I went into this really like David Chang but I'll be honest, my view of him was extremely limited to the few times I've seen him on cooking or food related shows. This book opened up my view of him a bit more, but I won't say it was for the better. I found the book to be informative and eye opening. But the discourse around the less savoury things he's done, it didn't feel like he was actually making any steps to be better. Just acknowledging what he did and moving on. Which doesn't really sit well for me. All in all a decent memoir.

"Eat a Peach" by David Chang is an engaging and honest memoir from one of the most influential figures in the modern restaurant world. The book takes readers on a journey through Chang's life, from his early days as a struggling cook to the creation and success of his groundbreaking Momofuku restaurant empire.

Chang's writing is personal and raw, providing an intimate look into his struggles with mental health, the pressure of running a successful business, and the constant evolution of the restaurant industry. He also candidly shares his mistakes, failures, and the lessons he learned from them, making it a relatable read for anyone in the industry or who has ever pursued a passion.

The book also provides an interesting and insightful look into the world of the modern restaurant industry, from the challenges of sourcing ingredients to the impact of technology on the way we eat. Chang's unique perspective as a chef and restaurateur allows readers to understand the industry's complexities and nuances better.

Overall, "Eat a Peach" is a must-read for anyone interested in food, cooking, and the restaurant industry. It's an honest and personal account of one chef's journey to success and the struggles and lessons he encountered along the way.

I started reading this book and found that it was not for me. It didn't seem fair for me to review a book that I didn't finish.

I had an amazing conversation with David Chang at his book signing for the Momofuku cookbook in New York, during the tour with Bourdain he discusses in the book, in which I got to tell him how the Ko reservation system was the only thing that got me to work on time during a really bleak period, how we actually got a reservation and then were not able to go, and instead had the most delicious meal of bo ssäm together on a different date. He wrote a sweet note in my copy of the book, a cherished memory in what I didn't know at the time were my final full-time months in the NYC area.

I say all this because of how I felt to read his side of the exact same time period, and all that came after that. The memoir is split into two distinct parts - the rise and the impact of that rise. My feelings on the book are equally split. I bristled at the interior look at the company, the lengthly e-mails, the screaming, and the clubbiness of the NYC restaurant scene. He dissects the reputation he got for being part of a cult of personality, and it was hard to separate him from that in the way he wanted to be seen. But what I loved about this book, I loved so much - the discussion on mental health, specifically where it held him back and where he sees it as being directly tied to his success, the work his team put into blurring the lines between different cultures and their shared dishes, and the moment in time in which his work erupted.

Definitely made me want to try the Fuku that I did not know existed in Philadelphia, because really, I am, and have always been, just foodie-adjacent.

I absolutely love food/travel memoirs, and I really love David Chang and his work. Reading this memoir was an absolute treat. I definitely recommend this one for people who love to read about amazing food, and devour delicious writing! Very enjoyable.

This is a beautiful memoir by an amazing chef. It is one of my favorite food memoirs, along with Crying in H-Mart and Kitchen Confidential.

EAT A PEACH is a memoir meets how to succeed as a chef guide (I guess?) from Chef David Chang. I completely devoured this. I'm not especially foodie but I am fascinated by chefs and the restaurant industry - likely because my dad owns restaurants. Chang shares a ton and gets very honest about his mental health and struggles with anger. He is NOT an easy man to work for and does have an ego... But I thought it came across as fairly self aware and willing to admit his flaws. His success is pretty mind blowing, especially when you consider how "late" in the game he pursued this career. He's a workaholic and honestly it made me he my dad a bit more. He talks a lot about culture and breaking down barriers and after reading, I turned right around and started his Netflix show- Ugly Delicious. Overall, I definitely recommend!

I love David Chang as a man and as a cook. His restaurants, cookbooks, and insane workaholic schedule as a television host and publisher of Lucky Peach make him one of the hardest working chefs in American culture right now. His food is gorgeous, his personality is magnetic, and his career as a team leader is unmistakably effective. I also know that he was incredibly close to Anthony Bourdain and that Bourdain was a mentor and huge supporter of his illustrious career of making it big as a triple threat in the culinary world. Chang seems unstoppable, and his work ethic and drive contribute to the tireless company that runs off his name and Momofuku’s success.

I was excited to finally pick up Chang’s book. I mean, I was looking forward to something that reminded me of the momentum of the shows, and I really enjoy these sort of kitchen memoirs in their frankness, danger, excitement, and transparency that reminded me of the many years I spent in the service industry... And also tasting a bit of the magic behind the scenes in Chang’s life – as all chefs in these sorts of tell-alls – is the main charismatic element to reading books such as these.

The book covered the opening of his restaurants and his successes and failures of his career. I really enjoyed the elements of his personal life. I loved learning about his childhood and stable upbringing and the dedication to which he prioritizes his family above all else. I also felt a great deal of compassion with the thread that ran throughout the book regarding his struggles with mental health – and I found the family, personal anecdotes, and personal awakenings to be the strongest parts of the memoir overall. But I would say the majority of the book felt like a laundry list of the successes and failures of his empire, and I left the book feeling like he will never be satisfied with everything he has accomplished because he hasn’t quite come to terms with them being accomplishments.

Overall, the main issue I had with the book is its identity as a book as a whole. Throughout the narrative, Chang tells us that he is not really sure what he is writing – and he is right. We never really have a grasp on what he is doing and where he is going in the book because he doesn’t feel like he did, and I think that in a linear sense that the editor had a lot of work cut out for them in constructing some sort of through-line while maintaining Chang’s voice. He also understood what he was doing and where his shortcomings in the book were, and reminds us of them often. So, the problem I found was that it didn’t really meet my expectations as a narrative with structure (life doesn’t have that, I get it), didn’t meet my expectations as a management book (until you get to the final 33 rules at the end), and didn’t meet my expectations as a memoir (there wasn’t enough of the stuff I liked about his life, and too much of the listing of things he was doing, which I didn’t). There were some great parts of each of those areas, of course. My major enjoyment came from his awakening and exploration of his mental health, his family, the birth of his first child, his successes, and his relationship with Bourdain... But that all felt like it was a footnote in the listing of what he accomplished, and most often his accomplishments were never enough and always on the razor’s edge of failure (and when I say failure, they all teetered on the edge, and he kept adding more, Michelin stars or not).

I feel like this book didn’t meet my expectations even though I love Chang and his work. There were a lot of moments that I felt like it was a bit of a slog to get through. Perhaps this isn’t the best vehicle for his voice, however, since I love every other iteration of his work. I will continue consuming the rest of his words and meals in the ways I already enjoy.

I flew through this memoir- it hooked me first because I live right near where Chang grew up, but I stayed with it because his tone is hilarious even when he’s describing some terribly dark pieces of his life. I would never want to work for him, and this book doesn’t really glamorize the life of a chef, but it’s something of a love note to living your life the best way you can. Even when your brain chemistry makes it both extra challenging and superlatively rewarding. Four stars, and man do I wish I could take a trip to NYC! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for this unbiased review.

David Chang has been known to be a big personality in the world of celebrity chefs, and that comes through in his memoir, Eat a Peach. He describes his struggles with mental health as both a blessing and a curse; a catalyst to his success as a restauranteur, and a detriment to his interpersonal relationships. Throughout Eat a Peach, however, he retains not only his candour but his sense of humour, that wry observation that makes him such a thoughtful voice on food. Eat a Peach was an enjoyable read that will hopefully help fight the stigma that pervades the view of mental health in the Asian American community.

This was a book that I found to be very hard to review. I never watched any of the TV shows that David Chang has been on, although I've heard lots of people rave about him and his ventures.
I found the writing to be unsophisticated, uncomplicated, and very raw. I can't quite decide whether I like the writing or just the raw-emotions that I'm reading. Either way, I thought that David Chang was brutally honest in the book. While I didn't find his personality very likeable when he talked repeatedly about his mistreatment of his employees, I did find it brave that he is willing to admit it. It would be interesting to hear or see how his reflection changes things in the future.

I read David Chang's memoir Eat a Peach well over a month ago, but haven't gotten around to reviewing it. He was on NPR's Fresh Air yesterday and I was like, "Oh yeah! I read his book! And it was good!" So here's my review: it's good! Confession: I didn't know too much about David Chang before reading the book. And I usually try to keep up with my Korean American fam. Shame on me. But better late than never. I enjoyed how honest he was about his journey and development as a chef, business owner, and, in general, as a human being. Read it if you're interested in restaurant and foodie culture, the Asian American experience, being an entrepreneur, and/or just looking for a good memoir. Check it out at your local library and/or purchase it from your favorite independent bookstore.

I found this book to be so informative and engaging. I've long been a follower of Chang through his restaurants, cookbooks, podcasts, and tv shows. It was great to hear his voice in this different format.

I teach food writing at the college level and I will add this to my reading list!

As a fan of both Ugly Delicious and Recipe Club, I thought I would be a huge fan of the book. Unfortunately, it just didn't have the level of food writing that I was looking for in a chef's memoir. It's more about the logistics of running a restaurant than about food conception in Chang's restaurants.

This memoir is not only a fascinating look into the life of a chef, but a testimony to the power of hard work.

First off, I love any books based on food or restaurant life, so I was excited to read Eat A Peach to see the makings behind the successful restaurants by David Chang.

I read more nonfiction and memoirs this year than ever before and this is one of the best memoirs I’ve read so far. Prior to reading, I honestly wasn't familiar with David Chang, but his sense of humor and deflecting from wanting to talk about himself from the beginning pages pulled me in right away.

*many thanks to Clarkson Potter and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own

I've always wanted to visit Momofuku. There's one in my hometown. I had a reservation once, but got in an accident on the way there, so I had to go to the hospital instead of dinner. Now I am ready to make another reservation as soon as this lockdown is done. David Chang has provided an honest look at his life. I'm amazed by how the world of chefs always attract people who are flawed, but also strong and resilient and fighters. There must be something about food and cooking that really inspires these types of people. I've never read a memoir of a chef before hopefully this isn't the last one.

I went into this book not knowing much about cooking or even who David Change is - I am now a huge fan. 'Eat a Peach' was a fantastic book that allowed the culinary world to swallow me whole. Chang takes you through his life in a transparent fashion, letting you know throughout the book how much he loathes pieces of his past and the fact that it must be shared. With each cut of criticism there is a moment of growth and reflection. Other memoirs take you through a life journey in a seamless narrative - Change spills his gut in a way that makes you experience it yourself. All the while you're starving because he keeps talking about food. This was an eye opening read into the world of food and a glimpse into Asian-America. I highly recommend it to anyone who eats food, likes to cook, or wants to cry with laughter. (The Audio for this book is read by David Chang which makes it all the more amazing)

Eat A Peach
David Chang & Gabe Ulla

I had always been a fan of Chef David Chang and Momofuku and visiting a few locations all over the world. A huge fan of his Netflix series as well and when this book came out, I had to read it. It did not disappoint. As a son of Korean Immigrants and to see his passion and success in what he set out to do is truly inspirational. His restaurants are unassuming, unpretentious and focuses on simple menus and high quality ingredients. It was amazing to read how such a successful person struggles with mental illness, depression and suicidal thoughts and to see him overcome these adversities give inspiration to others as well. This was such a well written memoir that I highly recommend.

Absolutely beautifully done. I loveeee food memoirs and this was a great one. I enjoyed learning more about David CHang as a person and about how Momofuku came to be,. We shared this title as part of our fall preview which you can view right here: https://www.theardentbiblio.com/blog/2020/5/15/fall-preview-2020