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

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'An exquisite French black comedy'

The Times

'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

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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 Number 7, Rue de Grenelle, Pierre casts his mind back over a lifetime of flavour: eating grilled 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.