{"product_id":"finding-freedom-a-cooks-story-remaking-a-life-from-scratch","title":"Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch","description":"\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrief Description\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Long before The Lost Kitchen became a world dining destination with every seating filled the day the reservation book opens each spring, Erin French was a girl roaming barefoot on a 25-acre farm, a teenager falling in love with food while working the line at her dad's diner and a young woman finding her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant tucked into a 19th century mill. This singular memoir--a classic American story--invites readers to Erin's corner of her beloved Maine to share the real person behind the 'girl from Freedom' fairytale, and the not-so-picture-perfect struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and that make Erin's life triumphant. In Finding Freedom, Erin opens up to the challenges, stumbles, and victories that have led her to the exact place she was ever meant to be, telling stories of multiple rock-bottoms, of darkness and anxiety, of survival as a jobless single mother, of pills that promised release but delivered addiction, of a man who seemed to offer salvation but in the end ripped away her very sense of self. And of the beautiful son who was her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food--as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of bringing goodness into the world. Erin's experiences with deep loss and abiding hope, told with both honesty and humor, will resonate with women everywhere who are determined to find their voices, create community, grow stronger and discover their best-selves despite seemingly impossible odds. Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin reveals the passion and courage needed to invent oneself anew, and the poignant, timeless connections between food and generosity, renewal and freedom\"--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"With extraordinary honesty and humor, Erin French's incredible memoir takes us on a profoundly personal journey through her highest highs and her lowest lows. It was her love of cooking and bringing people joy that gave her the strength to build the life she'd always dreamed of. I'll never forget this book and neither will you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e--Ina Garten\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Erin is an overcomer and a risk-taker. She's the kind of person who, when faced with a setback, pushes forward and makes beauty out of hardship. Her story is full of passion and courage, and when you read this book, you will walk away feeling inspired and encouraged in your own life.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e-- \n\u003cb\u003eJoanna Gaines, Co-Founder, Magnolia\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Erin French is a talented chef, a successful entrepreneur, a beautiful young woman, and a passionate promoter of living the 'good life.' This book chronicles the incredible ups, and relatable downs, of building a life and a business. Congratulations, Erin! You have done it!\" \n\u003cbr\u003e-- \n\u003cb\u003eMartha Stewart, Founder Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Women everywhere will respond to \n\u003ci\u003eFinding Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e, a story of the triumph of true passion against all odds. With grit, honesty, and lyrical writing, Erin French takes us on her journey: working the line at her father's diner, surviving addiction, toxic relationships, raising her son as a single mother, to finally re-inventing herself as a renowned chef and restaurateur. \n\u003ci\u003eFinding Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e is a wild ride, one you won't soon forget.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e-- \n\u003cb\u003eStephanie Danler, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eSweetbitter\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eStray\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Erin and I grew up in very different kitchens (an American diner; Chez Panisse), but I recognized so much in her experience: the intimacy and immediacy of a restaurant-as-second-home; the sounds and smells of cooking; the pleasure of bringing joy to people through food. Erin's story is a gritty, sensuous, honest story of finding her own path--with the pursuit of good food as her bellwether.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--Fanny Singer, author of \u003ci\u003eAlways Home\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Think \"Wild\" with whisks and buttery mashed potatoes instead of hiking boots and breathtaking views.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review, \u003c\/i\u003e\"Inside the List\"\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Engaging stories from the kitchen and beyond... A canny life story from a determined woman with the gift of vision and the wherewithal to implement it.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSTARRED \u003ci\u003eKirkus Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Readers will root for French and will be fascinated by her efforts at survival, redemption, and rejuvenation. Notably heavier on insight and lighter on hubris than the average chef memoir, this will speak to both the brokenhearted and those with kitchen dreams of their own.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Ms. French tells a courageous story without sentimentality or self-pity. She has a sense of humor, an eye for detail and knows how to build tension. But what impresses me most about this book is her evocative writing about food. She describes it so well you can taste it.\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"French chronicles her struggles, failures and triumphs in a lyrically written new memoir, 'Finding Freedom'...[a] compelling, authentic tale of grit and determination\" \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--Associated Press\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eErin French\u003c\/b\u003e is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one of \n\u003ci\u003eTIME Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e's World's Greatest Places and one of \"12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience\" by \n\u003ci\u003eBloomberg\u003c\/i\u003e. She is the author of the \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling memoir, \n\u003ci\u003eFinding Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e, and features in Magnolia Network's \n\u003ci\u003eThe Lost Kitchen\u003c\/i\u003e, which is now in its third season. A born-and-raised native of Maine, she learned early the simple pleasures of thoughtful food and the importance of gathering for a meal. Her love of sharing Maine and its delicious heritage with curious dinner guests and new friends alike has been lauded by such outlets such as \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eMartha Stewart Living, \u003c\/i\u003eNPR's \n\u003ci\u003eAll Things Considered\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Chew\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eCBS This Morning\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Today Show\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal, Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e, and \n\u003ci\u003eFood \u0026amp; Wine\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e**\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestseller**\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom Erin French, owner of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen, a \u003ci\u003eTIME\u003c\/i\u003e world dining destination, a life-affirming memoir about survival, renewal, and finding a community to lift her up\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLong before The Lost Kitchen became a world dining destination with every seating filled the day the reservation book opens each spring, Erin French was a girl roaming barefoot on a 25-acre farm, a teenager falling in love with food while working the line at her dad's diner and a young woman finding her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant tucked into a 19th century mill. This singular memoir--a classic American story--invites readers to Erin's corner of her beloved Maine to share the real person behind the \"girl from Freedom\" fairytale, and the not-so-picture-perfect struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and that make Erin's life triumphant. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \n\u003ci\u003eFinding Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e, Erin opens up to the challenges, stumbles, and victories that have led her to the exact place she was ever meant to be, telling stories of multiple rock-bottoms, of darkness and anxiety, of survival as a jobless single mother, of pills that promised release but delivered addiction, of a man who seemed to offer salvation but in the end ripped away her very sense of self. And of the beautiful son who was her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food--as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of bringing goodness into the world. Erin's experiences with deep loss and abiding hope, told with both honesty and humor, will resonate with women everywhere who are determined to find their voices, create community, grow stronger and discover their best-selves despite seemingly impossible odds. Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin reveals the passion and courage needed to invent oneself anew, and the poignant, timeless connections between food and generosity, renewal and freedom. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 02\/15\/2021 (EAN 9781250312341, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 03\/29\/2021 (EAN 9781250312341, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/01\/2021 pg. 79 (EAN 9781250312341, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 07\/01\/2021 pg. 53 (EAN 9781250791078, Compact Disc)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eFrench, Erin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eErin French\u003c\/b\u003e, a born-and-raised Mainer, is the owner and chef of the Lost Kitchen, a fifty-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, listed among \u003ci\u003eTime\u003c\/i\u003e's World's Greatest Places to visit and \u003ci\u003eBloomberg\u003c\/i\u003e's\u003ci\u003e \"\u003c\/i\u003e12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience.\" With two \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestsellers to her name, \u003ci\u003eFinding Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBig Heart Little Stove\u003c\/i\u003e, Erin is featured in three seasons of the Magnolia Network series \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Kitchen\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGetting Lost with Erin French, \u003c\/i\u003ewhere she travels the country searching for new experiences and culinary inspiration, streaming on HBO Max. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eErin knows the importance of simple pleasures found in gathering for thoughtfully prepared meals. Her love of Maine and sharing its delicious heritage with dinner guests has garnered several James Beard nominations and the attention of \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eMartha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, \u003c\/i\u003eand \n\u003ci\u003eFood \u0026amp; Wine, \u003c\/i\u003eas well as NPR's \n\u003ci\u003e All Things Considered, CBS News Sunday Morning, \u003c\/i\u003eand \n\u003ci\u003eToday.\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter more than a decade in business, the Lost Kitchen has become so much more than a restaurant, now boasting a farmer's market, overnight cabins, a retail shop, and a café called the Little Lost Kitchen. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e French, Erin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Celadon Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePub Date:\u003c\/b\u003e 2021-04-06\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC:\u003c\/b\u003e Biography \u0026amp; Autobiography \/ Memoirs|Biography \u0026amp; Autobiography \/ Culinary|Cooking \/ Individual Chefs \u0026amp; Restaurants|Cooking \/ Essays \u0026amp; Narratives|Biography \u0026amp; Autobiography \/ Survival|Biography \u0026amp; Autobiography \/ Women|Family \u0026amp; Relationships \/ Dysfunctional Families|Family \u0026amp; Relationships \/ Divorce \u0026amp; Separation|Family \u0026amp; Relationships \/ Abuse \/ Domestic Partner Abuse\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSubjects:\u003c\/b\u003e French, Erin|Women cooks|Maine|Cooks|Self-actualization (Psychology) in women|Self-actualization (Psychology)|Autobiographies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.05 lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781250312341\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eASIN:\u003c\/b\u003e -\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSKU:\u003c\/b\u003e SP-9781250312341\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Celadon Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52374503555353,"sku":"SP-9781250312341","price":48.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0913\/0380\/5209\/files\/9781250312341_spiral.png?v=1778475839","url":"https:\/\/westbindery.com\/products\/finding-freedom-a-cooks-story-remaking-a-life-from-scratch","provider":"West Bindery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}