First published 2023
Cam, a young chef reeling from personal loss, returns to Houston after years away. His family's restaurant—once a vibrant neighborhood fixture—now sits shuttered and silent. When his uncle's unexpected health crisis pulls him back into the kitchen, Cam must navigate complex family dynamics, unresolved grief, and the intricate ways food connects and divides generations. As he begins cooking again, each recipe becomes a negotiation: with memory, with identity, with the complicated love that runs beneath his family's surface. Old tensions simmer alongside new possibilities. Cam must decide whether to resurrect the family business or forge a completely different path, knowing that every dish tells a story beyond ingredients and technique. Washington crafts an intimate exploration of belonging, healing through craft, and the transformative power of preparing meals that feed more than just hunger.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama, food-writing
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Houston
Period: 21st-century
320 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books