The Last Chinese Chef
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Narrated by:
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James Chen
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Elisabeth Rodgers
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By:
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Nicole Mones
About this listen
In her satisfying, sensual third novel, Nicole Mones takes readers inside the hidden world of elite cuisine in modern China through the story of an American food writer in Beijing. When recently widowed Maggie McElroy is called to China to settle a claim against her late husband's estate, she is blindsided by the discovery that he may have led a double life. Since work is all that will keep her sane, her magazine editor assigns her to profile Sam, a half-Chinese American who is the last in a line of gifted chefs tracing back to the imperial palace. As she watches Sam gear up for Chinas Olympic culinary competition by planning the banquet of a lifetime, she begins to see past the cuisines artistry to glimpse its coherent expression of Chinese civilization. It is here, amid lessons of tradition, obligation, and human connection that she finds the secret ingredient that may yet heal her heart.
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Editorial reviews
Food writer Nicole Mones has spent 18 years traveling to China, so it's fair to say that when she writes about a food writer who spends two weeks in China, Mones is up to the task. Although the novel contains no actual recipes, it won a World Gourmand Award in the category of Chinese cookbook. Such is the extent to which Chinese food is the thread that holds this story together. Cutting a clear path through the forest of noodles is narrator Elisabeth Rodgers, giving voice to the metaphor that extends from cooking to loving with a refreshingly crisp negotiation of the Chinese language.
The food writer in the story is a widow on a mission to determine if her late husband fathered a child by some other woman during his work in China. Since she may as well do some work while waiting for the paternity test results, Maggie profiles Sam, a competitive cooking descendant of the famous chef who authored the canonical kitchen text The Last Chef. Each chapter begins with a short excerpt from this mythic cookbook that relates as much about Chinese sociology as it does about the value of pork fat, read by the always delightful James Chen, whose voice unfortunately pops up only in these opening bits.
Foodies will find a treasure trove of practical information on the unjustifiable undervaluing of Chinese cuisine, and all listeners will enjoy some extended lessons on the cultural traditions that can heal lonely hearts. Rodgers is terrifically funny as Sam's uptight uncles, as well as the enigmatic lawyer and translator who assist Maggie with her husband's estate. Mones has written her third paean to Chinese virtues, and whatever you may make of the legal drama or the love story, you will never look at a takeout menu the same way again. Megan Volpert
Critic reviews
"Early in her visit, Maggie scoffs at the idea that 'food can heal the human heart.' Mones smartly proves her wrong." ( Publishers Weekly)
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In her second novel written in English, Elif Shafak confronts her country's violent past in a vivid and colorful tale set in both Turkey and the United States. At its center is the "bastard" of the title, Asya, a 19-year-old woman who loves Johnny Cash and the French Existentialists, and the four sisters of the Kazanci family who all live together in an extended household in Istanbul.
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A tender gift from far away
- By Barbara on 11-07-07
By: Elif Shafak
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Under the Cajun Moon
- By: Mindy Starns Clark
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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What secrets can be found by the light of the Cajun moon? New Orleans may be the "Big Easy", but nothing about it was ever easy for international business etiquette expert Chloe Ledet. She moved away years ago, leaving her parents and their famous French Quarter restaurant behind. But when she hears that her father has been shot, she races home to be by his side and to handle his affairs, only to learn a longhidden secret that changes everything she knew to be true about herself and her family.
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Good clean mystery
- By Deborah on 10-11-11
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Half a Lifelong Romance
- A Novel
- By: Eileen Chang
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Manzhen is a young worker in a Shanghai factory where she meets Shijun, the son of wealthy merchants. Despite family complications, they fall in love and begin to dream of a shared life together - until circumstances force them apart. When they are reunited after many years, can they start their relationship again? Or is it destined to be the romance of only half a lifetime?
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super
- By Marcus Aurelius on 10-05-17
By: Eileen Chang
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Vatican Waltz
- A Novel
- By: Roland Merullo
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Cynthia Piantedosi lives a quiet, unassuming life with her elderly father just outside of Boston. When she loses her beloved grandmother as a child, her faith takes a turn for the devout, and she begins experiencing what she describes as "spells" - moments of such intense prayer that she loses herself. Uninterested in boys and a social life, she develops a deep friendship with the parish priest, whose ideas are often seen as too provocative by his congregation but who encourages her to explore her spells.
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I enjoyed it until the last page.
- By Pam on 08-15-16
By: Roland Merullo
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Lost in Translation
- By: Nicole Mones
- Narrated by: Angela Lin
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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A novel of searing intelligence and startling originality, Lost in Translation heralds the debut of a unique new voice on the literary landscape. Nicole Mones creates an unforgettable story of love and desire, of family ties and human conflict, and of one woman's struggle to lose herself in a foreign land - only to discover her home, her heart, herself.
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Absolutely fascinating!
- By Brendan on 10-16-10
By: Nicole Mones
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The Vine of Desire
- By: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Anju and Sudha formed an astounding, almost psychic connection during their childhood in India. When Anju invites Sudha, a single mother in Calcutta, to come live with her and her husband, Sunil, in California, Sudha foolishly accepts, knowing full well that Sunil has long desired her. As Sunil's attraction rises to the surface, the trio must struggle to make sense of the freedoms of America - and of the ties that bind them to India and to one another.
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Vine of desire
- By Mz Shantay on 03-27-21
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Death at the Chateau Bremont
- Verlaque and Bonnet Provençal Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: M.L. Longworth
- Narrated by: Christa Lewis
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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When local nobleman Étienne de Bremont falls to his death from the family château, it sets the historic town of Aix-en-Provence abuzz with rumors. The once-idyllic town suddenly seems filled with people who could have benefited from Bremont's death - including his playboy brother, François, who's heavily in debt and mixed up with some unsavory characters. But just as the list of suspects is being narrowed down, another death occurs. And this time, there can be no doubt - it's murder.
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Narrator is awful
- By F. M on 05-06-23
By: M.L. Longworth
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The Story Hour
- By: Thrity Umrigar
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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An experienced psychologist, Maggie carefully maintains emotional distance from her patients. But when she meets a young Indian woman who tried to kill herself, her professional detachment disintegrates. Cut off from her family in India, Lakshmi is desperately lonely and trapped in a loveless marriage. Moved by her plight, Maggie treats Lakshmi in her home office for free, quickly realizing that the despondent woman doesn't need a shrink; she needs a friend.
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A stellar performance almost carried the book...
- By Daryl on 03-04-15
By: Thrity Umrigar
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I'm Supposed to Protect You from All This
- A Memoir
- By: Nadja Spiegelman
- Narrated by: Nadja Spiegelman
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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For a long time, Nadja Spiegelman believed her mother was a fairy. More than her famous father, Maus creator Art Spiegelman, and even more than most mothers, hers - French-born New Yorker art director Françoise Mouly - exerted a force over reality that was both dazzling and daunting. As Nadja's body changed and "began to whisper to the adults around me in a language I did not understand", their relationship grew tense.
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Aweful
- By Haley Abreu on 07-05-17
By: Nadja Spiegelman
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To See the Moon Again
- By: Jamie Langston Turner
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The first step to letting go of the past is forgiving it …Every day of her life Julia Rich lives with the memory of a horrible accident she caused long ago. In the years since, she has tried to hide her guilt in the quiet routine of teaching at a small South Carolina college, avoiding close relationships with family and would-be friends. But one day a phone call from Carmen, a niece she has never met, disrupts her carefully controlled world.
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Beautiful Story of Forgiveness and Selfless Love
- By sharon on 09-20-14
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The Saturday Night Supper Club
- By: Carla Laureano
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she's dreamed and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back...even if that means joining forces with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.
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Nice story
- By Dawna on 12-05-18
By: Carla Laureano
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Lost Lake
- By: Sarah Addison Allen
- Narrated by: Janet Metzger
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard. Just an old photo and a few words on a small square of heavy stock, but when she saw it, she knew she was seeing her future. That was half a lifetime ago. Now Lost Lake is about to slip into Eby’s past. Her husband, George, is long passed. Most of her demanding extended family are gone.
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Pure Sarah Addison Allen
- By tooonce72 on 01-27-14
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Grand Central
- Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion
- By: Melanie Benjamin, Amanda Hodgkinson, Pam Jenoff, and others
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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On any particular day, thousands upon thousands of people pass through New York City's Grand Central Terminal, through the whispering gallery, beneath the ceiling of stars, and past the information booth and its beckoning four-faced clock, to whatever destination is calling them. It is a place where people come to say hello and good-bye. And each person has a story to tell.
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Grand Central: Memories
- By ZacharyKindle Customer on 05-03-17
By: Melanie Benjamin, and others
What listeners say about The Last Chinese Chef
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Andrea
- 01-07-13
A lovely read a romantic foody
What did you love best about The Last Chinese Chef?
The use of language! Mones use of verbs and descriptors made this food/mystery/romance palatable. Since listening to it we have been on a Chinese food cooking jag.
What does Elisabeth Rodgers and James Chen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Beautifully read. One of the best readings we have heard! Lovely intonation, never over done or flat.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Yes, we laughed. It brought back many memories for my husband.
Any additional comments?
We have already shared our love of this novel with friends
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8 people found this helpful
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- Lynn Berry
- 05-29-12
Wonderful!
If you could sum up The Last Chinese Chef in three words, what would they be?
Part history, part food love story, and part relationship - it was a fascinating voyage to a place I've never been before.
Who was your favorite character and why?
The food was my favorite character - the explanations and descriptions made it come alive and brought all the ancient principles to life.
Any additional comments?
It made me hungry - very hungry for Chinese food. The food I ordered had no resemblance to the masterpieces Sam made. I'm still hungry.
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4 people found this helpful
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- kevmeister
- 11-07-11
Strong on history, food, culture - thin on plot
In "The Last Chinese Chef" author Nicole Mones presents a glimpse into another corner of what we westerners often consider a veiled and mysterious culture. Mones' other credits include "A Cup of Light" and "Lost in Translation" (no relation to the film of the same name). I gave the main narrator Elisabeth Rodgers 4 stars for having the guts to tackle pronunciation of the names and terminology. Her portrayal of the book's characters was quite capable but not memorable. Co-narrator James Chen provides the "intro" to each chapter, reading excerpts from the fictitious book for which the novel is named.
In "Chef", Mones' central character Maggie McElroy is a writer for a popular food magazine whose own personal tragedy results in a journey of discovery into Chinese life and culture, and particularly food. The author draws heavily on her own experience and knowledge gained through many years of living in and writing about it as a contributor to Gourmet magazine. Her wealth of knowledge on the subject lends greatly to the authenticity of the story and also gives this book what I consider its strongest credit.
While the characters are all fairly well developed, the storyline is thin and predictable. However, the story does provide the basis for the rich and detailed descriptions of Chinese cuisine and its surprisingly integral and inextricable ties to the culture. This is the book's true strength. If you are a foodie, you will be enraptured by the detailed descriptions of the various dishes that are focal to the story. If you love history and learning about other cultures, you will find much to enjoy here. If you are a fan of both food and history... well stop reading this and go get "The Last Chinese Chef". Just make sure you read on a full stomach, or you'll soon be calling out for delivery!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ann
- 01-03-16
Surprising Read
I don't know why I picked this book up in the first place since this is not my typical listen, but I am glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I enjoyed the historical aspect of the communist impact to food and culture in general in China and the recent resurgence of the food culture. The author's description of widowhood were spot on in several places -- little things that most people don't think about, unless you have experienced it, rang true.
Unfortunately, I think this is a book that is better read than listened to, especially is you speak Mandarin. Elisabeth's reading of this book was disappointing for several reasons.
First, her reading cadence was off. It's not exactly flat but the rhythm is all off. It was difficult to get into the flow of the story for several chapters. Second, she should have spent some time learning to pronounce the very few Mandarin words that were scattered around the book. Even if you can get past the cadence, you get jarred out of the story by her pronunciation of the Mandarin words.
Despite the performance, I'm glad I persevered. It is a lovely story.
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- Laurie
- 09-14-17
A very nice story especially if you enjoy cooking.
If you enjoy cooking or eating Chinese food you will enjoy this book. It's also a sweet look into Chinese culture that is emerging into a modern nation but somehow keeping the identity of the past.
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- alan
- 08-14-11
Read it for Imperial cuisine and Chinese people
A pleasant car listen, very relaxing. The food is succulent, but the descriptions of Imperial cuisine, its philosophy, symbolic load, referents, etc. showed I’d never want to eat this stuff or learn the 3000 years of Chinese social/political/literary history necessary to appreciate it. Consider, for example, cooking down 30 crabs (and their shells), and absorbing the puree into tofu, just so it can masquerade as a humble dish and surprise jaded diners. All in all, a great explanation of the Imperial approach to food - and thereby a justification of the Chinese revolution and the revival of antiquarian interest in this genre of historical cookery.
Much better as food/philosophy than as shallow romance. The American narrator protagonist is a clueless space cadet who can do nothing but gush admiration for her man's achievement and for an uncomprehended culture. The man, an appealing sensitive Chinese-American chef who is determined to be traditional Chinese, nonetheless spurns Chinese women, as though only a Westerner will do... In the end, is there any more reason to accept these prejudicial stereotypes in romance novels, than in mystery novels, etc? As always, stereotypes testify to the author's limitations, but it is saddening to see these propagated.
The intertwined lines unfolding the plot are a great technical achievement. Most impressive, though, is the seamless integration of food, history, and attitudes. I hope the author will serve out more of this from the regional cuisines of China, where she’s lived for close to two decades. I am hungry for more of her cooking.
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- Jan
- 03-10-17
Delicious!
This book was delicious from the appetizers to the dessert! A great sorry woven through with information about the art and history of Chinese cooking. Now for that Chinese meal I am craving!
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- cinderbelle
- 12-11-12
I enjoyed this very much...
What did you love best about The Last Chinese Chef?
I enjoyed the developing friendship between Sam and Maggie. Sam was my favorite character.
What about Elisabeth Rodgers and James Chen ’s performance did you like?
I felt Elisabeth Rodgers was by turns, superb/outstanding/exceptionally good, but also fell into a cadence at times that irritated me... Still, I had to give the narration 5 stars because I enjoyed her reading more than most audiobooks I've listened to. James Chen was incredible...
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I was pretty touched throughout the story actually... I particularly enjoyed the last half hour of the book.
Any additional comments?
I'm glad I picked this one up... I want to listen to it again...
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5 people found this helpful
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- GP
- 12-13-15
A hidden gem
I started this audio book during a long drive. I think I bought it at one of the Audible sales, and often those turn out to be major duds. This lovely audio book was a complete delight.
The story was engaging, with believable characters with real emotions and concerns. Somehow the author manages to share everyone's viewpoint without making it a jumble of characters with juggled story lines which often leaves me confused and not particularly engaged with any of them. Each character's story is human, believable and plays a major role in helping us understand as the story unfolds.
No spoilers here, listen for yourself. It's a joy, an easy listen, yet deep in many places.
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- Kirsten
- 04-23-17
loved it!
this is one I will recommend to people! a really well done piece of writing
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