The Man Who Changed the Way We Eat: Craig Claiborne and the American Food Renaissance

by Thomas McNamee

From the bestselling author of Alice Waters and Chez Panisse comes the first biography of the father of the American food revolution, who introduced the world to the likes of Julia Child, Wolfgang Puck, and Alice Waters. From his first day on the job as the New York Times food critic, Craig Claiborne excited readers by introducing them to food worlds unknown, from initiating them in the standards of the finest French cuisine and the tantalizing joys of the then mostly unknown foods of India, China, Mexico, Spain, to extolling the pleasures of “exotic” ingredients like arugula, and praising “newfangled” tools like the Cuisinart, which once he’d given his stamp of approval became wildly popular. A good review of a restaurant guaranteed a full house for weeks, while a bad review might close a kitchen down.      Based on unprecedented access to Claiborne’s personal papers and interviews with a host of food world royalty, including Jacques Pepin, Gael Greene, and Alice Waters, Tom McNamee offers a lively and vivid account of Claiborne’s extraordinary adventure in food, from his own awakening in the bistros of Paris, to his legendary wine-soaked dinner parties, to his travels to colorful locals from Morocco to Saigon, and the infamous $4,000 dinner he shared in Paris with French chef Pierre Franey that made front-page news. More than an engrossing biography, this is the story of the country’s transition from enchantment with frozen TV dinners to a new consciousness of truly good cooking.

Genres: Food, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Memoir, Foodie, History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

You get down on your knees right now and thank the heavens above for Craig Claiborne!

Go on, do it!

Why? Because if it weren't for him we'd all be eating at the IHOP. Why is that such a bad thing? The Rooty Tooty Fresh'n'Fruity. But I digress...

In The Man Who Changed the Way We Eat Thomas McNamee lays out Mr. Claiborne's history, from small town, southern boy hanging around his mamma's kitchen to world-traveled food editor for the New York Times. As the first male editor of said newspaper, he turned what was considered a fluff "women's section" into a respected and much-read hub of information and critical analysis of the NY food scene.

His newspaper success sent him on travels to sample the nation's cuisine and what he found disgusted him. The post World War II U.S. landscape had become a vast desert of dining. Hell, we're not even talking fine dining, some of it was barely edible...think Spam and tv dinners. Even fresh, homemade meals were becoming a rarity. Thanks to Claiborne, chefs pulled up their bootstraps and Americans learned to love making, as well as eating, good food again.

But it's not all happy sunshine and sweet puppy dog kisses. Claiborne had his demons and more than just skeletons in the closet. Thomas McNamee takes a flamboyant delight in parading Claiborne's transgressions about for all to see. It gets to the point that one wonders if he even liked writing about his subject. But that doubt is wiped away when one considers the thick praise layered upon the man through out this well-baked cake, er rather, well-written book.

Note for those on a diet: If you're trying to lose weight, you may not want to read this. It's dangerous. Delicious descriptions of food abound!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited when I found I had won this book on first reads, but honestly, if I had just picked it up at the library, I wouldn't have finished it.

To be fair, there were portions of the book that I found interesting, and by the end, I did agree with the author that it appears that Claiborne did have a definite influence on what we eat as a culture. If it was severely edited down to a magazine article in length, I probably would have enjoyed it. I also think it could have done well as a magazine itself- edited down the stories, include more pictures, and then add in the menus, the watercolor pictures and maybe even a few of his more well known recipes.

As it was, the writing style alternately bored or frustrated me. McNamee would go on long tangents that didn't seem to have any pertinence to the main story he was telling, or would include long lists when a summary would have sufficed. He also pulled so much from other sources, particularly Claiborne's own memoir, that it felt very choppy to read, and at times I wondered what McNamee was trying to contribute besides adding his own brief commentaries to Claiborne's life. Even when he wasn't piecing together multiple sources of information, he couldn't settle on one writing style. At times, he was too colloquial for my taste in a non-fiction book. Other times, his biographical writing was so dry it reminded me of reading a textbook.

Browsing through the other reviews, I see that some people really enjoyed it, and many of my complaints might just be personal issues with the book. For people really interested in how cooking and reviewing restaurants changed since the 60's, there might just be enough interesting snippets to be worth picking it up, and just skip to the next interesting part when you get bored. I most highly recommend the first and last chapters (and if it was a magazine article, I think it should focus on those).

[Lauren Accardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. Craig Claiborne is such a fascinating figure in America's food culture and his story is a unique one, but the terrible writing in this book ruins the entire thing. The author will occasionally chime in with colloquial phrases or cliche phrases (a particularly terrible line quotes "the song by Lola in Damn Yankees" to get his point across that whatever Claiborne wants, Claiborne gets) that immediately remove the reader from the writing. It's like I'm suddenly aware that the author has a personal opinion and to be frank, it's not a very educated opinion. The chronology of the story is all over the place and occasionally, the history of people, places, or events feels as if it's been tossed in to fulfill a word count.

The story of Craig Claiborne is enough to give this book 2 stars but anything more than that would be misleading. If you're interested in food and the history of food criticism, you'd be better served by reading Claiborne's cookbooks and articles than this self-serving opinion piece masquerading as a biography.

[Jim Nicholson]

Read this book as part of research I was doing for a class I am teaching. A fascinating look at the life of the man who pretty much created the modern restaurant review. Definitely worth reading

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book. My friends consider me a "foodie", though I don't agree. I love to eat at nice restaurants, try new dishes, and experiment with my cooking club. None of those things however make me a true "foodie". I am just not that knowledgeable. Craig Claiborne was a "foodie", perhaps the first in our country, and he brought a desire for that knowledge to a large percentage of people just like me. I never read one of Claiborne's columns but had I, I would have been one of his devoted followers. Learning about the life and career of such a man was a wonderful discovery for me.


McNamee makes Claiborne come alive. As I was reading the book I found myself making the journey with Claiborne and wishing that I was more than just a voyeur. I wanted to be a part of the lavish dinner parties, on the trips to Europe to explore the newest restaurants, and to have written some of the amazing cookbooks which carry the Claiborn byline.

However, as is true with anyone, Claiborne was not just his public persona. He had an unseen, and for that time period, scandalous personal life. He lived with the same demons a lot of us do and had the same character flaws too. This does not distract from the persona of Claiborne but serves to make him someone that more of us can relate to.

If you are interested in food at all I think that this biography is definitely worth the time to read. I not only learned a lot about the food revolution in America but I was left with a respect for what it took to make it come about, not to mention a compelling need to go out and buy The New York Times Cookbook.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5 stars)

The subject-matter was interesting, but the uneven writing was a hurdle. At its best, the writing was readable. At its worst, it was full of name-dropping, long lists, and inconsistent tone. The book followed the general timeline of Claiborne's life, but went off on abrupt tangents.

Most of the book seems to be based on passages from Claiborne's autobiography. It reminded me of the time I had to write a paper about Lincoln in A.P. History and thought it was bullsh*t so I picked the biggest book on Lincoln I could and just quoted the hell out of it with a couple of sentences of analysis on my own. I got an A+.

Despite its flaws, it was interesting to learn about the man who changed the way Americans thought about food and the way. I enjoyed the parts that tied in Diana Kennedy, Alice Waters, and Julia Child. It must have been nice to be part of the food posse back then.

I wonder what Claiborne would have thought about the celebrity chef culture we have now.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to read Craig Claiborne every chance I got - he certainly did change the way I eat. The book is an interesting portrait of a very complex man - the gay misfit from the Mississippi Delta who built himself the life he had always dreamt of, and then drank it all away. He did change the way Americans eat and think about food, broadening our consciousness, introducing a wealth of new ideas, ingredients, recipes. He wrote his way to the top of a field he virtually invented. He was a sometimes a good and generous friend, sometimes - in his later years - not so much. The book portrays him as an object of envy for much of his professional life, and of pity at the end of it.

[Beth Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lively writing, marred slightly by the breeziness currently characteristic of non-fiction; mostly charming, but the charm is occasionally shallow. Routinely calling the subject of a biography by his first name is acceptable only when the writer knew the subject personally. Still, a thorough book, especially good on the developments of the last 50 years, using Claiborne as the focus for a broader story.

[Ellen Shwatal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight on the evolution of the food scene (commercial and at home)in the 2nd 1/2 of the 20th Century and how this NYTimes writer was instrumental in this process.

If you're a foodie, you'll appreciate the history lesson.

[Katie]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway!

[Cmeread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun facts and great stories throughout this dedication to Craig Claiborne, however not the most gripping story.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books that explain how a subject evolved. I'm listening to the book and glad I decided to do this because of the french names. The reader is very important, and Mr. Hill does a great job.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this interesting, but not great. However, it took me back to my younger days.

[Malina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was looking for. I expected a story about how this guy changed the world is American food, like promised in the intro. So I kept going at 10% to try and give it a chance but ultimately quit after 20%. This is focused on the story of the man, and the food seems to be a side story. I could summarize the first 20% in a paragraph. Author did succeed in making me dislike Craig Claiborne.

[Gretchen Stokes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Truly horrid. Perhaps the audiobook was worse, due to the affections of the reader. I did not know much about Craig Claiborne, aside that he was a behemoth of the food world. Now I know much more, and it’s and it’s made me like him a lot less. But it’s not just his character and the subject that make this book. Disappointing, it’s the writing too.

[elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

life of Craig Claiborne and the changes in food, cooking columns, and the beginnings of the modern celebrity chef period. Many of the figures who emerge in this book got their start with Claiborne, like Jacque Pepin and others who are household names today.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

You would think the life of Craig Claiborne would be a riveting read, but unfortunately, in the hands of Thomas McNamee, it is a clumsy, somewhat joyless tribute.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Claiborne created a job that later developed into the industry that changed how American's view food.

[Carol Satterfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story but a tad verbose.

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Claiborne’s name is not readily, if at all, familiar to foodies or anyone else these days. But he is one of the great godparents of today’s food world. In the late 1950’s he changed and molded our modern ideas and attitudes about food, eating, entertaining and dining out. He found his passion in food and wrote about it, and broke major barriers to do so. Prior to Claiborne’s position as food editor at The New York Times, articles about food, homey little recipes, and maybe a nod or two to a well-known restaurant were part of the “women’s section”, tucked in with society, fashion, and other innocuous subjects. And there was definitely nothing critical or judgmental in them. But this changed when Claiborne wrote very seriously about everything a restaurant had to offer--food, service, tableware, decor, atmosphere, and the quality of it all. And eventually he created a starred rating system.

He was well equipped to do the job, having passed the course at the Professional School of the Swiss Hotel Keepers Association in Lausanne, Switzerland--a rigorous education that prepared future hotel managers to know every aspect of making a hotel visitor’s experience supremely wonderful. A three-year program with yearly courses in cuisine, service and management, and all three areas were mandatory. Some of the things a graduate would know about cuisine were how to make numerous types of cocktails and classical French dishes, having memorized hundreds of drinks, recipes and preparations of all kinds of food. And there were also service and management courses which were exacting and precise. The goal was to prepare future hotel staff to be able to supervise, train, judge and maintain the best staff possible in the best hotels in the world. Claiborne was eighth in his class.

The experience at the Swiss Hotel Keepers Association provided the focus for what had been a rather unclear vision of what he wanted to do with his life. Having grown up in the Mississippi Delta where his mother kept a boarding house, he was very familiar with the best in Southern cuisine which his mother served. He was a shy man, with a hidden life, a homosexual in a time when it was a criminal offense in many states and not socially accepted. He struggled with this and other demons all his life. His formative years could have been the basis for a Tennessee Williams play with an overbearing mother who had social pretensions and all set within a stratified rigid society. A degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and several years in the U.S. Navy during World War II sent him off on a different way of life.

As a food critic he dined anonymously, never took any sort of payment, did not promote any products, and his meals were paid by his employer, The New York Times. This would set the standard for future food critics. In the beginning he dined at high-end restaurants, with mostly French cuisine, but then he traveled within New York, visiting and tasting food in the ethnic areas of the city, and wrote about them. He also began the practice of rating restaurants with stars. All manner of food from street food to the most elegant restaurant food was of interest. He always justified why he liked or did not like something and urged his readers to venture forth to taste, to cook and delight in eating experiences that were outside their comfort zone.

In addition, Claiborne wrote numerous cookbooks, and promoted the work of the then-unknown in the food business. He wrote the first review of Julia Child’s book; became best cooking friends with Pierre Franey, and promoted Paul Bocuse, Paul Prudhomme, Jacques Pépin, Marcella Hazan, Madhur Jaffrey, Diana Kennedy and others. But his life was not all success and joy, which McNamee points out. There was excessive drinking, a willful disregard for his own health, even when faced with strong indications that he was ill, and in his last years, irascible tendencies to provoke and distance those who had his best interests in mind.

McNamee does a fine job examining the man and his contributions to what all of us take for granted these days. Before Claiborne, for most Americans eating was a necessity and certainly not always a pleasure. Since his time, Americans are open to a world of food and think it is just great to take pleasure in eating and talking about it.

Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction Dept.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a remarkable man, an American who rose from poverty to travel abroad, to engage in warfare, to explore his homosexuality in a time when such a thing was a felony that could get you killed if you fell into the wrong hands. He was also a man who was appalled at the lackluster state of American cuisine and became determined to rectify the situation.

This book does more than illuminate Mr. Claiborne’s love for food; it explores what created the person who devoted his life to educating people about food preparation, who let Americans know that creating fancy dishes didn’t necessarily require a pedigree from a fancy hotel (though he did his share of grunt work in just such an environment).

From the very first page, we are pulled into the life of this extraordinary talent. Because of the author’s wonderful rendering of Mr. Claiborne’s thoughts, background and emotions, we are taken along on his personal odyssey. We are right there when he fights on board a naval ship and witnesses men plunging to their deaths into the sea. We suffer the agonies he must have undergone memorizing hundreds of dishes and the proper way to prepare and present them. By the time I was finished with this book, I wanted to travel. I wanted to learn the myriad ways of stuffing artichoke hearts. I wanted to learn French!

If there are problems with the novel, it’s in its pedantry and the injection of needless erudition. While I pride myself on having a college-reading level, I found myself occasionally at sea when I came across words and phrases like “syntactic solecism”, “exegetes” and “Ruritanian-palace-guard”, et al. The book is also liberally sprinkled with foreign phrases (most but not all of them pertaining to food) that remain without translation.

But I would still highly recommend it to any foodie, chef or even weekend cook who cares to know more about Mr. Claiborne and his devotion to the art of American cooking and dining.

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love food and enjoy other aspects of it other than eating and finding recipes. Getting to know the history and people behind the dishes is a great topic and covers a broad span. From the first page, I've already learned more information about food critics and the acknowledgment it was given in the 50's. A trend must start somewhere weather good or bad. It just happens that Craig Claiborne had a lot to do with the food critic aspect. I was very eager to learn more about the "behind the scenes" aspect of dining. I wasn't really thinking much else other than he being a gastronomical snob with pretentious views of his learned skills-which is good and bad. Reading some examples of critiques changed my mind. The description of the food and the environment evoked feelings that almost became tangible. Craig Claiborne was brilliant-he used anything and everything to his advantage to further his career and we were able to learn his tactics. It was refreshing to see not everyone cutthroats and can use a subtle gain. It is also good form to dabble in all cuisine from the wealthy famous to everyday American tables. I saw the value of integrity and respect while delivering his words. I enjoyed learning of his travel and education and family and friends. This reflected him having a "real life." Ten years ago I read Jacques Pepin's "The Apprentice" and was very excited to see that mentioned. It was one of the things that really stood out to me since I felt like I knew more of the story. This book was well written and very entertaining. I loved the photos. I felt it was delivered well as Craig himself were to write it.

[Book Him Danno · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love to eat this is the book for you. I love food, especially good food that is homemade and tasty. Fast-food is not a favorite of mine and store bought items taste store bought and processed. I love making food from scratch and trying different and new recipes all the time. So reading about food that is incredible and expensive makes my mouth water. Yum this book describes Craig Clairborne’s job as a food critic for the New York Times, food is central to this book along with Craig’s life.


Craig had quite a life and this book goes into extreme detail about his problems, adventures and triumphs. I enjoyed the part about the people and relationships in his life and the celebrities he worked with and met along the way. His life was magical at times and mediocre at others. His health was a major issue later in life and maybe all the eating and drinking wasn’t the best for him. But the way he led his professional life really did change the way we eat now. Look at the Food Network and the celebrity chef’s we watch on other networks. Who doesn't love Iron Chef? Cooking and eating is more about the relationships we cook with and for then about the food.

We all love to eat…look at your waist-line if you don’t believe me. Food is central in most of our lives. Family dinner, holiday parties, celebration dinners, wedding receptions and much more revolve around food. This book is an interesting look at the one life that changed the way we think and eat.

[Joanne Clarke Gunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Claiborne really did change the way we eat, or at least the way many people thought about and prepared food. I really enjoyed reading this book since I have an interest in the great chefs, the food they prepare, and the critics who review their restaurants. In this book, you get plenty of all three since Craig Claiborne was not only a long-time food critic for the New York Times and the author of many fine cookbooks, but he was also close friends with and a partaker of many fabulous feasts prepared by the famous master chefs Pierre Franey, Jacques Pepin, Paul Bocuse, Andre Soltner - among many others. Craig Claiborne loved chefs and they loved him back because he truly appreciated and loved their food and their meticulous preparation of it. The book also delves into Craig Claiborne's conflicted personal life which was often lonely since he was forced to mask his homosexuality at a time when it was not prudent to do otherwise. He also drank far too much and it ended up costing him his health as well as a few friends.

As in his book "Alice Waters and Chez Panisse", Thomas McNamee does a very good job of giving the reader a behind the scenes look at some of the greats in the world of haute cuisine and, in this book, into the larger-than-life personality that was Craig Claiborne - and the food, oh the food! This book is a fun read for foodies.

[Robert Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite my love of food, I largely grew to maturity past Claiborne's heyday at The Times. On the periphery of my consciousness, my vague impression was that he was one of those overweening food snobs who could only appreciate fine dining, but looks down their nose a good, simple American fare.

McNamee's biography threw those preconceptions to the curb and paints an engaging picture of a man in the midst of America's transformation from basic meat and potatoes to our embrace of all types of food and the emergence of dining as entertainment. It's insightful not only towards the man, but towards the times and spheres he lived in.

It was oddly pleasant to have my notions overturned and appreciate this picture of a man and his times for what it is, not what I thought it should be. In the end, it makes me want to seek out some of his reviews. Even if I don't end up agreeing with him, this bio proves that we have a commonality in the joy of food.


**Full disclosure time*** Goodreads and the FTC would like me to point out that I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher. My opinions are my own and not influenced by this fact. Lucky for them I liked it, otherwise you'd be reading a very different review.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a conversational style, something that comes off very well, particularly at the end where McNamee speaks directly to Claiborne himself, The Man Who Changed the Way We Eat is highly readable and abounds with tales now legendary in the food world. Craig Claiborne invented the profession of restaurant/food critic, something we now take for granted. In today’s world, we google new restaurants, chefs, previously unknown foods, but back in the day....before arugula, radicchio, balsamic vinegar, ethnic cuisines such as Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Mexican, etc., before Julia Child, Alice Waters, Jacques Pepin & others were household names to foodies.....before there even were foodies....there was Craig Claiborne, and mostly to him we owe the expansion of our culinary horizon. He was a complex individual to put it mildly, and often hurt those closest to him, but he truly changed the way we eat. Invite your friends, set your table nicely, cook a wonderful meal from scratch....even use his The New York Times Cookbook for inspiration.....raise your glasses in his memory....and read this book.

[Jed Sorokin-Altmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must confess, despite thinking of myself as somewhat of a foodie, I did not know very much about Craig Claiborne until I read Thomas McNamee's book. I'm glad that I did, though! McNamee paints a vivid picture of Claiborne, and he seems like a really interesting individual!

There are points where McNamee seems to go a little too far in his effusive praise of Claiborne's influence and a little too far in dennigrating the work of others, like James Beard. As folks in my profession would put it, McNamee assumes facts not in evidence. I don't know if McNamee's charges that Beard behaved in an unethical fashion are true. I have not read them elsewhere and McNamee does not provide details or evidence for his charges.

Still, this book is a compelling read, hard to put down once I started, and introduced me to a culinary icon that somehow illuded me to this point. Despite my hesitancy to believe everything McNamee relates, the quality of his writing alone makes this biography a worthwhile read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and well written (I especially liked its conversational style). It not only gave a cogent account of how Craig Claiborne changed the way we eat, it also described the life and times of the 60's 70's and 80's New York. Especially the era when newspapers actually made decent money, gay people were still in the closet, and one man and newspaper could have literally invented the job of restaurant reviewer. This book accurately honors the incredible legacy that is Craig Claiborne. We may have gotten Julia Child, Michael Pollan, the Food Network, and all those "top chef" shows any way, but the landscape would surely look very different without Craig Claiborne. His influence not only in bring great french food to the awareness of Americans but also the greatness of its ethnic diversity. The biggest compliment I can give a book is to look into reading Mr McNamee's other books.
BTW, I never give anything 5 stars...sorry
John Molloy

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

McNamee's biography about Craig Claiborne tells the story of a complex man and his monumental influence on the culinary world with its revolutionary changes starting in the 1960's. We are introduced to new food trends, both in the United States and France, and the many culinary stars of the time, including those he helped create during his days at the New York Times. Claiborne's Mississippi heritage and his troubled relationship with his mother, his sexual preferences and choice of partners, and his alcohol addictions are all integral to his development as the man whose words and actions impacted the chefs, restaurants, and culinary trends he wrote about. The book is well researched and documented, with a reference to a 1968 article by Nora Ephron in New York Magazine, "Critics in the World of the Rising Souffle," her critique of the same world McNamee describes in this book that all my foodie friends will surely enjoy.

[Anne Mccune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Claiborne certainly made his mark on the way America and the world has regarded eating in America. He was in the right place at the right time and wouldn't have made such a strong impression on our culinary habits without a lot of happenstance. His growing up observing the preparation of food in his mother's boarding home, his stint in the Navy, and his enrollment in the Swiss Culinary school all were instrumental in preparing him for his life work reporting on food. My regret is that perhaps I'd have enjoyed the book a little more if less detail about his personal shortcomings had been included. He did a good job in promoting good cuisine. It seemed unnecessary to go into all the detail about his failures and extravagant habits.

I am glad he was on the scene to give rise to improving the quality of food served in restaurants, the use of fresh ingredients, and the importance of presentation.