Finding Freedom by Erin French is the deeply personal story of one woman's numerous struggles on the way to achieving a level of success that would have been beyond her wildest imaginings. It is brutally honest, gritty, and inspiring in equal measure, and you will savour it like a fine meal.

Erin grew up in the restaurant business, working from a young age at her father's diner, learning the ropes but also finding herself on the receiving end of harsh criticism and rebuke. Falling pregnant shortly after escaping her hometown of Freedom, Maine to pursue an education, Erin finds herself back in her childhood home and feeling more adrift than ever. Working as a single mother, becoming addicted to prescription drugs, and entering into what would ultimately become a bad marriage, are only some of the hurdles that Erin encounters. But at the centre of it all, and keeping her grounded, is a love of food and community. It is the sumptuous description of food that really gives life to these pages, and we are virtually transported to rural Maine, taking our seat at a table that is set with passion, love, and fellowship. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC.

Wow, what a beautiful story of 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈. Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review!

Finding Freedom is about fighting for a life beyond the cards we've been dealt, and boy does Erin succeed. Erin French is the owner and chef of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen and this book captures the story behind the successes. Erin's story begins with her childhood on a 25-acre farm in Maine, extends to her helping at her dad's diner, and ultimately leads to her falling in love with food.

This memoir explores everything from addiction to abuse, success and motherhood. This poignant story shares Erin's painful struggles through rehab, losing custody, and watching everything she had built get torn down by those she hoped to escape. This book is heart-wrenching, honest, and hopeful.

I really enjoyed reading Erin's story. I appreciated the honesty with which she not only described the difficulties she'd been dealt, but also her own missteps along the way. Erin shares what it takes to pick yourself up, and how to get help, after falling down again and again. She also shows the saving power of motherhood and the ability of food to unite, comfort, and love those around us.

I loved learning more about the Lost Kitchen (I knew nothing before this book) and recently found out that she has a TV show on the Magnolia Network on Discovery+! You better believe I'm going to check that out after this book. I also loved her descriptions of rural Maine and the amazing food born of her hometown soil.

If you enjoy poignant memoirs that touch on real and difficult issues, and you have a heart for food, this would be the perfect read for you!

Wow, what a book!

I had never heard of Erin French or her restaurant before reading this book, but now I somehow have to make visiting her restaurant happen!

Erin literally pours her soul out on the pages of this book. From her childhood of working at her dad’s dinner, to her disastrous marriage, to making her dream restaurant come true.

This is the story of how to make your dreams come true, by finding the courage within yourself, with the support of others, despite the total lack of support (and outright sabotage) by some who should be supporting you.

She goes from rock bottom to having a restaurant that is so popular, that reservations close out for the whole year just days (sometimes hours) after they open for the year.

While the story of her life, her dreams, her struggles were enthralling, it was the descriptions of the cooking that really mesmerized me. I love seeing inside the mind of a chef. She believes in letting the food shine through, nothing too fancy, just pure, good food and the people responded. Seasonal menus with everything at it’s peak.

Loved this book!

A strikingly beautiful cover and early buzz led me to this captivating memoir despite not being familiar with the author or her restaurant. What followed was an amazing read that was both moving and inspiring. Erin French in her brutally honest and introspective voice shares with the reader her journey through pain and turmoil, overcoming adversity and relearning how to live life fearlessly.
From a young age Erin has a strong connection to food and serving others, working at her father’s diner in a small town in Maine. Her culinary skills are self taught and developed through trial and error and she has no formal chef training. Her trials and tribulations include toxic relationships, depression and addiction. Her courage, tenacity and strength in not just surviving but thriving is admirable. The vivid detailed descriptions of food and the beautiful imagery depicting her life in rural Maine are immersive and allow the reader to truly savor the experience. At times heartbreaking and poignant, it is ultimately an uplifting story of hope, resilience and triumph. Don’t miss this memorable memoir.

I'm not sure if this book is going to make me gain 10lbs or lose 5lbs. The 10 because peppered throughout this compelling and deeply personal story are descriptions of food that had me salivating and mentally menu planning. The 5 becuase nothing I nor my husband could make measured up with what I was reading about.

Erin's story is about a choice to move forward, to own your choices, and to look forward. To finding a new passion, a new path, and about overcoming everything that life throws at you, including the consequences of your choices. It's about moving forward, and finding a way.

Finding Freedom connected with something inside me, and had me crying when I didn't expect to. The book hangover was so strong that I couldn't touch another book for a week. The only thing I could do was look at flights to Maine and food-spo.

A truly delightful read, excellent for foodies.

I had never heard of Erin French or The Lost Kitchen when I requested Finding Freedom, but I love food-related memoirs, so I was excited to learn her story.

French's journey to become a world-renowned chef is an interesting tale. Beginning with her experiences working in her father's local diner and ending with the worldwide acclaim of her second restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, French is open and honest about the ups and downs of her road to success. This includes the good times--learning to cook, becoming a mother, finding her confidence in the kitchen--and the bad times. French shares in detail her struggles with broken relationships, addiction, and mental illness. These topics make for some hard reading, but they're important parts of French's story, and I appreciate her willingness to speak on these issues and demonstrate how they allowed (or forced) her to grow as a person and as a chef.

French also shares a lot of detail when describing her surroundings and her food! I love being able to visualize the places and the scenery that French is experiencing, and more importantly, I love imagining all her delicious food! Definitely don't read this book with an empty stomach.

Finding Freedom is a heartbreaking but inspiring tale of one woman's path to finding herself and her place in the world. If you enjoy books about food, overcoming mental illness, and girl power, you'll likely enjoy French's latest book.

I'm giving up on this book at 53%, just as Jonah is driving Erin home from rehab. It seems like this should be the point I would want to keep turning the pages. There is way too much "telling" in the memoir, and to me, it really drags through every section. I feel bad that I'm bored during this clearly harrowing period of the author's life, and I respect her resilience and all that she's accomplished. I love food memoirs, and I love women's stories, but this just wasn't for me.

Finding Freedom
by Erin French

Wow, I read this memoir in one sitting. It was honest, raw, it made me feel uncomfortable. All while being powerful, resilient, and inspiring.

This book is about being at your lowest, feeling like you can’t go on, but finding one small thing to get up for in the morning. For Erin that was her son, her passion for food, and a dog who also had been given up on time after time.

Reading about the emotional and physical abuse Erin endured her whole life was heartbreaking and at times hard to read. Erin’s drive to succeed, her strength to go on, and her determination to build the life she had always envisioned was what made this book so moving.

The way Erin talks about her passion for good food and feeding people is contagious. Mixed with the mouth watering food descriptions this book will have you running to the kitchen.

@thelostkitchen

Thank you to @celadonbooks and @netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ physical/emotional abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, animal abuse, attempted suicide

A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a show on Discovery+ called The Lost Kitchen, based on a small restaurant turned national sensation located in Freedom, Maine. Midway through the first episode, I was completely hooked and I binge-watched the entire series in one day.

As a foodie memoir fanatic, I was not only enamored by the behind-the-scenes peek of her restaurant but also the strength and courage of its owner, Erin French. I was ecstatic to then learn she had a memoir coming out! (She had already published a cookbook which I am equally obsessed with!)

Her road to opening The Lost Kitchen was anything but easy and her book: Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch is an inspiring memoir detailing her journey from being a little girl in Maine with a dream of something more- to where she is today.

Erin details the early days of working in her dad's restaurant and her strained relationship with him - to her "escape" to college - only to return home shortly after pregnant, alone and broke. But her grit, determination and love of her son propelled her to hustle to ensure this was not how her story ended.
Her path was filled with obstacles - single mom, jobless without money or college education, stuck in a small town, struggles with substance abuse, and a relationship that went horribly wrong- it almost took everything away from her, including her son.

I have zero chill in describing how much I LOVED this book. I could not put it down! I was inspired and motivated. I love a redemption story about those who have every reason to give up but don’t.

Finding Freedom is Erin's survival song. It's not only the story of a woman who overcame it all to marry her passion for food with her desire to create community but how she had to find the strength in herself and the people who rallied around her to see her dream come to fruition.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for an ARC of this stunning read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Life’s a journey, not a destination.” It’s a sentiment that we’ve all heard a million times before, this idea that where we wind up is less important than how we got there. And it’s a true one, albeit a bit of a cliché at this point.

Sometimes, though, we have no idea what someone’s journey actually entails until that person shares their story.

Erin French is known for her celebrated restaurant The Lost Kitchen, based in a renovated grist mill in the tiny Maine town of Freedom. She has received accolades from all over the culinary universe, with big names and big outlets all clamoring to shower her with praise for the amazing dining experience that she has built in her tiny corner of the world.

What you might not now is just how much she went through to get here.

“Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch” is the story of French’s journey in her own words. It is a story of one woman’s voyage of self-discovery and the many dizzying highs and shattering lows that came along the way. It’s a work of reflection and at-times brutal honesty, dotted with revelations and confessions. There are tears aplenty, but also more than a few laughs as well; it’s a portrait of a sometimes fractured and always full life.

Through it all, the indomitable spirit of Erin French shines through. Even in those moments where she seems to be at her lowest, when her world is crumbling around her, that fortitude is obvious. This is a woman who took every shot that life could throw at her and simply refused to stay down. That resilience is on full display throughout this book, and it is only that resilience that allowed her to become the person that she is today.

Erin French grew up on a farm in Freedom, wandering those acres and beginning what would become a lifelong love affair with the bounty of nature. It wasn’t always an easy life – she struggled to gain the approval of her distant father even as her mother quietly offered a degree of support. When her father bought the town’s diner, things briefly improved before the restaurant began to consume him, as these sorts of businesses have been known to do.

In many ways, French came of age in the kitchen of that diner, learning how to cook as she helped drive the family business. She had loftier ambitions – college in Boston, maybe med school – that she worked diligently to achieve. And before long, she stood at the precipice of reaching the goals she had long ago set for herself.

But as often happens, life had other plans.

She got pregnant and dropped out of college. Just like that, dreams of becoming a doctor are gone. She has a son to provide for, a child who becomes the light of her life. To do that, she turns toward the work with which she’s been familiar for years – the kitchen.

What follows is a staggering series of ups and downs. French finds stretches of success, but those stretches are undone by circumstances. We’re given a window into her struggles – the depression, the relationship turmoil, the addiction, the abuse – as she seeks out the spot where she’s meant to be. Crumbling marriage, business misfires, substance abuse struggles, legal battles … she’s faced with it all. And even as she is confronted with obstacle after obstacle, she simply continues; no matter how Sisyphean it all might seem, Erin French never stops pushing.

“Finding Freedom” is a marvelous read, an emotionally charged story that is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. It is ultimately a tale of success, yes, but one could argue that the foreknowledge of that success only increases the impactfulness of the frankly stunning struggles French endured to arrive at this place.

I believe that there is a storytelling acumen inherent to small-town Mainers; we’re raised amidst the constant spinning of yarns, so it’s only natural that some of that narrative proclivity rubs off on us. While French styles herself as a bit of an introvert, there’s no denying that she can tell a tale – particularly when it is about the things she holds most dear. For much of her life, she has been telling those tales through cooking, with each meal a story of its own. The fact that she’s almost as good at putting these stories on the page as she is the plate is both impressive and ultimately unsurprising.

Anyone who has eaten at her restaurant knows the gentle passion that radiates from her when she addresses her diners. I’ve been lucky enough to experience The Lost Kitchen twice and feel that passion firsthand. That wonderful warmth is rendered all the more powerful by the many obstacles she has faced on her journey.

And that warmth comes through on the page.

Did I cry while reading “Finding Freedom”? Absolutely, and not just during the “sad” moments. Sure, there are tragic events that elicit tears, but the surprise for me was how moved I was by some of the snapshots of joy. When she talks about the connection she feels with those she feeds, of food as representative of something both greater and granular … the tingle of emotion is undeniable. Happy tears are something of a rarity, but French’s passion brings them forth.

Sharing something as honest as “Finding Freedom” has to be difficult, laying oneself bare and putting a warts-and-all account of a difficult journey. But in pushing through that difficulty, Erin French found her passion, her voice, her soul.

She found her freedom.

FINDING FREEDOM: A COOK’S STORY is a great title that works author Erin French’ s life story into a catchy theme. This is not the regular chef memoir, filled with compelling side characters, loquacious guests and/or fascinating locations. Unless a small town in Maine with a tiny population is your idea of a fascinating location. And a restaurant that serves one plated meal a day for most of the year but is closed to reservations after April 1. So this is food that may be amazing but out-of-reach for pretty much everyone.

French’s memoir is about a girl from a small rural, low-income area with few prospects, amassing debt while away at college, becoming pregnant, unwed, lacking support and the resulting shattered dreams. Her spiral into substance abuse, violent relationships and financial devastation is harsh and deeply sad. Her family of origin also is a tale of dysfunction: abusive relationships, unacknowledged alcoholism and financial struggle.

So, a review of the book as a book, not a review of the hard life? French is a gifted writer, especially when describing food, cooking or the pastoral pleasures of rural Maine. She doesn’t do as well writing about her hardships because the descriptions are like a laundry list of awfulness steeped in debilitating shame. I would have urged her to write a different book, building on her considerable skills and touching only lightly on a past that still pains her. Her continuing pain pours from the pages and at times, feels like an AA meeting. I wish her well, she is so talented and capable of so much. This is a difficult book to read because the author has so many unresolved issues. There isn’t a breakthrough moment, a culmination of understanding; there is just a hope that with a better support system and age, life will improve. Sometimes that is enough, but not always. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I love memoirs that are unflinchingly honest and take you through the ringer right along with the author, and Finding Freedom by Erin French did exactly that. Erin recounts her life and how she ultimately came to run a successful restaurant despite the enormous challenges she faced along the way. She doesn’t shy away from difficult topics that can be hard to discuss; she lays everything out on the table for her reader.

Erin was so raw in her recounting of her life that at times your heart ached right along with her; and her successes and perseverance made your heart soar. It’s a magical thing when someone can help you feel their emotions so strongly, Erin accomplished this in a million different ways throughout her story.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Celadon Books for my unbiased opinion of the book. I already loved Erin French from watching her series "The Lost Kitchen" on Discovery+. My love for this book and what she stood for and remaking herself several times over until she got control of the demons in her past to forge a bright, successful, strong willed, filled with love and fulfillment. Not only for herself but the people she surrounded herself with. If you want a story about a woman who against all odds and with her negative surrounding and simple upbringing made herself into a strong, love filled, successful woman who came into her own despite the odds this a book for you. I read this book in about 48 hours. I could not put it down. I look forward to seeing what her shining bright future brings her and Lost Kitchen brings her. I wish her all the success and happiness life have to offer!

I want to give this chef's memoir (with blurbs from Ina Garten, Joanna Gaines, Martha Stewart, and Stephanie Danler) a rave review, but I just can't. The cover is gorgeous and there are several great descriptions of food and working in kitchens, but the author's passive stance was frustrating to the point of infuriating. French's relationship with her father is painfully sad and she faces struggles (young mother, failed relationships, drug and alcohol abuse) but I don't find those to be very unique struggles. She has overcome adversity and I applaud her success, but I do not recommend this book unless you are specifically interested in reading a memoir about Erin French.

Thanks so much to @celadonbooks and @netgalley for my e-arc in exchange of an honest review! This amazing food memoir publishes TODAY!


TW: emotional and physical abuse, prescription drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts


I have recently developed a deep love for memoirs. Anybody who is brave enough to share their story with the world, is highly praised in my books. That’s why I will now always give 5 stars to any memoirs I read!

FINDING FREEDOM is an amazing memoir that focuses primarily on Erin French’s love of food. Both the highs and lows. The struggles and celebrations. From a very young age, Erin was surrounded by food, and it stayed won her and helped her throughout all aspects of her life. She found love, heartbreak, addiction, healing and freedom through food.

I learned so much from this book about life, struggles, how to cope, that’s it’s okay to ask for help. The best part was that it all centres around food, which brings people together! I highly recommend this memoir! Be warned tho, that you will be CONSTANTLY HUNGRY while reading this book!

I have to say, I approached this memoir thinking it was going to be all about food. That’s it. Just food. I was not expecting the raw, vulnerable, and beautiful story of a woman making her way back from rock bottom with food as a solace and anchor. Erin French takes you on a roller coaster of a ride as she dives deep into her experiences that some can relate to, yet not too many will often share. I’m glad I was so drawn to the flowers on the front cover of this memoir and requested it! Raw and emotional, as well as inspiring.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I love reading memoirs and as soon as I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it. While I am not a huge cook myself, I am slowly starting to become more comfortable with it and I found this book both inspiring and uplifting, especially considering Erin is not a trained chef herself.

I think what I find most appealing about reading memoirs is just how enlightening they can be. I used to be so afraid to cook. I don't know all the spices and how they go together and if I'm not following a recipe, I'm completely lost, but after reading this book about a woman who had more ups and downs than I can ever begin to imagine, and yet just followed her passion, finding solace and home in a kitchen, I feel that I just need to try. I'm a simple girl at heart and that is exactly what Erin was all about...her farm to table philosophy was crystal clear throughout this book and I so loved that. She wasn't all about complicated recipes and if that's the one takeaway I get from this book, I think that's a pretty good one. A good tasting meal doesn't have to be exotic...it can be quite simple and I can certainly do that...I just need the confidence.

Erin had a remarkable journey to get to where she is today. She's not had an easy life, having to reinvent herself after hitting rock bottom a few times due to a myriad of circumstances, some of her own making and some out of her control, but through persistence, perseverance and the love of some family, she never gave up. I loved her honest, raw approach to telling her story. It wasn't an easy one, yet she told it in an easy, relatable manner and I felt myself completely wrapped up in it, celebrating her wins and feeling her losses.

I only wish there were some recipes included in this book...I would definitely love to give some of the wonderful foods that Erin talks about preparing a go. But, perhaps that just means I'll have to head to The Lost Kitchen to taste her menu myself!

A brave and vulnerable telling; a story as much about nourishment and community as individual resilience.

I am going to be an outlier on the rave reviews for this one, I guess. For whatever reason, it just did not do it for me. I started out with great interest but found myself starting to lose focus during the second half.

I love Maine and love food, so I expected to adore it. It seems that most people did, though, so I would recommend trying it based on that alone.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My first impression when beginning Finding Freedom was how I disliked it and didn’t think I could get through it. I disliked Erin’s father. I hated the way he treated the family, how he had no regard for what they needed, and only thought of himself. I felt that he put a lot of pressure on Erin, was extremely insensitive to her feelings, had her working in his diner at a very young age, while spending a good part of his free time drinking.

Erin becomes pregnant while in college and that goes over like a bomb with her father. She has no intention of marrying the father and choses to keep her baby and raise him as a single parent against her father’s insistence to get rid of it. Her mother becomes her cheering squad and her birthing partner. Her life at this point consists of taking care of her son, finding work and a place of their own to live.

Along comes Tom whom she eventually marries and he adopts Jaim, her son, She opens up her own restaurant, works 16 hours a day and tries to take care of him. There marriage goes down hill and She gets hooked on pills and alcohol. Tom has her committed, and gains full control of her son. Her future looks bleak but she manages to pull through it all, gets herself back on her feet, opens another restaurant, and wins her son back.

I wound up loving the book. It was a story of great resilience and I marveled at how Erin was able to remake herself. I highly recommend reading about her life. It would give anyone courage during a tough time. Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this unedited pre-release.