“A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died.
When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.
As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.“
Crystal King is a brilliant author and I loved her debut novel Feast of Sorrow. The Chef’s Secret is a fantastic follow-up in which King recreates the life and secrets of Bartolomeo Scappi, a real-life figure who authored one of the bestselling cookbooks and served as a private chef to the Vatican during the Renaissance. Despite his far-reaching influence on Italian culture and cuisine, much of Scappi’s personal life remains unknown. King takes some artistic license by imagining Scappi’s humble origins, his role in court intrigue, and his involvement in a forbidden romance.
King has a talent for engaging the five senses with her writing; what she does to taste is akin to what Patrick Süskind does to smell. Her delectable descriptions of the culinary arts are enough to make one’s mouth water. It’s clear when reading her works that King has done extensive research in order to capture the essence of 16th century Italian food, culture, and society and bring them to life.
I highly recommend The Chef’s Secret (as well as Feast of Sorrow) to any foodies or lovers of historical fiction. For those who enjoy cooking, King also wrote a companion cookbook filled with Renaissance Italian recipes, which can be downloaded from her website.
She was a paragon of good health and didn’t need to worry herself about the advice of doctors. She should instead worry about love. Love of the crumble of a lavender tourte against her tongue. Love of the delicate flavor of sole in a tarragon sauce. Love of the flaky crust of a prune and cherry crostata. Or love of the wine mingling with the taste of a pig freshly roasted on the spit
Excerpt from The Chef’s Secret
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