A memoir from the James Beard Award-winning writer, whose childhood idea of fine dining was Howard Johnson's, tells how he became one of Paris's most influential restaurant critics
... beautiful ... reads like a novel, the story threaded with the author’s adventures as a gay man and an outsider, haunted by a childhood secret he reveals only toward the end. He is a poetic writer about food, whether he’s describing his first taste of an apricot soufflé or his boyhood enthusiasm for Chef Boyardee ... Writing in a light, self-deprecating tone, Mr. Lobrano brings each scene to life with sensual details ... He slips comprehensive gastronomical information into his book so deftly, it goes down without your being aware of it. His enthusiasm is infectious, although occasionally he gets a little turgid.
A scrumptious, humor-filled love letter to Paris and its food, written by a James Beard Award-winning writer who is the first to admit that his life’s trajectory sounds highly improbable ... Lobrano’s childhood memories are rich, although laced with sadness, loneliness and sexual abuse ... His slow, steady attempts to transition to food writing are fascinating fun, and Lobrano’s nonstop curiosity and enthusiasm are particularly engaging—especially when they lead him to a dinner with Princess Caroline of Monaco and several encounters with Yves Saint Laurent ... Lobrano concludes that 'gastronomic expertise is dull and can be irritating unless it’s leavened by humility, humor, and emotion.' Rest assured, there’s never a dull moment in My Place at the Table . It’s a veritable feast of humility, humor and emotion.
In this rich debut memoir, food writer Lobrano traces his lifelong love affair with food ... Appended with a selection of his favorite restaurant reviews, Lobrano’s story is inspiring, and his prose lush and inviting. Readers will savor every last page.
