- The genius of modesty
The desire to discover, to experiment, to try new dishes, but without stir or desire to be noticed. The "Chefs" (the name of the main character) is an artist. Intuition,
imagination, perseverance.
She is modest, genial, fierce: everything for cooking, and so much for love! Yet, leaning on her stoves, her young second - the narrator - is in love with her without being reciprocal.
- Psychological Finesse
It begins very slowly as if Marie Ndiaye was trying to wrap sweet the reader to gradually surprise him by dissecting his characters, without malice and without pity.
The psychological acuity of the author and the portrait of the Cheese perfectly serves the dramatic plot. Even tragic, for when cooking becomes an extreme spiritual adventure, it is to be feared that it turns into dramatic obsession. With terrible suspense at the key.
- The taste of cooking
What connected to this subject that which, publishing at 17 years his first novel, was considered a gifted of the writing, winning later the Femina and Goncourt prizes? "A real person who fascinated me and inspired that of my Chefs: Eugénie Brazier, known as Mother Brazier, first woman to obtain three Michelin stars, in 1933, also from a very popular environment. "
A personal taste too? "Yes, I like cooking. It interests me, at my small level. What I like is to cook the meat, and simmer. Nothing complicated: the pot-au-feu, for example. "
- Chefs yes, "Top Chef" no
This story where the Chefs starts from a childhood lacking with this passion of cooking that will serve as a beacon in all storms and will lead her to win a star with the famous guide, it is that of a passion where the fight is book against oneself, not against others.
In this regard, the author tells us about Top Chef programs: "It does not interest me at all. Because it's only competition, we do not learn anything about what really drives them. "
La Cheffe, novel of a cook by Marie Ndiaye, ed. Gallimard, 17,90 €.
on that subject, which,
17 years his first novel, was considered
a gifted of writing, winning later the
prices Femina and Goncourt? "A real character who
fascinated me and inspired that of my Cheff e: Eugénie
Brazier, known as Mother Brazier, the first woman to be
three Michelin stars, in 1933, it also came from a
very popular medium. A personal taste too? " Yes,
I like cooking. It interests me, at my small level. This
which I like, is to cook the meat, and the stewed.
Nothing complicated: the pot-au-feu, for example. "
Cheffe starts from a
childhood with this passion for cooking
which will serve as a beacon in all storms and
will lead him to land a star with the famous guide,
it is that of a passion in which the struggle is fought against
self, not against others. In this regard, the author
confided to us, about the programs of the genre
Top Chef: "It does not interest me at all. Because it does not
competition, there is nothing to be learned about this
which really animates them. "
Ndiaye, ed. Gallimard, 17,90 €.
