I Think I Need Some Tums

This is a novel that feels more like a movie script with lots of amazing food descriptions—some mouthwatering and some stomach-turning (depending on how you feel about certain types of French food). There are interesting elements here and the text goes down easily but it ultimately felt a bit unsatisfying to me.

Richard Morais’s novel tells the story of Hassan Haji, who travels from the kitchen of his father’s Indian restaurant to a career as an acclaimed French chef. Hassan’s early memories are of his grandparent’s restaurant in Mumbai but when the family is forced to flee India, they eventually find themselves in Lumiere, a small French town. When the Haji’s open an Indian restaurant in town, they come into conflict with Madame Mallory (a role that we think was created for Maggie Smith, even though Helen Mirren will play it in the movie). Madame Mallory is the proprietress of a famous inn and restaurant in town and directly across the street from the Haji’s new restaurant. The battle between the two restaurant owners heats up until Madame Mallory tastes the food that Hassan has created. In a scene that feels like a bit of magical realism, she can taste his “genius” in the blend of spices he uses in the Indian dish. She invites him to apprentice in her kitchen because she believes he has the potential to rock the French culinary world.

One of the themes of the story are the sacrifices that Hassan must make to achieve his dream and there’s also a great deal of what feels like insider information about the French culinary scene (post-modern chefs versus the more traditional practitioners). One of the best elements of the novel (besides the food descriptions) is Hassan’s family, especially Hassan’s father. That said, I wish the rhythms of the first half of the book had continued in the second half. I was much more interested in Hassan’s journey from Mumbai to London to France than in his journey as a chef but maybe that’s just me.