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FOOD WHORE
A Novel of Dining and Deceit
Jessica Tom
Releasing Oct 27th, 2015
William Morrow
Full of wit and mouth-watering
cuisines, Jessica Tom’s debut novel offers a clever insider take on the
rarefied world of New York City’s dining scene in the tradition of The Devil
Wears Prada meets Kitchen Confidential.
Food
whore (n.) A person
who will do anything for food.
When Tia Monroe moves to New York
City, she plans to put herself on the culinary map in no time. But after a
coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another young food
lover in the big city.
But when Michael Saltz, a legendary
New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending secret—that
he’s lost his sense of taste—everything changes. Now he wants Tia to serve as
his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a
bottomless cache of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. Out
of prospects and determined to make it, Tia agrees.
Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms
into one of luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited
expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it…until she
sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As her secret
identity begins to crumble and the veneer of extravagance wears thin, Tia is
forced to confront what it means to truly succeed—and how far she’s willing to
go to get there.
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3 of my favorite NYC restaurants by Jessica Tom
The
NYC food scene can be impossible to keep up with. Once you think you know
what’s cool and hot, another crop of restaurants opens.
My
debut novel, Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit, is set
against this backdrop: sexy hotshot chefs, coveted no-reservation tables, and
the angst and egos around restaurant reviews, particularly the one from the New York Times.
My
main character, Tia, gets caught up in this world. And who could blame her?
Restaurants are multi-sensory affairs. Cultural capital. What consumes many of
us (hello half of all Instagram photos).
Here
are three of my favorite spots to eat in NYC. They’re not the newest places,
but that’s the point. They’ve stood the test of time.
1) Classic Fine-Dining -
Jean-Georges
This
was my first fine dining, multi-course dinner, and over ten years later, I
still think it’s one of the best. The kitchen delivers refined yet light dishes
that are playful without being childish.
Most memorable dish: Frog legs in
young garlic soup. I remember when they put the bowl in front of me, just five
juicy legs draped over the edge and a thimbleful of cubed veggies. I had never experienced
table service like this before, and I wondered, “Is this it?” Then, two waiters
poured the soup into our bowls at exactly the same time. Between the aroma, the
surprise, and ultimately the taste, this was a magical experience.
Casual Version: If you’re
not in the mood to splurge, Jean-Georges’ sister restaurant Nougatine is a
stellar place to try Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s cuisine, particularly for
lunch. When I interned at Zagat Survey, Tim Zagat took us there. The restaurant
is right next to the original and has much of the same poise.
2) Super Casual Eats - The cafe
at Kalustyan’s
Kalustyan’s is a famous
spice and international food emporium in NYC’s “Curry Hill.” I always go in
there, thinking I’ll just buy a couple things, and then come out with two giant
bags, $100 (or more) poorer. The upstairs deli uses those ingredients to
delicious effect. And the man who serves you is beyond generous and delightful.
Most memorable dish: Butter
beans with tomato sauce and olive oil. I used to go here after my most intense
workouts. This + some spinach + tahini sauce is a hearty
yet healthy meal.
Other must-buys: Think
you’ve had dates? The dates at Kalustyan’s are fatter, more complex, and more
aromatic than anything else. Am I exaggerating? No. Try for yourself and you’ll
see.
3) Explosive flavors - Momofuku
I’d
heartily recommend any Momofuku restaurant: Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar, Fuku, and Má Pêche (those are
just the ones in NYC), but Ko gets my vote for most sit-up-straight-wow
dishes. What David Chang does best is clash strong flavors and textures.
Pickled, fatty, fishy, funky, crispy, smooth, airy. All of those can be on the
same plate and it just works. There’s no dead weight, no filler, just pure
eye-opening deliciousness.
Most memorable dish:
A
classic: shaved frozen foie gras with riesling gelee. A classic pairing, in
unexpected and amazing form (especially the foie, which melted on your tongue
like savory snow).
Fun Fact: One of the
restaurants in my book is based on Momofuku. I’ll let you figure out which one
for yourself though…
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Jessica
Tom is a writer and food blogger living in Brooklyn. She has worked on initiatives with
restaurants, hospitality startups, food trucks, and citywide culinary programs.
Jessica attended Yale University and graduated with a concentration in fiction
writing, studying three years under Amy Bloom. She brings a wide variety of
food experience to her writing.
