Kitchens of the Great Midwest (Stradal)

Kitchens of the Great Midwest:  A Novel
J. Ryan Stradal, 2015
Penguin
320 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780525429142


Summary
A young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation, is the summer’s most hotly-anticipated debut.
 
When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with pureed pork shoulder.

As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.
 
Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal’s startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity.

By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life—its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—ca. 1975
• Raised—Hastings, Minnesota, USA
• Education—B.A., Northwestern University
• Currently—lives in Los Angeles, California


J. Ryan Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest (2015) and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota (2020).

His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Guardian, Granta, Rumpus, and Los Angeles Review of Books, among other places. His debut, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, won the American Booksellers Association Indie's Choice Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year, the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association award for fiction, and the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award for debut fiction.

Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in Los Angeles. (From the publisher.)

Book Reviews
[An] appealing first novel…[and] colorful, character-driven story…. When he isn't writing, Stradal works as a producer for a number of reality television series, including Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Catch, a profession he credits for honing "an instinct for the necessary." Here he uses this skill to construct a narrative that keeps readers turning the pages too fast to realize just how ingenious they are.
Dawn Drzal - New York Times Book Review


A tender coming-of-age story with a mix of finely rendered pathos and humor.
Washington Post


The author's gentle skewering of foodie snobs (from county fair doyennes to the vegan/gluten-free/soy-free police) is spot on, and the blend of humor, warmth, and longing that he uses to portray family relationships make the book insightful and endearing. Savor it page by page.
Oprah.com


Garrison Keillor’s got nothing on [J. Ryan Stradal]!
NPR, Here and Now


Stradal’s debut novel tackles foodie culture with all the finesse of a pastry chef…Reading Kitchens is all pleasure.
LA Magazine

[A] captivating debut novel...as surprising and satisfying as a great meal.
Tampa Bay Times


[Kitchens of the Great Midwest is] the first novel about the emergence and current state of foodie culture… Fundamentally, [it’s] about what happens when opposing personalities coexist: those who bake with real butter versus those who don’t, those who obsess over heirloom tomatoes alongside those who don’t even know what they are. It uses these categories as a way to look at one of the most confusing, liberating truths there is, which is that often the people we think we’re the least like are the ones we end up needing the most.
Book Forum


Stradal’s first novel is a refreshing and brisk read, with a sophisticated sense of such glories of foodie culture as open-pollinated heirloom corn, pan-seared Walleye and Caesar Cardini’s original Caesar Salad.
BBC.com


Stradal’s debut novel centers on Eva Thorvald, the daughter of a chef and an aspiring sommelier, who has food in her DNA.... Eva’s story unfolds more like a short story collection than a novel as each vignette, told from the point of view of a different character, reveals another facet of her personality....a compelling, deliciously flawed character.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) Renowned chef Eva Thorvald commands $10,000 per couple for exclusive, destination dinner parties that leave guests swooning. But...[w]hat made her into the sensitive, beloved genius she is today?... Stradal is a confident first novelist, crafting characters who are singular, sometimes unlikable but always human. —Christine Perkins, Whatcom Cty. Lib. Syst., Bellingham, WA
Library Journal


The reader sees Eva through the eyes of her father, her boyfriend, a rival, a cousin, and more. Piecing together Eva's life...fleshes out her world and makes the ending feel especially rewarding. Delightful details,... [A] promising debut that features triumph, heartbreak, and even recipes.
Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions
1. From an early age, Eva is obsessed with food and cooking. What influences shape her interest?

2. How would you characterize the Midwest as Stradal paints it in this book? What makes the setting unique and important for this particular story?

3. Stradal structures the novel as a collection of smaller vignettes from many different points of view. What are the advantages of this narrative style?

4. Throughout the novel, characters and stories intersect in unexpected ways. Which of these connections surprised you most? Which seem most important to Eva’s story?

5. Food takes center stage in this book. How does it bring people together and how does it keep them apart?

6. At times, Stradal seems to poke fun at foodie culture. Which scenes or exchanges between characters struck you as a strong commentary on this foodie evolution?

7. Eva Thorvald is the heroine of the novel, but in some ways she is still quite mysterious. What is it about her that draws people to her?

8. From Lars to Eva to Pat, Stradal’s characters have their own prejudices about food and the way it should be made. What are some of their ideas, and which ones do you agree or disagree with?

9. Cindy has always claimed she would never be a good mother. Why does she insist on this and do you believe her?

10. The recipes prepared in Eva’s feast serve as a walk through her memory. How do foods or recipes play a role in your own memory or life story?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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