The Cook by Maylis de Kerangal

It is beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving. The other day I came home from yoga to find my husband on the phone with his sister, Jen. They were engaged in a lively planning session about brussels sprouts, corn-dish, peas and mashed potatoes. I love any talk of food and recipes. So, this slight book "The Cook: A Novel" by Maylis de Kerangal jumped out at me from the library because of its tiny size and delicious looking cover. The book is a meditation and coming-of-age story of a young, self-taught chef named Mauro. Narrated by an unnamed female, who may or may not be in love with Mauro, we see the chef travel to Berlin, Thailand, Burma, and other spots over a 15-year-time span. We get a sense of the mundane, and the exhilaration, of what it is like to be a chef, working your way up in the profession. Despite the highs and lows we see Mauro come back time and again to his love of cooking, and passion for being a chef. This is a book that one can read in one afternoon, and then perhaps follow it up with the latest season of Hulu's "The Bear."  To buy this book on Amazon click here.