*This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley.

I admittedly hadn't heard of David Chang until recently. I'd heard of Momofuku (who couldn't help but notice the cookbook in the bookstore) but never really put the name to the restaurant. But then I started watching Ugly Delicious and really enjoyed it and so when this book came available, I had to take a glance.

If you're looking for food, this book has it, but first and foremost it's a memoir. Chang describes his past and how he built up his business and the struggles and learning he experienced along the way. And part of the struggles were from his own head. Chang isn't shy when telling you about his anger issues, over the top reactions, depression, and other mental health issues that he goes through. It was refreshing actually as I feel like accounts like these only help to lessen the stigma around mental health.

I will admit, the descriptions of food and the different restaurants were my prime interest in this book. I wish there had been more. I love reading about food and eclectic or interesting restaurants, and one day, when I can travel more freely, I'd love to visit Noma, Noodle Bar, and a bunch of the other places named in this book. Getting the 'behind the scenes' look was interesting too. I can definitively say it is not an environment I would thrive in, even as much as I enjoy cooking. There seems to be a different social hierarchy when it comes to chefs at the level Chang is at. A prestigious crowd that maybe doesn't let outsiders in (and sometimes talk can seem on the edge of pretentious about it), but then I gotta think I'm sure there's topics I sound pretentious about too and it's because of the passion and amount of time I've put into it. So I really can't fault too much for that.

If you've watched Ugly Delicious, and enjoyed the narrative there, I would say definitely give this book a go. It's very much almost like a written version of that, just with Chang's personalities and memories woven in. And it's probably slightly darker as well because of the emotions that are put into it. Overall, this was a very good memoir though and one of the more interesting ones I've read lately.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

This is an extraordinary memoir! David Chang may chronically suffer from imposter syndrome, but this free-form reflective book of musings is a work of courage and heart, and leaves me longing for more of this contrarian's paradoxical and optimistic worldview. While the memoir of a man in the culinary industry, Eat a Peach is so much more: meditations on mental illness, intimate reflections on family and shame, indictments of the world of food and the disease of success, and undeniably funny and relatable through it all, David Chang has done something remarkable here.

I received an advance reading copy through Netgalley.

David Chang is someone that I became aware of only since moving to NYC four years ago. My husband is a real foodie and one of our first dates was at Noodle Bar East Village. We have also watched Chang's season of Mind of a Chef and Ugly Delicious. For my husband's birthday in 2019, we attended a talk at the 92nd Street Y with Chang and Sean Brock. When this book popped up on my radar, I didn't think twice about adding it to my to-read list.

Eat a Peach isn't exactly the kind of memoir you would expect from a famous chef. Having read Kitchen Confidential by Chang's mentor Anthony Bourdain, I was expecting more crazy shenanigans and inappropriate behavior. While Chang does go into some detail about his partying and drug use, it all ties back to his depression and bipolar disorder. This book is about cooking but it's really about Chang's lifelong battle with depression, rage, and suicidal ideation. His descriptions of both his manic and depressive episodes are incredibly vivid.

Reading incident after incident where Chang's rage boils over and spews onto any unsuspecting employee, journalist, customer, and even family member, was hard and at some point, I became so frustrated with Chang himself that I felt myself rolling my eyes every time he described such an incident. And then there's a chapter in the book dedicated to the MeToo movement. I felt like he was finally acknowledging that while he very legitimately has a mental disorder that affects his ability to manage his emotions and behavior, he also has benefitted from being a man in an industry where this type of aggressive behavior is commonplace. I could feel him trying to get to the point that he probably would not have been given as many chances as had if he were, say, a female chef. His acknowledgement of his own industry's blind spots and his own personal blind spots is commendable. I don't know if he truly understands how strong misogyny has a grip on the entire world but this is a start.

Once I was able to get over this mental hump that I was developing towards Chang himself, I was able to open myself up to this book. I absolutely loved all the parts of this book where Chang discusses his childhood, his family, falling in love with his wife, and becoming a father. The way he describes his love for and his anger towards his father is especially moving.

Recommended for anyone who is interested in food and anyone who has or knows someone with a mental disorder. So basically everyone.

The founder of Momofuku writes his autobiography with flair, humour, and grace. He gives his background and discusses key moments in his childhood that lead him to the decision to go into cooking as a career. He is open and honest about his lifelong struggles with depression and bipolar disorder. It is interesting reading how his empire began and flourished, in New York, nationally, and globally. Intriguing writing and informative for aspiring chefs and restauranteurs.