The Kitchen Front

A Novel

By: Jennifer Ryan

Narrated by: Jasmine Blackborow

From the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir comes an unforgettable novel of a BBC-sponsored wartime cooking competition and the four women who enter for a chance to better their lives.

Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses: The Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front is holding a cooking contest—and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives.

For a young widow, it’s a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. For a kitchen maid, it’s a chance to leave servitude and find freedom. For a lady of the manor, it’s a chance to escape her wealthy husband’s increasingly hostile behavior. And for a trained chef, it’s a chance to challenge the men at the top of her profession.

These four women are giving the competition their all—even if that sometimes means bending the rules. But with so much at stake, will the contest that aims to bring the community together only serve to break it apart?


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF that contains recipes from the book.

Critic reviews

“A charming tale that will satiate a lot of different tastes: historical fiction lovers, cooking competition fans, anyone who revels in girl-power lit. . . . . This story had me so hooked, I literally couldn’t put it down to cook.”—NPR

“Positively delicious . . . Ryan excel[s] at creating warmhearted, intriguing homefront drama.”—BookPage

“A delightful read.”—AARP

“A positively uplifting read that is as soothing as a warm cup of Earl Grey on a gloomy morning.”—Booklist

“[Ryan is] a master of plotting and working in different registers . . . Readers with an appetite for homefront WWII novels will find this deeply satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly

“A creative and satiating novel. Certain to delight lovers of historical fiction and TV cooking competitions.”—Kirkus

Wonderful story.

This book pleasantly surprised me. Great storyline plus a little history and women collaborating in difficult times.

Thoroughly enjoyable

This book was fun to read, and although it takes place during WW II, the focus remains on the main characters and their stories, without any awful war details or horrors. The characters are likable and the story truly interesting and enjoyable.

Happy, sad, delicious, fun,..... A perfect read!

100% worth your read or listen!
Lovely for those who want recipes, those who enjoy history with a touch of humanism, and the even those who prefer a touch of a love story. Excellent read no matter what. BONUS it comes with recipes!

A must read!

Beautifully written and narrated. I couldn't stop listening to this marvelous book. Definitely 5 stars

read it

good character development. I enjoyed reading about the dishes as well. very descriptive. as was the relationships.