay profitable or food truck vendors like The Halal Guys, who prize cleanliness, word-of-mouth advertising, and the principle of the happy customer. From the oldest Chinese restaurant in New York to a Rikers Island food service overseer, each of these vignettes shares a common theme about devotion and dedication within the vast gastronomical spectrum. This is most eloquently dispatched by South Harlem baker "Mr. Lee," who knows that "you got to be a 100 percent to do this." Collectively, Yalof's assortment of cuisines and memories paints a multiculturally diverse food tapestry, and each individually embodies a passion for food artistry that crosses generations, cultures, nationalities, and all manner of palates. A wide-ranging, toothsome smorgasbord of Gotham's good eats and the tireless men and women behind each plate.

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April 15, 2016

In this compendium of short narratives, investigative journalist Yalof highlights the varied participants in the vast gastronomic landscape of New York City, from the purveyors to the chefs and beyond. While readers may recognize a few big names, such as Dominique Ansel and his eponymous bakery, or the Halal Guys, most of the people featured will be new. The collection showcases diverse subjects, from immigrants in search of a better life to second- and third-generation-run family businesses. There are the expected accounts from chefs and cooks, which may sound similar to others that have come before, but they never fail to engage and entertain. Most interesting are the stories from people in the industry we don't often hear from, such as a tortilla maker, a caterer for film sets, a meat purveyor, and the head of food services for the Department of Corrections at Rikers Island. VERDICT A noteworthy collection of intriguing stories that illustrate the perseverance, hard work, and passion for food that one must have to succeed. Fans of food memoirs and essays are sure to enjoy.--Melissa Stoeger, Deerfield P.L., IL

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