---
product_id: 4036586
title: "Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef"
price: "34044CFA"
currency: XOF
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/4036586-blood-bones-and-butter-the-inadvertent-education-of-a-reluctant
store_origin: SN
region: Senegal
---

# Stream-of-consciousness style Ranked #75 Culinary Memoir 4.3/5 star foodie buzz Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

**Price:** 34044CFA
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🔥 Taste the raw truth behind culinary fame!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
- **How much does it cost?** 34044CFA with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/4036586-blood-bones-and-butter-the-inadvertent-education-of-a-reluctant)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **A Gritty Culinary Journey:** Dive deep into the relentless rise of a top NYC chef, unfiltered and raw.
- • **Critically Acclaimed Memoir:** Join 2,500+ readers captivated by this #75 ranked culinary biography.
- • **Behind-the-Scenes of Fine Dining:** Get insider access to the grit, grind, and glory behind a Michelin-worthy kitchen.
- • **For the True Foodie & Culture Seeker:** Not just a cookbook—this is a bold memoir that sparks conversation and connection.
- • **Unapologetically Honest Storytelling:** Experience a unique, stream-of-consciousness narrative that challenges and enthralls.

## Overview

Blood, Bones & Butter is Gabrielle Hamilton’s bestselling memoir (#75 Culinary Biographies) that chronicles her tough, unvarnished journey from a turbulent childhood to becoming a celebrated New York chef. Praised for its vivid, stream-of-consciousness prose and gritty honesty, this book offers an insider’s look at the demanding world of fine dining, making it a must-read for serious food lovers and memoir enthusiasts alike.

## Description

desertcart.com: Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef: 9780812980882: Hamilton, Gabrielle: Books

Review: The best foodie memoir? - This is a gritty story, so gritty you sometimes feel as if you're biting on gravel. Gabrielle's style often veers towards stream-of-consciousness, and as she herself admits in her epilogue, she did jump around in time. Maybe this book should not get 5 stars from me, but I found it riveting reading. Not always easy; she sometimes writes with so much suppressed anger, and then her style is so "tight" that I sometimes had to reread a paragraph to get her gist. From, at first, a superficially happy childhood, to a rudderless, loveless and seemingly parent-less teenage, with drugs, cigarettes and often no money, this woman by pure bloody-mindedness and tenacity fights her way up through menial jobs to be the chef of "Prune", and she still is one of New York's best chefs. Take note that she really is a very hard worker, who doesn't mind cleaning up the most yucky stuff -- she cannot stand disorganization and mess. Hats off to her for that. Yet the memoir is in many ways too self-centred. She carries within her issues and old angers which the reader picks up on as the story goes on. Her husband Michele seemed to me to be a very nice man, actually, to put up for so long with this impatient woman who (she never admits this) finds it hard to love unconditionally. The (seeming) total lack of communication between her and Michele made me want to shake her and say, "For God's sake, so he's not a talker: YOU talk then!" It seems her way of expressing fury towards him -- often not well understood by the reader -- is to sulk for weeks. And yet somewhere she confesses that although she screams, swears like a sailor, and throws things when angry at Michele, he has never uttered a harsh word towards her. An easy-going woman she is not! Her one true love, apart from her children (who could well have been created by immaculate conception), is cooking. She's brilliant at that, and to keep a N Y restaurant going on her own takes true grit -- there is no other word for it. Like another reviewer I also did not understand her dislike, almost hatred, of her mother. She says they're too similar, but that does not ring true, really. And in the end we still do not know much this mother who abandoned most of her children when she left her husband. I'd recommend this book to any intelligent foodie -- just know it's not always a light or easy read, but it should keep you spellbound.
Review: Like the book but not the author - This memoir of the making of a chef is for the most part beautifully written. So many descriptions are lovely especially in the first part, "Blood", where the author recounts her young years. Her memories of her mother are especially tender - "I remember the smell of the sulphur every morning as she lit a match to warm the tip of her black wax pencil." Or, "I sat in that woman's aproned lap every single night of my young life, so close to the sounds and smells of her that I still know her body as if it were my own." The portrayals of her father's lamb roasts are classic. Once the family disintegrates and Ms. Hamilton is more or less abandoned by both parents, she, and the book, lose her special freshness of observation and story-telling and a bitter, angry tone dominates. In the next part, "Bones", as she comes into her own slowly as a chef, and as other reviewers have noted, Ms. Hamilton trashes nearly everyone and everything she comes into contact with - fellow students in a writing class, other female chefs, catering companies, people she works for and with, suppliers etc. While clever and often funny in her criticisms, the premise that she is the only one who knows how to do things right, no matter what the issue, grates. Yes, successful chefs must be demanding of themselves and egotistical [as in most fields] but she continually exudes a superiority complex coupled with a martyrdom problem [how many times did she say she had to nurse her infants and cook and clean and get no sleep and be on her feet all day and...]. Most off-putting of all is her unrelenting bitterness and dreadful relationship with those supposedly closest to her: her father drifts out of the book completely in the early pages, she visits her mother once in 20 years and is incapable, as others have noted, of compassion or forgiveness and most appallingly shows no sadness at the death of a brother. Does she have friends? It seems so but even she notes that her moods are so volatile especially when her "blood sugar" is down that everyone is more than a little afraid of her. Her marriage is depressing as it seems to be one of convenience so her Italian husband can get a green card; does she love him? We never know. She writes a little of the worshipful adoration she holds for her two sons - shouldn't those feelings help her to mature by the end of the book to develop those softer human qualities that give essence to a richer, happier life? She never truly reveals who she is or who those around her are. She never digs into her feelings to understand her behavior. The last part of the book, "Butter", is too long and repetitious as we go again and again to Italy and eat the same meals over and over. She doesn't even learn Italian so she can converse with her husband's family! - how telling when she laments near the end that, "If I don't come back...I will not be missed, and no one will write me or call me to acknowledge my absence." Ms. Hamilton has great talent as a writer, and I'm sure she's a great chef; she's succeeded in those realms. Now maybe she can work on herself and become a more tolerant, nicer person. Now THAT would be accomplishment!

## Features

- Great product!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #129,514 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #75 in Culinary Biographies & Memoirs #418 in Women's Biographies #1,180 in Memoirs (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 2,518 Reviews |

## Images

![Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81cmtVR4+fL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best foodie memoir?
*by Z***I on December 18, 2013*

This is a gritty story, so gritty you sometimes feel as if you're biting on gravel. Gabrielle's style often veers towards stream-of-consciousness, and as she herself admits in her epilogue, she did jump around in time. Maybe this book should not get 5 stars from me, but I found it riveting reading. Not always easy; she sometimes writes with so much suppressed anger, and then her style is so "tight" that I sometimes had to reread a paragraph to get her gist. From, at first, a superficially happy childhood, to a rudderless, loveless and seemingly parent-less teenage, with drugs, cigarettes and often no money, this woman by pure bloody-mindedness and tenacity fights her way up through menial jobs to be the chef of "Prune", and she still is one of New York's best chefs. Take note that she really is a very hard worker, who doesn't mind cleaning up the most yucky stuff -- she cannot stand disorganization and mess. Hats off to her for that. Yet the memoir is in many ways too self-centred. She carries within her issues and old angers which the reader picks up on as the story goes on. Her husband Michele seemed to me to be a very nice man, actually, to put up for so long with this impatient woman who (she never admits this) finds it hard to love unconditionally. The (seeming) total lack of communication between her and Michele made me want to shake her and say, "For God's sake, so he's not a talker: YOU talk then!" It seems her way of expressing fury towards him -- often not well understood by the reader -- is to sulk for weeks. And yet somewhere she confesses that although she screams, swears like a sailor, and throws things when angry at Michele, he has never uttered a harsh word towards her. An easy-going woman she is not! Her one true love, apart from her children (who could well have been created by immaculate conception), is cooking. She's brilliant at that, and to keep a N Y restaurant going on her own takes true grit -- there is no other word for it. Like another reviewer I also did not understand her dislike, almost hatred, of her mother. She says they're too similar, but that does not ring true, really. And in the end we still do not know much this mother who abandoned most of her children when she left her husband. I'd recommend this book to any intelligent foodie -- just know it's not always a light or easy read, but it should keep you spellbound.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Like the book but not the author
*by S***S on June 7, 2011*

This memoir of the making of a chef is for the most part beautifully written. So many descriptions are lovely especially in the first part, "Blood", where the author recounts her young years. Her memories of her mother are especially tender - "I remember the smell of the sulphur every morning as she lit a match to warm the tip of her black wax pencil." Or, "I sat in that woman's aproned lap every single night of my young life, so close to the sounds and smells of her that I still know her body as if it were my own." The portrayals of her father's lamb roasts are classic. Once the family disintegrates and Ms. Hamilton is more or less abandoned by both parents, she, and the book, lose her special freshness of observation and story-telling and a bitter, angry tone dominates. In the next part, "Bones", as she comes into her own slowly as a chef, and as other reviewers have noted, Ms. Hamilton trashes nearly everyone and everything she comes into contact with - fellow students in a writing class, other female chefs, catering companies, people she works for and with, suppliers etc. While clever and often funny in her criticisms, the premise that she is the only one who knows how to do things right, no matter what the issue, grates. Yes, successful chefs must be demanding of themselves and egotistical [as in most fields] but she continually exudes a superiority complex coupled with a martyrdom problem [how many times did she say she had to nurse her infants and cook and clean and get no sleep and be on her feet all day and...]. Most off-putting of all is her unrelenting bitterness and dreadful relationship with those supposedly closest to her: her father drifts out of the book completely in the early pages, she visits her mother once in 20 years and is incapable, as others have noted, of compassion or forgiveness and most appallingly shows no sadness at the death of a brother. Does she have friends? It seems so but even she notes that her moods are so volatile especially when her "blood sugar" is down that everyone is more than a little afraid of her. Her marriage is depressing as it seems to be one of convenience so her Italian husband can get a green card; does she love him? We never know. She writes a little of the worshipful adoration she holds for her two sons - shouldn't those feelings help her to mature by the end of the book to develop those softer human qualities that give essence to a richer, happier life? She never truly reveals who she is or who those around her are. She never digs into her feelings to understand her behavior. The last part of the book, "Butter", is too long and repetitious as we go again and again to Italy and eat the same meals over and over. She doesn't even learn Italian so she can converse with her husband's family! - how telling when she laments near the end that, "If I don't come back...I will not be missed, and no one will write me or call me to acknowledge my absence." Ms. Hamilton has great talent as a writer, and I'm sure she's a great chef; she's succeeded in those realms. Now maybe she can work on herself and become a more tolerant, nicer person. Now THAT would be accomplishment!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Terrific book for a foodie
*by A***N on May 15, 2011*

I am a little surprised by some of the harsh reviews of this book that criticize the author as a snob or self-obsessed. The cover does say that this book is a memoir; it is Gabrielle Hamilton's story to tell. I found this book warm and engaging and the writing beautiful. At times I was a little confused as to the timeline of events but overall was pleased with the pacing of the book. Considering the nature of her career, which is intrisically tied into a lifelong love and relationship with food, I did not expect a normal "biographical" account of her life. I think she touched upon the major players in her life which influenced not just her cooking but her own enjoyment of food. Even reading the Prune menu (online) is a treat after reading this book. Immediately after I finished this book I longed to breeze into Prune for a cocktail and try the bone marrow with parsley salad. Maybe roast chicken and butter poached fingerling potatoes. Dishes that the author lovingly wove into her book. I am more interested in hearing how she was moved by a dish as a young girl than a 3 page written description on how she cleaned, chopped, sauteed and plated a dish. And Anthony Bourdan already wrote a book on the inner workings of a NYC restaurant. Maybe because I can relate with my own childhood memories of food that I found it delightful to read her description of her mother preparing her dandeloin greens as a young girl. I had to smile looking at her menu - 30 years later she is serving them on her menu. A nod to a loving memory of her mother despite the tension that existed in their relationship as an adult. Oh, I do hope that I can get a reservation at Prune the next time I am in NY!

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/4036586-blood-bones-and-butter-the-inadvertent-education-of-a-reluctant](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/4036586-blood-bones-and-butter-the-inadvertent-education-of-a-reluctant)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Senegal*
*Store origin: SN*
*Last updated: 2026-03-06*