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