The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais was published in 2008 and is the story of Hassan Kadam and his family. Hassan tells of his first 14 years in Bombay (present-day Mumbai). From early childhood, Hassan has been fascinated with Indian cuisine. He has studied with his mother and grandmother as they prepare food for pushcarts and for allied soldiers. Hassan's mother has always encouraged him to try new foods. She takes him to restaurants offering foods very foreign to him, and he savors the unusual tastes. His mother always questions the allied troops to discover what foods they miss most and then endeavors to adapt the new information to her dishes. Her teaching creates the basis for his burgeoning career.
When tragedy befalls the family, Papa sells their land in Bombay, packs up, and moves everyone to England. Not satisfied with life there, they leave for a trip across the continent. They find Lumiere, a village in Southern France-the site of an internationally known restaurant, Le Saule Pleureur, and Madame Mallory, its 2-star chef. 100 feet across the road, they create Maison Mumbai-much to Madame Mallory's disgust. She attempts to shut them down, to harass and threaten shop owners into selling their wares only to her, to have their garden restaurant closed, and to poison the minds of the villagers against them.
Hassan's life story and growth as a truly gifted chef who embraces both French and Indian cuisine as well as the unique cultures of both parallels and extends beyond the bitter rivalry between Madame Mallory and his Papa.
(Seeing the ad for the film made me seek out the book, and I've enjoyed it. Happy reading!)
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