This was really slow and hard to get into. Which is a shame because I really like Erin's story and recipes! I'll keep up with the cookbooks but pass on any further memoirs.

A beautiful memoir as Erin French looks back at how far she has travelled to be able to take a breath and say.....this is where I belong. Much more than a chef's tale, her story shows you can overcome the difficulties fate hands you and reach your goals.

This is a chef's memoir, although perhaps Erin French would describe herself as a cook and restauranteur. I went into this book expecting a chef's memoir about how she came to open a wildly successful restaurant in a remote town in Maine and this is that story, but it's not the story I expected. French has had a tough life and has overcome a lot to find her freedom and success. She was an avid home cook who turned this passion into restaurant success. This is a well told story with a positive ending but is also quite sad.

I am a huge fan of Erin French and The Lost Kitchen, so I was excited to see she had written a book. Finding Freedom was insightful and moving. Erin's story is just as beautiful and interesting as I expected it to be. I ended up buying a copy for myself!

I did not finish this one. I'm a huge fan of food memoirs, but the writing for this one just didn't draw me in. It was definitely missing a hook. :(

DNF @29%
2021; Celadon Books

I was excited to read this memoir about a chef, who has a restaurant that you cannot just walk into to eat. The cover is gorgeous, and after seeing it in my bookstagram account, I decided to try it out. I had picked up Hollywood Park for the same reason. I would not have picked dup either book on my own. As I started this one, I was not getting drawn in like the previous memoir. I decided to abandon ship as I was not invested in this one. It seemed like this book has gotten much love so try it out if you are interested in food or chefs.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook/audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

This was darker than I thought it would be. Erin grew up in an abusive home, didn't have support when she became pregnant and wanted to have her child, and then entered into a terrible marriage. What I loved is that she was so honest about it all. She gave the facts and recognized where she should have known better, looking back through the lens of experience. There are certainly aspects of her life that were downright awful and better choices could have changed that, but can't we all look back and say if we had made a better choice, things would have been different?

There aren't a lot of stories in this book. Rather, there is a lot of description (in her restaurants, you can literally picture every detail... at the end, when she is complementing her staff, it reads like a letter of recommendation rather than a novel) and there are a lot of emotions. She clearly has worked with a therapist and is able to sort through her feelings. However, I wanted a bit more at times about how she was able to do what she was. Where did the money come from to buy two restaurants? How was she so successful without any formal chef training? What role did her mom play - it was clearly a big one, but I think parts are left out.

I didn't connect with the author but I can tell that this was a tough book to write and I admire her for writing it and thriving despite all she's gone through.

I actually read this book without knowing anything about the author or how famous she is... and was in for a pleasant surprise! I love chef books, and I immediately picked up this one... (thanks to #NetGalley). It was a little disorganized for me at some places, but overall, I like the book... which is truly inspiring. Not knowing this was a true story, I felt like the part about hosting all these dinners at these new places with a new team every time seemed very fat fetched... (it is reallllllyyyyy tough to do pop-up restaurants! ) but now that I know .. but I can understand why she wouldn't want to share that.

All in all, I love the book for the author's perseverance, grit, and inspirational journey!

#FindingFreedomMemoir #NetGalley

A welcome memoir from a female chef who built a dream on shards of a painful life in a rural Maine town of only 800 souls. A hard scrabble life is described in melodious prose, describing numerous beginnings and some rancorous endings. What price for a dream? How do you keep getting up when you are beat down to scratch repeatedly? An inspirational telling lovingly told of hard lessons learned and love and meals shared, of faltering steps and bad decisions learned from and overcome. This is a kitchen memoir to savor and keep on your favorite cookbook shelf.

I don’t typically enjoy reading memoirs but this book completely held my interest. Erin French’s account of her life is an honest look into her soul. It is exciting as she shares her dreams and passions. Heartbreaking as she shares her insecurities, acknowledging her alcoholism and drug addiction, her toxic marriage and the losses that are a result of her choices. Throughout it all her determination, love of her son, her love of preparing and serving food lifts her up to triumph over a difficult past and to find real freedom in a small town in Maine. #FindingFreedom#NetGalley#ErinFrench

While I enjoyed this memoir overall, I think I would’ve preferred much less about her ex-husband (though I realize how monumental that experience was) and more on her motherhood and food journey. This was very sad and tense and I feel like bits were glossed over and I wanted a lot more.

Little bit of advice, don't start this book if you’re hungry. Author Erin French has written a book with beautiful descriptions and language that had me hanging on her every word. From childhood her life was surrounded by food and the family business of serving. When she was little her father started his own restaurant and Erin worked every position and decided being a chef was her calling. She started first with making baby food for her son to eventually her own secret supper club. I was giddy reading her description of the space she set up and wishing it was a place I could dine at.
“Mix matched vintage table wear, old fabric to make table runners and napkins, table tops from refurbished wood, I visited every antique store in the area and purchased mixed matched floral plates and platters. I filled the bookshelf with mismatched crystal glasses, warmed cups on the furnace for French press coffee used a chalkboard to write the menu for the night.”
I loved the author’s passion for cooking and using fresh ingredients from the farmers market. Her enthusiasm jumps off the pages.
Unfortunately Erin was struggling in her personal life. Her husband who she once adored was drinking and not coming home, getting arrested, sleeping around and draining her in every way possible. Her family encouraged her to stick it out because at the end of the day he was a good person. As the stress became too much Erin found herself in the same situation. She was sent to a rehab and through a conversation with her mother discovers her husband has taken everything from her, including her son. A very powerful story that will inspire you.

Loved this memoir, highly recommend.

Discussed on Episode 128 of the Book Cougars podcast.

https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2021/episode128

What if you were to take everything wonderful about raising a child - the impossible-to-resist unconditional love; the delight in the magic that is your child; the fears; the hopes; the wonder of watching this little person grow and blossom - and well, what if you were to do the exact opposite instead?

Childhood wounds can splinter the soul, and as we soon discover in this heart-breaking memoir, the journey to healing can be as unimaginably painful as what led to the wounds themselves.

Erin French’s story is remarkable, - all the more poignant when your read it, as I did, without any advance knowledge or random social media searches. Instead, I rode along, heart fully open, along the path she sets out for us, hurting from every pore as her world rapidly escalates through cycles fed by shame, grief, loss, mental illness, and addiction - intermingled throughout with only the briefest glimmers of hope, joy and most tremulous of all, love and belonging.

A foodie from a very young age, Erin and her sister lived with their parents in a small coastal town in Maine which is ironically known as Freedom. As they hit their early teens, it becomes clear that the children’s life is anything but free.

Erin’s father, (a man that,as the plot develops, it becomes incredibly hard to feel any compassion for ) appears to devote all his free time to running his own diner, (which is only possible with the sweat-fueled labours of his daughter Erin) while shamelessly victimizing his entire family.

This early exposure, to both her father and her work in the restaurant industry, sets in motion an early life-long identity crisis - how can food, a passion of Erins, so clearly be “love”, - the ultimate act of joy and nurturance - and at the same time, be associated with such raw and primal hurt?

“I was starving for his approval and my heart was already emaciated from the very same feelings my father had failed to feed me”

You can’t help but cringe and cheer for Erin - recognizing her pain and sharing in it, seeing her missteps and her struggles, and at the same time, wanting so badly to see her somehow mange to reach above it.

I won’t reveal the ending (no spoilers here), but let me just say, this lovely book, is truly both heart breaking and inspirational.

“The utter joy in the room was palpable. I had brought joy to this space and made a warm memory for my guests”

I don’t believe I will ever sit down to approach a restaurant meal in quite the same way again.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented are my own,

I was sent a copy of this by the publisher for a book club, and honestly the experience of trying to get all the copies for the other members of my book club really soured me to the book before I even read it.

Overall, I did not find this an interesting experience. I didn't know who the author was beforehand and probably would not have picked the book up on my own if I wasn't offered a review copy. I have a hard time connecting with memoirs if I don't know who the person is before.

I wasn't a fan, but I'm guessing the author already has a bit of a built in audience since there was enough of a demand for her to write the memoir in the first place, so I hope she finds her audience

This memoir is raw. Erin French has lived a challenging life. Her memoir shares so many broken dreams and hopes. But it also gives a sense of possibility and second chances. And it centers on love and on strength.

The food is amazing, be it from a diner or from The Lost Kitchen. Her connection to the food and the way she connects it to serving and caring come through powerfully. And she uses cooking to ground herself and remind herself of her roots with her family. More than that, in growing a restaurant, she also grew a second family.

The descriptions of the dishes, their origins, the ever changing menu make me deeply wish to travel and eat at The Lost Kitchen myself. But equally, they make me want to spend time preparing a good meal for those I love.

TW: alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this book. These opinions are my own.

Living in Maine and hearing so much about the Lost Kitchen, I enjoyed this book by Erin French and learning more about her as well as the restaurant. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Freedom is a tiny town in Maine where Erin grew up working at her father’s café under his authoritarian and often arbitrary rules. She rebels, moves to Boston for college, but returns to Freedom carrying an unexpected pregnancy and no way to support herself. Through a series of twists and turns, Erin starts a dream-come-true restaurant. But again, her dream dissolves due to a destructive marriage, a complicated custody battle, and personal struggles with addiction.

This memoir is Erin’s heart-turning story of picking herself up by the apron strings after many epic failures. With help from her mom, friends, and her own determination, Erin struggles to build what is now one of the most sought after farm-to-table restaurants in Maine: The Lost Kitchen. The author describes friends and family with honesty, pitch-perfect details, and brilliant storytelling.

Will appeal to women's groups and book groups. Provocative themes for discussion: business start-ups; mothering/custody; domestic violence; addiction and recovery; farm-to-table; family dynamics; ambition; small town life. Erin French is also the author of a cookbook THE LOST KITCHEN: Recipes for book groups that want to pair discussion with food.

I started the Netflix series and then knew I had to read the book. I really enjoyed this one and knowing that a rocky, rough start and lead to bigger things. I do wish there was more perspective into things, but there was mostly facts, and lacked emotion behind the book. Overall, I would still recommend it.

I was honestly not expecting to feel all the feels with this one. I went into this book not knowing a lot about Erin French or her restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, but I’m now officially a fan and eating at TLK has been added to my bucket list. I’ll certainly be recommending this book to anyone that will listen to me!

When I first tried to write a review for FINDING FREEDOM though I had a difficult time putting into words everything this book made me feel. After I sat with it for a few days though, below is what I was able to come up with:

First, the food. I was fascinated by Erin’s introduction to cooking food at such a young age. She was first introduced to cooking at her dad’s diner and began working on the line at the age of twelve, quickly picking up the tricks and family recipes that would eventually lead to her love of food. As Erin got older though, she worked a few odd jobs before eventually setting out to open her own restaurant. She tested out her ideas with secret supper clubs which led to what TLK has turned into today.

I really enjoyed that we got to see Erin’s cooking journey, from first learning to cook at her dad’s local diner to opening her own restaurant. I also like how she used, and continues to use, locally sourced ingredients. It was amazing to read about how she went about pulling together everything she needed for her supper clubs and how that transitioned into a full blown restaurant.

While this alone would have been an incredible story, what made this book even more special was Erin’s personal journey and all the hardships she had to overcome to achieve her dream. A tumultuous relationship with her father, having a child at a young age that forced her to leave college, and then an abusive marriage which led to a pill and alcohol addiction, it was amazing to read everything that Erin overcame and survived. While sad and heartbreaking at times, this was a story of resilience and hope, even in the face of so much hurt and loss.

Erin’s story is inspirational and this book was so beautiful, raw, and honest. I can’t recommend this book enough and this is easily one of my favorites for the year!