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Food Whore ISBN: 978-0062387004 Jessica Tom |
Audio Length: 18 minutes
FOOD WHORE is A Novel of Dining and Deceit (on-sale 10/27/2015, William Morrow Paperbacks, ISBN: 9780062387004), a smart and savvy debut novel from Jessica Tom. FOOD WHORE has all the ingredients of a tasty read: an amazing design (Jessica is a former creative director who spearheaded her own cover) and an even better story full of food, fashion, and some (very big) fibs—all set in the Big Apple. In this Authorlink AUDIO interview, Jessica talks about her journey to write and publish her very first novel, and how persistence as a writer pays off. This is a food-focused novel—inspired by the author’s own colorful experience in the restaurant industry, including her undergrad role as the lead reviewer for the Yale Daily News Magazine. In Jessica’s book, New York Times restaurant critic Michael Saltz loses his sense of taste, and burgeoning food writer Tia Monroe is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews in exchange for lavish meals and a boundless cache of designer clothing. What could possibly go wrong?! Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms into one of glamour and luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it … until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As the veneer of extravagance wears thin and her secret identity begins to crumble, Tia is faced with what it means to truly succeed. If you’ve ever found yourself craving dishes like buttermilk parmesan flan and berry walnut strudel with thyme-rice gelato or yearning for designer looks straight out of Vogue —then this is the book for you. With restaurants modeled after real-life New York City hot-spots, steamy scenes in and out of the kitchen, and a generous serving of serious retail therapy, FOOD WHORE appeals to anyone who’s ever had a dream and the appetite to get there. It’s the embodiment of that quintessential New York City question: how far are you willing to go to get the life you crave? About Jessica Jessica Tom is a writer and food blogger living in Brooklyn. She attended Yale University and graduated with a concentration in fiction writing, studying three years under Amy Bloom. She brings a wide variety of food experiences to her writing. Post-graduation, Jess’s dynamic food-focused career encompassed consumer products, restaurants, corporate cafeterias, food trucks, and a citywide culinary program. In 2013, her work received national attention when she authored 3rd Ward’s winning proposal for a $1.5 million grant from the City of Brooklyn for a culinary incubator. Jess concepted the 30,000 square foot space: planning facilities, classes, and the pricing model, and garnering letters of interest from food-world luminaries including Bev Eggleston, Anne Saxelby, and Amanda Hesser. While at 3rd Ward, she also managed marketing, events, and business development for two restaurant spaces (including Fitzcarraldo) and one food truck (Goods, cheffed by Alex McCrery, formerly of Commander’s Palace and the personal chef of the Seinfeld family). She created collaborations with numerous food businesses including The Meat Hook, Luke’s Lobster, the Umami Food & Art Festival, Red Bull, Tasting Table, and many more. Jess was also the Senior Marketing Director at SevenRooms, a private booking platform and CRM for the world’s best restaurants and nightclubs (clients include Major Food Group, Altamarea Group, TAO/Strategic, Alain Ducasse, Nobu). In addition, Jess has developed and marketed a meal delivery service and wine-of-the-month club, served as an incognito corporate cafeteria critic, and supplied rare seeds to Wylie Dufresne and Windfall Farms. At the request of Emeril Lagasse’s longtime production company, Jess interviewed celebrity chefs at Lee Schrager’s book party at Barneys New York. She first learned about restaurant dynamics when she immersed herself for two months at New Haven’s premier fine dining restaurant, Union League Cafe, for her food column in the Yale Daily News Magazine. Jess considers cooking her craft, second to writing. She is an avid home cook and posts original recipes on her blog and Instagram. When writing Food Whore, Jess did extensive research by talking to friends in the industry, reading food blogs, cookbooks, restaurant reviews, menus and food-world memoirs, and — of course — dining out. She’s currently working on her second book, set at an NYC culinary school. |
Jessica Tom Defines What It Takes to Be a Food Whore
Audio Interview With the Author
