Name: Eva Ströberg's review of Eat a Peach by David Chang
Item: Eat a Peach
Rating: 4
Author: Eva Ströberg

David Chang

Gabe Ulla

The chef behind Momofuku and star of Netflix's Ugly Delicious gets uncomfortably real in his debut memoir. As a young, unspectacular cook, David Chang opened a noodle restaurant in Manhattan's East Village that should not have survived its first, misbegotten year. But, through sheer stubbornness and a series of utterly reckless choices, he became a chef who the New York Times once described as "the modern equivalent of Norman Mailer or Muhammad Ali." In this memoir, Chang lays bare his self-doubt and ruminates on mental health. He explains the ideas that guide him and demonstrates how cuisine is a weapon against complacency and racism. Exhibiting the vulnerability of Andre Agassi's Open and the vivid storytelling of Patti Smith's Just Kids, this is a portrait of a modern America in which tenacity can overcome anything.

A Memoir

Eat a Peach

'David is a personal hero - funny, wise, humble, and self-aware. With Eat a Peach, he puts words to so many of the things we all feel, sharing generously of his own journey so we can all benefit in the process.' Chrissy Teigen, New York Times bestselling author of Cravings In 2004, Momofuku Noodle Bar opened in Manhattan's East Village. Its young chef-owner, David Chang, served ramen and pork buns to a mix of fellow restaurant cooks and confused diners whose idea of ramen was instant noodles in Styrofoam cups. It would have been impossible to know that he would become one of the most influential chefs of his generation. Full of grace, candour, grit, and humour, Eat a Peach chronicles Chang's journey, laying bare his mistakes and feelings of otherness and inadequacy. Along the way, Chang gives us a penetrating look at restaurant life, balancing his deep love for the kitchen with unflinching honesty about the industry's history of brutishness and its uncertain future. An intimate account of the making of a chef, the modern restaurant world that he helped shape, and how success can be much harder to understand than failure.

Eat A Peach

Kenna Marcelo

Where were all these people before you were successful? Why would they suddenly be so eager to get into business with you? They’re trying to exploit you, confuse you, bum-rush you with deals you don’t understand. I know from experience.

NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING, SO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

When I’m able to take a step back, I realize that I’ve created my own prison. I physically cannot take on any more responsibilities. There’s no room to do more, and I’m afraid of what that means for my addiction. I want so much to quit and walk away, but I don’t know that I have the courage to give it all up. Recovering alcoholics talk about needing to hit rock bottom before they are able to climb out. The paradox for the workaholic is that rock bottom is the top of whatever profession they’re in.

What stuck with me was the way you describe your addiction to work. I’ve been so used to hearing of depression as something that forces you to do absolutely nothing. But pushing my limits became my drug. It was essentially a form of masochism. 18 years old and I found myself working nonstop for 20 hours a day. I didn’t socialize. I major in computer engineering and spent my day in front of a laptop. I wear glasses “now from staring at screens so much. Getting things done let me avoid taking care of myself. I was just “too busy.” 96% of the things you focused on relating to your struggles have caused me to think, “Oh my gosh, it’s not just me!” Frankly, you helped me realize working so hard was a side effect of my depression, a source of control, and not just something other people who didn’t know what was up admired me for.

Nate

Apple

Eva Ströberg

An honest memoir from Momofuku's founder and owner David Chang.

I read this already knowing that restaurant career can be brutal, but I had no idea that it was that brutal. It was an eye opening, also on his battle with depression and all. The reason I picked up the book is because I enjoy his Netflix shows (Ugly Delicious), I think he's good at making TV show, and had no idea what kind of things he had to go through to be where he is now.

David Chang is a bully who made a big impact on food and fine dining, he writes an okay book. You can’t own chili crisp dumbass… 

Jacob Hopkins

Ali Angco

Go against your default setting. See my full review on Storygraph.

Keven Wang

You should read this if you are interested in 
-the lives of chefs in the food industry 
-struggle of finding Asian identity in a predominantly white culture 
-mental health struggle 
-if you are SERIOUSLY considering going into the food industry

Lynette Pedersen

I'm a little on the fence with this one. On one hand, David Chang comes off as a pretty big jerk in his memoir. On the other hand, I can certainly admire how candid and genuine he is. I did learn a lot about him, but some of it wasn't very pleasant. It is interesting that he leveraged his mental health issues in a way that created his Momofuku empire, but I can't help thinking about all those people who helped him getting yelled at all the time. I did enjoy the general chef's chef moments where his admiration for other chefs came through, and the two brief moments about Anthony Bourdain were like tiny shining treasures among the gritty mess. I'm not sure if he would be pleased or upset to know that his general rage came through very well in his writing. 

In the long run, I think what I took away from the book is that he's human, and so are the rest of us. He's kind of an asshole, but he would probably think I was pretty stupid for wanting to read his book, so I guess it evens out. The more I think about it, the more I think I appreciate what he did here. In fact, I'm giving it an extra star for explaining the Michelin star system in a way I finally understood it. 

I definitely love the end products of his process (though I actually had no idea that Mind of a Chef was initially his project, and don't even get me started on how much I still miss Lucky Peach), so clearly something is working here even if it does sound a little like crossing the finish line in a fiery heap propelled only by the explosion that nearly killed you. Winning's winning.

Allison

** spoiler alert **
           The blip about his last meeting with Anthony Bourdain really hit me. 

Could relate to the struggle with growing up as an Asian-American in the US. 

Felt like some of his 33 tips were more targeted to aspiring chefs in NYC or other major cities.

Melanie Richards

4.5 stars, found this to be an engaging and personal read.

Mark Stenberg 

I give four stars mostly because it is profoundly satisfying to read a good memoir written by someone you really like. 

As he preaches in his book, Chang is intent on always molting like a lobster, shedding his skin, changing, and growing. He does this in food, but in this memoir he applies the same approach to his life. 

This was exactly what I wanted: not so much a chronicle of his life’s work with Momofuku — though it is that, and it is good — but an analysis of Chang’s driving ethos, his introspection.

He is intensely self-critical, and it’s that window into his thought processes that I was looking for and found. Great memoir.

Half of a memoir, half of a life lessons and a manual for any creative endeavor. David Chang’s reflection evidently shows what’s wrong with people working for their passion. It’s a trap and a disappointment, thinking that creativity will keep the lights on. What they don’t tell you is all the other things you find boring will keep your creativity afloat. Thankful for David for having the foresight that passion that tells you to keep swimming won’t be enough to keep you happy.

Apple &
Eat a Peach by David Chang

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Eat a Peach by David Chang