In this authoritative and immensely readable insider’s account, celebrated cookbook author and former chef Joyce Goldstein traces the development of California cuisine from its early years in the 1970s to the present, when farm-to-table, foraging, and fusion cuisine are part of the national vocabulary. Goldstein’s interviews with almost two hundred chefs, purveyors, artisans, winemakers, and food writers bring to life an era when cooking was grounded in passion, bold innovation, and a dedication to “flavor first.” The author shows how the counterculture movement in the West gave rise to a restaurant culture that was defined by open kitchens, women in leadership positions, and the presence of a surprising number of chefs and artisanal food producers who lacked formal training. California cuisine challenged the conventional kitchen hierarchy and dominance of French technique in fine dining, she explains, leading to a more egalitarian restaurant culture and informal food scene.

In weaving the author’s view of California food culture with profiles of those who played a part in its development—from Alice Waters to Bill Niman to Wolfgang Puck—Inside the California Food Revolution demonstrates that, in addition to access to fresh produce, the region also shared a distinctly Western culture of openness, creativity, and collaboration. Wonderfully detailed and engagingly written, this book elucidates as never before how the inspirations that emerged in California went on to transform the eating experience throughout the U.S. and the world.

Joyce Goldstein was chef and owner of the groundbreaking restaurant Square One in San Francisco. She received the James Beard Award for Best Chef in California and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. She is the author of 26 cookbooks, and her writing appears in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Sommelier Journal, Fine Cooking, and many other publications.

"Joyce Goldstein is the foremost expert on the watershed moment in American cooking when little-known ingredients began to shine and chefs came out of the kitchen. The California revolution created the foundation for the food personalities and flavors that we see globally today. This book tells the story better than any other." –Mario Batali, chef and author of Molto Italiano

“Bravo! Joyce Goldstein’s authoritative and eminently entertaining work retires the field on all books attempting to define the California food movement that forever changed the course of how we eat in America. It’s a must-read for any cook, restaurateur, journalist, and restaurant-lover who is genuinely curious about how and where it all started.” –Danny Meyer, chef and author of Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

"Who is better suited than Joyce Goldstein to curate and catalogue the influence that California has had on how we eat and dine today? This engrossing book is a satisfying and engaging read." –David Kinch, chef at Manresa

“A smart and succinct summary of those key decades in California that changed the way many Americans eat and view food. I'm so glad that Joyce Goldstein has put this special history together; she's the one to have done it.” –Deborah Madison, founding chef at Greens restaurant and author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

“Joyce Goldstein shows, in compelling, illuminating detail, that what we call California cuisine is simply California itself revealed: the land, the climate, a way of thinking and a way of living made manifest on a plate. Her research is thorough, her ear impeccable, and her storytelling enthralling. This is a glorious and – dare one say it – delicious book.” –Gerald Asher, former wine editor of Gourmet, and author of A Vineyard in my Glass and A Carafe of Red

“This book is a must read for anyone who cares about food and its ability to influence and inspire community building and change. A new generation now has a deeper understanding of how to take the movement even further, to push the limits of flavor, seasonality, locality, authenticity and freshness. Simply Delicious!” –Sam Mogannam, author of Eat Good Food

"This is an impeccably detailed account of one of our country's most influential and enduring culinary developments. It provides insights into the California food movement that are enlightening even to some of us who lived and ate through it. One may disagree with some of the assessments, but this book is a valuable read toward understanding what went on and why, and how we continue to benefit from it." –Mimi Sheraton, author of The German Cookbook and Eating My Words: An Appetite for Life

October 08, 2013, ad - JCCSF, san Francisco, ca

Visit Joyce Goldstein's website