Stack of colorful food memoirs with a wooden spoon on top. Soft morning light.
Stack of colorful food memoirs with a wooden spoon on top. Soft morning light.
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11 food memoirs that will make you laugh and cry………..There’s something about food memoirs that hit different. They’re not just about recipes. They’re about your grandma’s kitchen. About the time you burned the grilled cheese because you were texting your crush. About the smell of curry that makes you cry for no reason.

I’ve been on a food memoir kick lately. Blame it on living in Queens—where you can literally eat your way around the world without leaving your subway line—or maybe it’s just my inner nosy person wanting to know other people’s family recipes and childhood traumas. Either way, I’ve collected some books that are funny, sad, weird, and beautiful.

This list of 11 food memoirs that will make you laugh and cry isn’t some fancy critic’s list. It’s just me, sitting in my tiny kitchen with a wobbly IKEA chair, telling you about books that made me spill coffee on their pages (true story).

Why Food Memoirs Feel Like Home (Even If You’ve Never Been There)

You ever read a food memoir and suddenly smell your mom’s lasagna? Or feel your heart twist at a story about a stranger’s dumpling-making grandmother? It’s wild. Food is like this magic key to memory and culture and… feelings.

I swear, some of these books have made me laugh out loud on the 7 train. Some have made me ugly cry into a bagel. And the best ones do both.

My 11 Picks for Food Memoirs You’ll Actually Want to Read

1. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

This is the OG, right? It’s not just a food memoir—it’s like being taken backstage at a rock concert, except the rock stars are line cooks with tattoos and hangovers. Bourdain is brutally honest, hilarious, and kind of heartbreaking.

This book made me want to sneak into restaurant kitchens just to see the chaos. It’s gritty but weirdly glamorous, like late-night diners and 3 a.m. French fries.

Close-up of someone stirring a big pot of soup with a book propped open nearby.
Close-up of someone stirring a big pot of soup with a book propped open nearby.

2. Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

I love Ruth Reichl. She’s like the fairy godmother of food writing. This memoir covers her time as editor of Gourmet magazine—glamorous test kitchens, budget disasters, and all. It’s warm, funny, and full of behind-the-scenes gossip.

It also made me crave plums, which I don’t even usually like.

3. Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

This one is raw. Like, emotionally raw. Hamilton (chef of Prune in NYC) writes about her wild childhood, her rocky journey through kitchens, and her complicated family. It’s beautiful and a little messy—just like real life.

I read it while waiting for jury duty in Queens Criminal Court. The woman next to me borrowed it after I finished. True story.

4. Eat Up! by Ruby Tandoh

Ruby was a contestant on The Great British Bake Off, but don’t let that fool you. This book is joyful, funny, and not at all snobby. It’s about loving food without guilt—like, really loving it. She talks about cravings, culture, and body image in a way that made me want to hug the book.

And then eat cake. Obviously.

5. A Tiger in the Kitchen by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

This one’s about reconnecting with family through food. Tan moves from NYC back to Singapore to learn her aunties’ recipes. It’s funny, tender, and full of delicious-sounding dishes that I tried (and failed) to replicate.

6. Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson’s story is incredible—born in Ethiopia, adopted in Sweden, and eventually becoming one of the most celebrated chefs in the U.S. This memoir is about food, yes, but also about identity, family, and hustle.

It also made me realize how much work goes into those perfect plates at fancy restaurants. Respect.

7. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

This one’s a graphic memoir! Think comic book meets food story. Knisley illustrates her childhood food memories, recipes, and travel adventures. It’s adorable, funny, and so relatable.

Plus, the recipes actually work. My friend tried her chocolate chip cookies and texted me, “Life-changing.”

8. Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl

Yep, Ruth Reichl gets a second spot. This was her first memoir and it’s even more personal—her quirky, food-obsessed family, her early career, and the way food shaped her life.

This one made me laugh and tear up within the same chapter. Classic Reichl.

9. My Life in France by Julia Child

If you’re only going to read one Julia Child book, make it this one. It’s basically a love letter to French food and to falling in love with cooking later in life. Julia is delightful and her descriptions of Paris are chef’s-kiss perfect.

Also, it might make you buy butter in bulk.

10. Apron Anxiety by Alyssa Shelasky

This is like Sex and the City meets culinary school. Shelasky writes about love, heartbreak, and figuring out who she is—through cooking. It’s messy, funny, and a little bit gossipy.

I read it in one sitting while eating leftover pizza. Felt very on brand.

11. Life Is Meals: A Food Lover’s Book of Days by James and Kay Salter

This one’s different. It’s a series of short essays—one for each day—about food, memory, and little rituals and not linear, but that’s kind of the charm.

It’s perfect for dipping into with your morning coffee.

Why These Food Memoirs Matter (Or, Why I’m Obsessed)

Food memoirs are like dinner parties with strangers. You sit down, you listen to their stories, and suddenly you’re connected. Even if you’ve never been to a Michelin-starred kitchen or hand-rolled pasta in your grandma’s village.

Reading these has made me cook more, sure. But it’s also made me think about my own food memories—like my dad’s Sunday omelets, or the time I accidentally used salt instead of sugar in brownies. (It was…not great.)

Where to Get These 11 food memoirs that will make you laugh and cry

Sure, they’re all on Amazon, but if you’re in NYC, check indie spots. I found Relish at Astoria Bookshop (they also have a cute café inside). Thrift stores are goldmines too—people ditch gorgeous food books after one read.

Final Thought

I didn’t expect to cry over someone else’s memories of soup. But here we are. These food memoirs made me laugh, made me hungry, and made me think about how food holds our stories.

If you’re looking for a reading list that’s comforting and chaotic (like a good potluck), these 11 books are it.

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