I just finished Soul Kitchen by my favorite author: Poppy Z. Brite. Its her 3rd in a series of books about a male 2 some of chefs who have created a trend setting restaurant in New Orleans (pre-katrina). In this book, the mastermind chef is asked to help create a menu for a new restaurant set in one of the cities floating casinos. I loved this book, as I have the 3 other books in this series (Liquor, and Prime), but i dont think its necessary to have read the 2 previous books to really enjoy the 3rd. Poppy Z. Brite is really stretching out from her roots as a horror homo-erotic writer, and its a really wonderful change. It is definately an easy to read, comforting kind of literature. I’m a huge fan.
Quote:
| From Publishers Weekly Chefs (and lovers) John Rickey and Gary “G-man” Stubbs (first appearing in Liquor and Prime) are once again involved in drama and suspense at their trendy eatery, Liquor. Chef Milford Goodman, an old friend of Rickey’s, shows up after a 10-year prison stint for murder (of a restaurant owner) ends, thanks to a retrial acquittal. Just then, as it turns out, the current chef, Tanker, quits in a huff. Milford takes over, and through him, Rickey meets a manipulative, pill-pushing doctor named Lamotte, who pressures Rickey to join a restaurant venture, Soul Kitchen, involving a shady local businessman-investor, Clancy Fairbairn. Rickey, hooked on Lamotte-supplied Vicodin and wanting to give Milford the break he needs to become a top chef, agrees, various complications ensue, and the deal ends in tragedy. Throughout, Brite demonstrates a deep passion for and knowledge of New Orleans’ food scene, and winningly sends up the city’s wealthy elite, who “were like great dark sea creatures circling below the water’s surface.” The novel is brisk and entertaining, and manages to deal sharply with homophobia and racism amid a frothy plot. The novel was completed, Brite notes, the night before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the city where she was born and now lives with her chef husband. An open-ended conclusion hints at another installment to come. |
Haha…maybe I should buy it since the only things Amazon ever recommends for me are Poppy Z. Brite books because I bought you Prime last Christmas.
P.S. Before I spell checked myself, I totally had written Poopy Z. Brite!
P.P.S. I didn’t buy you Prime. I bought The Devil You Know. Hmm…I think that Prime sounded really familar because it is in my Gold Box almost every day!
P.P.P.S. You totally need to make a blog post / link regarding what is the most recent addition to your wishlist! You are crazy!