A new memoir from a female sommelier is coming out this week, “Cellar Rat: My Life in the Restaurant Underbelly,” by Hannah Selinger.
Thanks to the publisher, Little, Brown & Company, for gifting me an advance reading copy via NetGalley.
The author shares her experiences in restaurants, both as a server and eventually as a sommelier, in New York City during the early 2000s. She worked for chefs Johnny Iuzzini, Bobby Flay, David Chang and others. The #metoo era encouraged her to write this memoir and share her own stories of harassment, toxicity and trauma. This book shows an inside look at how difficult it is for women working in the restaurant industry.
I wasn’t sure I was ready for another restaurant/wine world industry “tell-all” book, since the most recent book I’d read, Victoria James’ “Wine Girl” was so depressing and discouraging. But I found myself immediately engrossed in Hannah’s story as she, new to the restaurant industry, threw herself into the mix and learned daily lessons, tips and tricks on navigating her job and the industry. She shares that she loved her jobs and felt addicted to the restaurant industry.
We follow Hannah’s adventures at restaurants including The Grog, Bar Americain, BLT Prime, Jean-Georges, Sea Grill, Momofuku, Resto, and Nick & Toni’s.
Throughout, I cringe with sympathy for Hannah when she makes a mistake, when something bad happens, every time a chef calls her an idiot, or a restaurant patron is rude. I feel relieved when a kind co-worker takes her under his wing to help her learn about wine.
I eat at restaurants near daily, and always enjoy the virtual peeks into the back of the house operations, as well as the the behind-the-scenes drama in these industry memoirs. There are revelations, anecdotes and tales about restaurant diners, food writers, critics and celebrities, including Steven Spielberg, Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Steingarten, the Zagats, Frank Bruni, Gael Greene, and disappointing accounts of Christina Tosi’s unkind behavior.
But the book is about Hannah, not a list of names to drop, and I enjoyed watching her learn to stand up for herself and go in a new direction.
Each chapter ends with a recipe, from a Bourbon and Bundt cake and White Burgundy Braised Chicken to Farfalle with Mushroom Cognac Sauce and Bittersweet Chocolate Cream Pie. If your book club reads this book together, you’ll have plenty of recipes to choose from to bring to your book club evening.
I found it easy to read through this interesting book in one sitting. It will likely make you hungry for good food and thirsty for wine while you read, too.
Shop for “Cellar Rat: My Life in the Restaurant Underbelly” on Amazon (affiliate link). You can read more about the book over at GoodReads, too.
-Carrie
Pacific Northwest Wine Life & Style
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