Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook by Alice Waters

Alice Waters' book, Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook is a personal memoir about her lifelong journey as a chef and food activist. She takes readers through her own path to becoming a pioneer in the food revolution, from her childhood years in Chatham, New Jersey to her college days in Berkeley and beyond. Waters chronicles her adventures in the culinary arts and the initial steps she took to create a better food system for all.

The book is divided into three main parts, the first of which focuses on Waters' early life. She recounts the relationships that she formed with her parents, her siblings, and her first friends, and tells stories of the delicious home-cooked meals she enjoyed that were cooked with love by her mother. Waters also shows how food provided her a way to express her creativity and how it helped her to form an identity apart from her family's expectations.

The second part of the book details how Waters was able to make the transition from a budding artist to a successful restaurateur and activist. She talks about her time in Paris, where she studied and then worked in top restaurants and began to appreciate the possibilities of a life dedicated to food. She also shares the trials she faced when she opened her own restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California. Through her struggles with bureaucracy and her lack of experience in the industry, Waters was able to persevere and create one of the most iconic restaurants in the world.

The third and final component of the book focuses on Waters' time as a food activist. She shares her commitment to serving organic and sustainable foods, her campaign for food education, and her efforts to make healthy eating accessible to more people. Waters also discusses how she used her platform as a chef to become a powerful advocate for sustainable agriculture and a more equitable food system.

Throughout Coming to My Senses, Waters intertwines narrative and memoir to bring her journey to life. Through vivid descriptions and personal recollections, she tells how she became a leader in the food revolution. In the final pages, readers are left with a feeling of profound admiration and understanding of what it took for Waters to make such an impactful career out of her passion.

In Coming to My Senses, Alice Waters offers a story of purpose, passion, and the power of food to bring people together. Through her memoir, readers are given a window into the life and work of one of the world’s foremost food activists. Waters’ story provides a unique insight into the making of a counterculture cook and offers an inspiring account of how one person was able to have a lasting impact on the industry and the way people eat.