Eat a Peach

Author: David Chang

Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction

Format: Digital purchase via Kindle

Publish Date: September 2020

Read: November 2023

Favorite Quote: NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING, SO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

Synopsis: David Chang, restaurateur and chef, shares his journey from his Korean-American childhood to Momofuku-stardom in Eat a Peach. This is a captivating memoir about career, finding yourself, and figuring out how to be the best version of yourself without losing yourself - all while battling mental health issues along the way.

Why does this book beguile? I’m a big fan of chef memoirs. I have no idea why, but probably because I love food, and it’s lovely to hear about others’ passion for food. I didn’t know much about David Chang before reading Eat a Peach other than he was the Momofuku proprietor, guest judge on Top Chef, and had his own show, Ugly Delicious. Throughout his story, he discusses mental health struggles, his thoughts on medication and therapy, as well as how he handles the huge physical, financial, emotional, and mental stresses of running multiple restaurants.

Eat a Peach is a non-linear journey that helps you look at David Chang the person, as well as the celebrity-chef halo-effect, and what food means to the masses.

Rating: 5/5

Link*: Eat a Peach by David Chang

If you’re interested in this, read*: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain