Nicole Mones: The Last Chinese Chef

By JULIETTE ROSSANT [See also "Last Chinese Chef: Interview with Nicole Mones"] What are the ingredients for the perfect beach novel for a foodie or chef? Good food, of course -- plus romance, adventure, excitement, and tension, not to mention great writing. Despite the lure of the pounding surf, despie the blazing sun, you just can't stop turning the pages. If those are the ingredients you seek in a book, then get Nicole Mones' latest novel, The Last Chinese Chef (Houghton Mifflin 2007). It will teach you about the structure and character of Chinese cuisine while you enjoy a great read. Just be aware –- you may suddenly find yourself ravenous for great Chinese food. Without giving too much away -- the novel takes place in China, a place Nicole knows well and knows how to describe vividly. The main character, Maggie, a food writer who specializes in American food, is in Beijing to investigate a paternity claim against her late husband's estate, and to write a story on a Chinese chef. There is a book within a book – and a story within a story. The Chinese Chef, Sam, is Chinese-American Jewish, and he is translating a book with his father, written by his grandfather, called The Last Chinese Chef. In it lies wisdom and profound knowledge about what makes Chinese cuisine so central to understanding China. A quote from this book-within-a-book starts every chapter: Apprentices have asked me, what is the most exalted peak of cuisine? Is it the freshest ingredients, the most complex flavor? Is it the rustic, or the rare? It is none of these. The peak is neither eating nor cooking, but the giving and sharing of food. Great food should never be taken alone. What pleasure can a man take in fine cuisine unless he invites cherished friends, counts the days until the banquet, and composes an anticipatory poem for his letter of invitation? - Liang Wei, The Last Chinese Chef (pub. Peking 1925) The book follows Maggie and Sam, the story of Maggie's dead husband and his mistress, and Sam's father. We learn about the cuisine of the imperial court, the way life changed under the Cultural Revolution, and what life is like now for foreigners and Chinese. But mostly we learn about the complexity of Chinese food and its place in Chinese society. Reading The Last Chinese Chef will make you hungry (for more books and food). With tender mercy, Nicole provides recipes on her webite. Accompanying article: Last Chinese Chef: Interview with Nicole Mones Radio: NPR Book excerpt: USA Today Book reviews: Seattle Times Charlotte Observer Northwest Asian Weekly Previous articles: Year of the Golden Pig: Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook Susur: A Culinary Life [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef