About This Episode

Chef, food writer, food critic, and author Ruth Reichl discusses the transformative power of food and culture. “One of the great things to me about food is that you have the ability to touch these moments of grace throughout the day simply by biting into a perfect peach and going, ‘oh my God, I'm glad I'm alive,’" she marvels. Her new book, "The Paris Novel,” explores the connection between food and joy. Reichl’s love of food and culture and food writer background shapes the book’s main character, who travels to Paris and rediscovers herself through food, art, and other cultural experiences. She also talks about the recent changes in the restaurant industry. “Food has always been my way of seeing the world. I have always looked at the world food-first,” says Reichl.    

Resources and Mentions:

Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl

Author

Ruth Reichl is a chef, food writer, food critic, and author. She was the editor in chief of Gourmet Magazine, a restaurant critic for The New York Times, and restaurant critic for and food editor of the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of several books and the recipient of six James Beard Awards.

The Paris Novel

The Paris Novel is a “mouthwatering” adventure through the food, art, and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris.