In The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food, acclaimed food writer Andrew Friedman (Knives at Dawn) takes foodies on a journey from slaughterhouse to kitchen to the menu of the now-closed Chicago fine-dining restaurant Wherewithall to chronicle how food systems and people interact to produce one beautiful dish of food.
At the center of The Dish is a simple question: How does it all fit together? With compassion and reverence, Friedman expertly weaves the stories of those whose work, both inside and outside of the restaurant, harmoniously coalesces to create a single plate of food. His profiles of Wherewithall workers, including the host, the dishwasher, and the chefs, showcase what makes them tick, and how their lived experiences and talent contribute to the well-oiled machine that is a fine dining restaurant. The Dish goes beyond the menu to give readers a peek at the collaboration that is the heartbeat of what we eat. --Sydney Tillman, freelance publicist