The Secret History of French Cooking: The Outlaw Chefs Who Made Food Modern by Luke Barr

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  • ISBN 10 1524744735
  • ISBN 13 9781524744731
  • Published Mar 17 2026
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 352
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Dutton

Publishers Text

In The Secret History of French Cooking, Luke Barr takes readers inside the culinary rebellion that upended the staid French food world and reinvented the role and cultural importance of chefs and restaurants. The very idea of the chef as creator—as innovator, artist, auteur—can be traced back to the legendary Paul Bocuse, Michel Guérard, and the Troisgros brothers, among other colorful characters. The book also tells the largely unknown story of a group of women chefs who fought for recognition in the all-male culinary establishment of the 1970s, and the villainous, powerful food critic who cast a shadow over the era.

This is a tale of rivalries, global success, and a ferocious backlash; of celebrity, money, politics, and incredibly delicious food. The Secret History of French Cooking reveals the origins of modern food and restaurant culture—the forces that shaped the way we eat today.

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