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Taste Makers

Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America
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( 2,811 ratings, 389 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Taste Makers by Mayukh Sen explores the remarkable journeys of seven immigrant women who transformed American food. It delves into their culinary contributions, challenges, and the cultural impact they made, highlighting their significant roles in shaping America's diverse gastronomic landscape.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the stories of trailblazing immigrant women who have significantly influenced American cuisine. It delves into the lives and legacies of these remarkable individuals, blending history with vibrant storytelling, making it an intriguing read for those interested in cultural history and culinary heritage.

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America’s modern culinary history told through the lives of seven path-breaking chefs and food writers

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Who's really behind America's appetite for foods from around the globe? This group biography from an electric new voice in food writing honours seven extraordinary women, all immigrants, who left an indelible mark on the way Americans eat today. Taste Makers stretches from World War II to the present, with absorbing and deeply researched portraits of figures including Mexican-born Elena Zelayeta, a blind chef; Marcella Hazan, the deity of Italian cuisine; and Norma Shirley, a champion of Jamaican dishes.

In imaginative, lively prose, Mayukh Sen—a queer, brown child of immigrants—reconstructs the lives of these women in vivid and empathetic detail, daring to ask why some were famous in their own time, but not in ours, and why others shine brightly even today. Weaving together histories of food, immigration, and gender, Taste Makers will challenge the way readers look at what's on their plate—and the women whose labour, overlooked for so long, makes those meals possible.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Taste Makers by Mayukh Sen receives praise for its thoughtful examination of seven women who significantly contributed to American culinary history. Reviewers commend the author's thorough research and storytelling, which highlight the intersection of food, culture, and identity. The book is lauded for its historical insight into diversity and inclusion in the culinary world, offering a nuanced portrait of these often-overlooked figures.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781324004516

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 28 January 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 160.0mm

Height: 239.0mm

Weight: 482g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Mayukh Sen is the James Beard Award–winning author of Taste Makers. He is a 2025 Fellow at New America. He teaches film and television journalism at New York University and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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