Description
Book SynopsisAS READ ON BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK.
The fascinating story of how we have gone out to eat, from the ancient Romans in Pompeii to the luxurious Michelin-starred restaurants of today. Tracing its earliest incarnations in the city of
Pompeii, where Sitwell is stunned by the sophistication of the dining scene, this is a romp through history as we meet the characters and discover the events that shape the way we eat today. Sitwell, restaurant critic for the
Daily Telegraph and famous for his acerbic criticisms on the hit
BBC show MasterChef, tackles this enormous subject with his typical wit and precision. He spies influences from an ancient traveller of the Muslim world, revels in the unintended consequences for nascent fine dining of the
French Revolution, reveals in full hideous glory the post-Second World War dining scene in the UK and fathoms the birth of sensitive gastronomy in the US counterculture of the 1960s.
Trade Review
'Fascinating and often counterintuitive' -- Michael Hodges * Radio Times *
'William Sitwell has the palate of a great chef, the honesty of a high court judge and he holds the pen of P.G.Wodehouse' -- Marco Pierre White
'A warm-hearted romp through the history of eating out... This wide-ranging literary feast is particularly apposite at a time when many of us are noticing how much money we’re saving by not eating out.' -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * The Times *
'As tales of saucepan-throwing, cocaine-snorting chefs attest, restaurants revel in drama and excitement... Always well-informed, never dull.' -- Andrew Lycett * Mail on Sunday *
‘An immensely engaging guide ... Sitwell never takes himself too seriously. As Dr Johnson declared, “There is nothing… by which so much happiness is produced, as by a good tavern or inn,” and it is bittersweet to enjoy it here vicariously.' -- Robert Eustace * Daily Telegraph *
'Beautifully timed to keep your favourite dishes fresh in your mind and get you planning for how and where you’re going to indulge when the lockdown finally ends... About as close as you can get to the fun of eating out right now. Sitwell is a witty writer who understands the need to entertain... I found this book more entertaining than many a restaurant meal and it’s something to keep us going until everything reopens.' -- Richard Vines * Bloomberg *
'The Restaurant: A History of Eating Out is a story of life. A must read for anyone interested in food or history.’ * SLMAG *
'Supremely readable' -- Annie Gray * Spectator *
