Kitchens of the Great Midwest

A Novel

By: J. Ryan Stradal

Narrated by: Amy Ryan, Michael Stuhlbarg

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

“A sweet and savory treat.” (People)

“An impressive feat of narrative jujitsu...that keeps readers turning the pages too fast to realize just how ingenious they are.” (The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Pick)

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Lager Queen of Minnesota, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a novel about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation.

When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine - and a dashing sommelier - he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter - starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that's a testament to her spirit and resilience.

Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal's startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity. By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life - its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent.

©2015 J. Ryan Stradal (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[Kitchens of the Great Midwest is] the first novel about the emergence and current state of foodie culture...Fundamentally, [it's] about what happens when opposing personalities coexist...." (Book Forum)

"Ryan and Stuhlbarg shine as they use subtle pacing and tone to portray the unique personalities of each character, adding just the slightest hints of a Midwestern accent to give authenticity and differentiation. Stradal's skillful writing delivered by accomplished narrators offers listeners a debut performance to savor." (AudioFile)

My Favorite Book I've read this Year!

Where does Kitchens of the Great Midwest rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I think this book is an undiscovered gem. It ranks as my favorite Audible book this year.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eva was amazing! Pat, too! Both of these are strong women who make their marks.

Any additional comments?

This is a wonderful book for any foodie! I love to read and the "foodie" influence made it extra special. I am so pleased that i came across this book.

Great read

Another great book by J. Ryan Stradal. I’m still in awe at how this author can take so many characters and several plots and interweave them so magnificently.

Delicious Perfection!!

He's done it again! Actually he wrote this magnificent novel first but i read it after discovering The Lager Queen of Minnesota. Bravo, it was sheer perfection, i even loved the inclusion of the actual recipes mentioned in the story. i love the way he 'drew' his characters & am continually amazed how a man can understand & write women so beautifully.
i pray he is hard at work on a new novel at this very moment. thank you Ryan for bringing these wonderful women into my life, they will live on in me for a long time to come. Sincerely, liZ Jardine

Hang in there - it's worth it!

So I thought about not finishing this book & returning it. REALLY glad I didn't!

A delicious tapestry

I absolutely loved this book, but I didn't love it as much as I did until I finished it.

Each chapter is about an entirely different person, some are incredibly close to Eva, others are merely tertiary characters in her life. It's their story we're actively involved in with Eva being a part of it, yet the novel is about Eva. Think of it as a collection of short stories with a reoccurring character that isn't necessarily connected to any other characters in the novel.

There were times I was frustrated with how little Eva appeared in one's chapter, particularly in Pat's story...and I have so many questions about Pat's story.

But the final chapter, all the stories come together into one, in the final meal. I longed to be sitting at that table. As soon as the menu was read, I knew why we heard about Eva in each persons' story.

I hate spoilers, so I cannot be more specific, but part of me begged for a big revelation but then, I was filled with such respect for how this character handled herself, not wanting to cause, pardon my pop culture reference, 'a disturbance in the force.'

I gave it 5/5 for story but for my frustration in some of the chapters, I'd give it 4.5 if I could.

The two narrators were pretty good but sometimes their accents seemed a bit over the top...but never having been to Minnesota, maybe they do sound like that.

Held my interest.

Interesting interweaving of characters. Familiar settings of the mid-west. Mouth watering recipes and enticing read.

unevenly cooked!

I wanted to love this whole book as much as I loved the beginning chapters. But not all of the chapters, each one being a microcosm of the heroine's life at some stage, were interesting. I still give it 3 stars. The beginning, with poor smelly lutefisk king Lars, whose social awkwardness encourages a love affair with food, was inspired and hilarious. Lars is excited to plan meals for his baby Eva and introduce her to his favorites, like pork shoulder, from Day One. The baby's pediatrician has to dash his hopes. Because, MILK!
Although Eva is orphaned as a baby, she grows up with her father's love of good food and his talent in the kitchen (not the only bit of magical realism in the book), and she goes on to become a famous chef. Chapters include mouth-watering descriptions of dishes and meals served, for lovers of food porn, and also some recipes. I just wish the editor had leaned a little harder on this new author; I think this book could have been fantastic. But it just misses.

Three star story, five star food descriptions!

Kitchens of the Great Midwest earns a solid three stars from me as an entertaining, light, and delightful story. Stradal used a varied cast of characters to tell Eva Thorvald's story in discrete chapters, and while this is an interesting concept that I've enjoyed before (Olive Kitteridge), it's also got its drawbacks. I spent time at the beginning of each chapter orienting myself as to where I was in Eva's life, who the new characters were, and how they figured into Eva's life. This interrupted the flow of the story just a bit too much for me, and I felt like I was left hanging at the abrupt end of each chapter. Each chapter scenario certainly was intriguing enough for me to wonder what had happened in those situations that weren't entirely resolved. The ending felt rushed and also left me with questions, but the excellent food descriptions did help make this a better than average book.

excellent weaving

the author intertwined all the characters' lives in such a skillful manner. I kept waiting for the next turn of events, and twists. very nicely done

I mean . . . DAAAAANG!

This is the book I've listened to more than any other. The cover art did not prepare me for what was inside at all: the journey is beautiful.The structure, the characters, the emotions . . . what a combination. I'm a classics guy, so this modern classic slides right into my top-three favorites of all time, right next to Rand's The Fountainhead and Hardy's Jude the Obscure. Go enjoy it!