Completely and utterly delightful, this feels like a breath of fresh air (fresh air with vibrant notes of sizzling, aromatic piquancy). Hassan’s family leave Mumbai and embark on a journey that finishes and then starts anew in France. So simply and gently told, yet so full of love, passion and intensity, Morais is able to paint a glorious picture as his words glide from the page. Set in a beguiling world of food, chefs and restaurants this is a gorgeous read and easily gobbled up in one sitting.
The film version of The Hundred-Foot Journey is released in UK cinemas on Friday 5 September 2014. Click below to view the trailer.
The Hundred-foot Journey is the story of Hassan Haji, a boy from Mumbai who embarks, along with his boisterous family, on a picaresque journey first to London and then across Europe, before they ultimately open a restaurant opposite a famous chef, Madame Mallory, in the remote French village of Lumiere. A culinary war ensues, pitting Hassan's Mumbai-toughened father against the imperious Michelin-starred cordon bleu, until Madame Mallory realizes that Hassan is a cook with natural talents far superior to her own. Full of eccentric characters, hilarious cultural mishaps, vivid settings and delicious meals described in rich, sensuous detail, Hassan's charming account lays bare the inner workings of the elite world of French haute cuisine, and provides a life-affirming and poignant coming-of-age tale.
'Don't read this book if you're hungry. You might eat it.' -
Simon Beaufoy, Oscar-Award-winning screenwriter, Slumdog Millionaire
'I enjoyed this book very much. It has great charm and is colorfully written, sensual and evocative' Joanne Harris
'A well told and charming tale that explores our culinary differences' Charles Campion, Food Critic, Evening Standard
'For anyone who loves food, and who cares for character, the book's a banquet.' Simon Callow
Author
About Richard C. Morais
Richard C. Morais's debut novel, The Hundred-Foot Journey, is the international best-seller that has sold in 21 territories around the world. His first book, an unauthorized biography of Pierre Cardin, was published by Bantam Press in 1991 to critical acclaim. He currently lives in New York, where he is also the editor of Barron's Penta, a quarterly magazine and website offering insights and advice to affluent families. An American born in Lisbon and raised in Zurich, Morais lived in London for 17 years, where he served as Forbes magazine's European Bureau Chief. His second novel Buddhaland Brooklyn is also published by Alma Books.
