Books Like The Hundred-Foot Journey

Books Like The Hundred-Foot Journey

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais is a 2008 novel about the rivalry between an Indian restaurant and a traditional French one as they compete across the street from each other. However, the story also touches on the differences between cultures and how food can bring people together. The novel was later adapted into a 2014 film starring Helen Mirren and Manish Dayal, which was received well by audiences. Although The Hundred-Foot Journey explores a lot of other themes, food always remains at the heart of the story. For more stories featuring mouth-watering dishes served up by the characters, check out the following books like The Hundred-Foot Journey.

Delicious!

by Ruth Reichl

Delicious! by Ruth Reichl

In The Hundred-Foot Journey, Hassan has the ability from childhood to sniff out the best quality fish. In Delicious! by Ruth Reichl, Billie Breslin is a protagonist with a similarly refined palate. She is able to taste any dish and not only know what the ingredients are but also what flavors it needs to be even better. Unfortunately, Billie also another quirk that is a little less useful given her talents; she does not cook. While working as an assistant to the editor of Delicious! magazine Billie ends up being the only employee kept on after the publication is folded by its publisher. Alone in the old mansion headquarters of the magazine, Billie uncovers a hidden room where she finds a bunch of letters written to the magazine by a young girl during World War 2. In the process of reading these letters, Billie also confronts the inner demons that have been keeping her out of the kitchen. Ruth Reichl was a restaurant critic and the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, so she knows a thing or two about food.

Chocolat

by Joanne Harris

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

The opening of a new Indian restaurant in a French village causes quite a stir in The Hundred-Foot Journey, which is similar to the theme of Chocolat by Joanne Harris. It is set in the small French village of Lansquenet where things have remained pretty much unchanged for years. Then, one day, an exotic stranger named Vianne shows up with her young daughter in tow and opens up a chocolate boutique right across from the church. Just like Madame Mallory reacts with hostility when an Indian restaurant opens across the street from her upscale French restaurant, the proprietor of the church, Father Reynaud is not pleased with the chocolate boutique either. As it is the beginning of Lent Father Reynaud considers Vianne to pose a serious moral danger to his congregation, especially as they can't seem to get enough of her chocolates. Just like The Hundred-Foot Journey, Chocolate was later turned into a film, which starred Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

The School of Essential Ingredients

by Erica Bauermeister

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Food plays a critical role in crossing the cultural divide between people in The Hundred-Foot Journey and is just as important in The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. It is not just the story of Lillian, who is a restaurateur running a cooking school out of her bistro, but also each one of her students who are using the classes as a way to deal with other issues in their lives. These students come from different walks of life and for their own reasons, but all end up changed by their experiences in the cooking class. This novel not only explores the lives and motivations of each student, but also the dishes that they prepare in class. The stories remain interesting, despite the large cast of characters, and the food descriptions are good enough to have readers reaching for their own recipe books.

The Abundance

by Amit Majmudar

Abundance by Amit Maimudar

Just like The Hundred-Foot Journey, The Abundance by Amit Majmudar is a novel that touches upon themes of food, traditions, different cultures, and family. Unlike Hassan from The Hundred-Foot Journey, Mala has never shown much interest in the Indian cuisine she eats at every gathering. However, when Mala and her brother Ronak discover that their mother only has a few months left to live they decide to spend more time with her. For Mala, it is an opportunity to learn the recipes from her mother that was passed on to her from her own mother. While cooking together, Mala and her mother confront the divisions that have led to their relationship fracturing and Mala moving away from the world of her first-generation immigrant parents. Unfortunately, this hard-won peace is strained by Ronak who comes up with his own plan to memorialize his mother.

Pomegranate Soup

by Marsha Mehran

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

Pomegranate Soup is the story of Marjan Aminpour and her younger sisters, Bahar and Layla. The Aminpour sisters fled Iran seven years ago and end up in the sheltered Irish village of Ballinacroagh. For the sisters, this village beneath the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick is not just a much-needed safe haven, but a place that they could finally call home. The sisters set out to create their own Persian oasis using the kitchen of an old pastry shop on Main Mall, which they transform into the Babylon Café. However, the exotic aromas of Babylon Café are a complete shock to a town that has been content to get by with the boiled cabbage and Guinness served at the local tavern. Although the sisters face opposition from some of the close-minded villagers who are stuck in their ways they also find supporters from some of the most unexpected avenues. Along with the trials and tribulations of the characters, Pomegranate Soup is also filled with delicious recipes that will leave readers salivating.