Read by Neil Shah

"That skinny Indian teenager has that mysterious something that comes along once a generation. He is one of those rare chefs who is simply born. He is an artist." And so begins the rise of Hassan Haji, the unlikely gourmand who recounts his life's journey in this charming novel. Lively and brimming with the colors, flavors, and scents of the kitchen, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a succulent treat about family, nationality, and the mysteries of good taste. Born above his grandfather's modest restaurant in Mumbai, Hassan first experienced life through intoxicating whiffs of spicy fish curry, trips to the local markets, and gourmet outings with his mother. But when tragedy pushes the family out of India, they console themselves by eating their way around the world, eventually settling in Lumière, a small village in the French Alps. The boisterous Haji family takes Lumière by storm. They open an inexpensive Indian café opposite an esteemed French restaurant-that of the famous chef Madame Mallory-and infuse the sleepy town with the spices of India, transforming the lives of its eccentric villagers and infuriating their celebrated neighbor. Only after Madame Mallory wages culinary war with the immigrant family does she finally agree to mentor young Hassan, leading him to Paris, the launch of his own restaurant, and a slew of new adventures. The Hundred-Foot Journey is about how the hundred-foot distance between a new Indian kitchen and a traditional French one can represent the gulf between different cultures and desires. A testament to the inevitability of destiny, this is a fable for the ages-charming, endearing, and compulsively readable. Title Info. Dedication. Part One: Mumbai. Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Part Two: London. Chapter 3. Chapter 4. Part Three: Lumière. Chapter 5. Chapter 6 . Chapter 7 . Chapter 8. Chapter 9. Chapter 10. Chapter 11. Chapter 12. Part Four. Paris. Chapter 13. Chapter 14. Chapter 15. Chapter 16. Chapter 17. Chapter 18. Chapter 19. Chapter 20. "A gorgeous novel, vivid and intimate, tracing a journey from kitchen to kitchen, from culture to culture, with a perfect touch." "Outstanding! A completely engaging human story heavily larded with the lushest, most high-test food porn since Zola. Easily the best novel ever set in the world of cooking-and absolutely thrilling from beginning to end. I wished it went on for another three hundred pages." "Richard C. Morais conjures a richly woven tapestry of exotic sights, smells, and tastes that transports the reader to a world of epicurean delights. This is a charming, deeply felt novel that questions, and ultimately celebrates, the twists and turns of an authentically lived life." "The novel's charm lies in its improbability: it's Slumdog Millionaire meets Ratatouille." "Serious foodies will swoon. Morais throws himself into the kind of descriptive writing that makes reading a gastronomic event." "[A] delicious fairy-tale-like read." "An exquisite piece of literary gastroporn. I mean this in the best possible way. You read this first novel at the peril of your gut. I devoured this delectable book in a couple of sittings." "A very good book. At times it reminds me of Salman Rushdie and Naguib Mahfouz, of Julia Child and Madhur Jaffrey…Certain passages…sing like a beautiful ragout of spring's freshest vegetables in a perfect consommé topped with farm-fresh egg." "I enjoyed this book very much. It has great charm and is colorfully written, sensual, and evocative." "A page-turner that captures the extent to which nostalgia and imagination are a part of the craft of cooking, while vividly conjuring the sights and smells of the kitchen. In The Hundred-Foot Journey food isn't just a theme, it's a main character." "This tale of restaurant rivalry and a desperate quest for Michelin stars is just beautifully told. From India to France, Richard M

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