Rebel Chef

In Search of What Matters

By: Dominique Crenn, Emma Brockes

Narrated by: Hope Newhouse

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The inspiring and deeply personal memoir from highly acclaimed chef Dominique Crenn.

By the time Dominique Crenn decided to become a chef, at the age of 21, she knew it was a near-impossible dream in France where almost all restaurant kitchens were run by men. So, she left her home and everything she knew to move to San Francisco, where she would train under the legendary Jeremiah Tower. Almost 30 years later, Crenn was awarded three Michelin Stars in 2018 for her influential restaurant Atelier Crenn and became the first female chef in the United States to receive this honor - no small feat for someone who hadn’t gone to culinary school or been formally trained.

In Rebel Chef, Crenn tells of her untraditional coming of age as a chef, beginning with her childhood in Versailles where she was emboldened by her parents to be curious and independent. But there is another reason Crenn has always felt free to pursue her own unconventional course. Adopted as a toddler, she didn't resemble her parents or even look traditionally French. Growing up she often felt like an outsider and was haunted by a past she knew nothing about. But after years of working to fill this blank space, Crenn has embraced the power her history gives her to be whoever she wants to be.

Here is a disarmingly honest and revealing look at one woman's evolution from a daring young chef to a respected activist. Reflecting on the years she spent working in the male-centric world of professional kitchens, Crenn tracks her career from struggling cook to running one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants, while at the same time speaking out on restaurant culture, sexism, immigration, and climate change. At once a tale of personal discovery and a tribute to unrelenting determination, Rebel Chef is the story of one woman making a place for herself in the kitchen, and in the world.

©2020 Dominique Crenn and Emma Brockes (P)2020 Penguin Audio

BRAVA!!!!!

What an engaging tale, well- told & well -narrated. i loved it & it made me HUNGRY!!!

A Marriage of two Countries

What an absolute delight to have leaned of Dominique Crenn while watching Sunday Morning just a week ago. I decided to explore and learn a bit more about her. I was happy to find she had just released a book and since I have a kindred spirt about France due to my "adopted by love" daughter for the past 25 years who loves to cook and resides in Toulouse, I knew it was a must read for me. I just finished listening to this enchanting book, which was written so well, it is hard to believe English was Dominique's second language. She is so well spoken, her adjectives/adverbs were so right on, I often found myself thinking about her words long after they were spoken. When I was Into the book, maybe by the third chapter I said to myself this young woman with such a tenacious spirt must be Leo. And learned indeed she is. Some may laugh at that, but for me I often see such a "driven force with Leo's, especially women."
I was moved in so many way with the way Dominique opened up with such personal details of her life and yet while doing so offered lessons to others by what her journey had provided her. I am not a cook though raised three children, somehow managed to get by, and yet the story was still captivating to me on so many levels. Maybe partly was my trip to France and the small Village in which I stayed, I could relate to France, or it was my birthplace of San Francisco that I felt connected to her. Either way I was sorry when it ended. I found her to be of the upmost class, with incredible talent and grace. I am fondly grateful she opened her wonderful story up to the world. I highly recommend this book, have already recommended it to my friends and my daughter in France and my two daughters in San Diego. It is a remarkable story. She's a remarkable person.

Terrific and fascinating story

Would have loved to hear Dominique narrate her own story, but this is a wonderful autobiography. Thank you!

Enjoyable journey

Well written, great narrator. Chef Crenn has a matter-of-fact approach to life, her business, and family with just the right amount of humility.

Inspirational journey

With no expectations walking into to this book, I was completely engrossed in her story, her passion and drive.

perfect balance. . .

. . . of biography, history, culinary, art, and personal insights into a one-of-a-kind life.

Fascinating Story and Quite Inspiring

My only gripe is that I wish Dominique had narrated the book herself or that someone with a French accent had. It would've felt more personal. Minor gripe.

If only narrator had had a little French accent

The amazing story of an extremely courageous woman. While the narrator did not have a French accent, she seemed to pronounce the French words correctly. I wish the narrator had a little bit of a French accent, but after knowing a lot of French people over the years, it might have been tricky to find someone with a French-tinged accent able to narrate as well as this narrator did.
I want the story to go on, I want to know what the author finds out about her biological mother, and how she survives BrCa. I teared up when she told about her restaurant staff all getting all their hair cut off in solidarity.

She seems exactly what she says she is

I live in the Bay Area and Atelier Crenn and Bar Crenn are on my lists to experience. This lovely memoir/autobiography reinforces that desire. That someone strives and works toward and believes in doing and creating their best? Absolutely distilled inspiration: )

Tremendously enjoyable on many levels. Brava!

The memoir is beautifully written, expressive and deeply thoughtful. Dominique’s life story is fascinating. She reflects along the way, sharing the meaning she has gathered (from childhood, experiences, co-workers and loved ones) and integrated into her understanding of herself, her cooking, and life itself. Events, growing self-knowledge and her blossoming personal philosophy are woven together intriguingly.

The narration is highly enjoyable: clear, well paced and simply conveying the thoughtfulness of the authors’ words.

Brava!