Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking

“Buford delivers a vivid and often laugh-out-loud account of the tribulations, humblings, and triumphs he and his family endured in the five years they lived in France . . . . [He] is a delightful narrator, and his stories of attending a pig slaughter, befriending the owner of a local bakery, and becoming gradually accepted by the locals are by turns funny, intimate, insightful, and occasionally heartbreaking. It’s a remarkable book, and even readers who don’t know a sabayon from a Sabatier will find it endlessly rewarding.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Bill’s ability to fully immerse himself in a foreign place, seemingly at the drop of a dime, is always a sight to behold. With Dirt, Bill dives deep into the unforgiving kitchen culture of Lyon and expresses what it’s truly like to be a cook in this legendary food city.” –Marcus Samuelsson

“As a young cook, I dreamed of one day working in the formidable French kitchens depicted in Dirt, but I never got the chance. Now, after reading this unprecedented inside account from one of the greatest writers of his generation, I’m convinced I actually did. Bill’s latest is required reading for anyone with a love of history, good eating, and masterful storytelling.” –David Chang, restauranteur, broadcaster, and author

“There’s plenty for food lovers here, but the book is also a satisfying and envy-inspiring travelogue.”–Joumana Khatib, The New York Times

“Bill Buford is an enthusiast of the highest order. His deep dive into Lyonnais cuisine is a detective story, a love story, and an act of bare-knuckled reverence. It’s earthy, brainy and delicious.” —Pamela Druckerman, author of Bringing Up Bébé One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

“This well and vividly written paean to Lyonnaise cuisine is insightful, incisive, and informative. From the amazing creativity of Michel Richard to the strict discipline of the Institut Bocuse, from the brutal hierarchy of La Mére Brazier to the making of bread in Lyon and Savoy, Bill Buford weaves a tale as smooth as a pike quenelle and as rich as a Bresse chicken in cream sauce. Alternatively buoyant, humorous and thoughtful, Dirt is a very enjoyable feast.” —Jacques Pépin, chef, author, teacher, and co-host of “Julia and Jacques at Home”

“A thrilling tale of adventure, family, and great cooking inside some of the world’s most influential and iconic kitchens, from the Institut Paul Bocuse to La Mère Brazier.” –Eric Ripert, Chef & Co-owner Le Bernardin, and author of 32 Yolks

“Bill Buford’s Dirt–his memoir of an apprenticeship in the unforgiving temples of French cuisine in Lyon–is a chomping, romping, savoury tour de force: by turns hilarious (often at his own expense); and seriously thought provoking about our relationship with cooking and appetite. Rabelais would have loved it. You finish it stuffed and groggy with happy illumination but as with every great feast, wanting even more!” –Simon Schama, historian and author of nineteen books, including Rough Crossings

“In Dirt, Bill Buford talks his way into the cooking schools, bakeries, and chefs’ kitchens of Lyon–in French, yet–while staying (mostly) in his family’s good graces. The result is a book to drool for. Magnifique!” –Mary Norris, author of Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen and Greek to Me