The Gourmet

From the author of the international bestseller The Elegance of The Hedgehog comes a mouth-watering tale delving into the life of a monstrous food critic.

'A foodie's delight; just don't read it when you're hungry'Daily Mail

'The exquisite descriptions of eating are like nothing you've read before' Good Housekeeping

After a lifetime of presiding over cowering chefs and pursuing sensual delights, France's greatest food critic is dying. Given just forty-eight hours to live, Pierre Arthens has one last ambition – to recall the most delicious food to ever pass his lips, an elusive taste from his childhood.

From his luxury penthouse at 7 Rue de Grenelle, Pierre casts his mind back over a lifetime of flavour: eating barbequed sardines with his grandfather; the warm, crumbly pastry of an apple tart; his first taste of velvety sashimi. But orbiting around him are a cast of family and acquaintances, each with their own story to tell about the greed and ruthlessness that has paved the way to Pierre's search for the perfect meal.