Book Review: The Fertile Crescent

Reviewed by Peter Hassebroek

A mouth-watering, vibrant depiction of the New Orleans culinary world

At an early age, Chef Laurent Ladnier demonstrated his aptitude for cooking. He also developed an affinity for combining food sources thanks to a French mother, Irish father, a Vietnamese family friend, and of course the American South. He was a prodigy, envisioning a future where he established “true world fusion” in his cherished native city. But this dream withered with the demands of a troubled family, including a father who died at forty, possibly taking his own life.

Laurent is now approaching forty and wary of a similar fate, despite being head chef at the respected Café Bonhomie. It’s owned by risk-averse Gerard, who keeps tyrannical control of his staff and menu. Gerard isn’t open to the kind of innovation simmering inside Laurent, content with traditional Cajun-Creole dishes that cater to the expectations of tourists and a conservative local clientele. This clashes with the mindset of a chef whose:

“. . . passion for the kitchen had melded with my own quirky spirit to produce a love of preparing unique, even completely original dishes. Original to the point of the eccentric, while still delicious. I loved this form of cooking more than decent sleep, financial security, even my own health.”

One Sunday when Gerard is out of town, Laurent creates an alternate menu alongside the regular Bonhomie bill of fare. Other than a rival’s expected petty criticisms, the dishes are well received—and by important people who can open doors. Laurent’s insubordination is inevitably punished, but the gamble spurs the impetus to go all-in with his vision.

It’s an auspicious start with restauranteur Wilson, whose Cayenne Club has been struggling and is ripe for a culinary risk. And the risk does bring challenges and rewards that come frequently and unpredictably. Not only from the restaurant, but also Laurent’s personal life, with his girlfriend and the family drama that continues to get in the way of his career.

Everything is told from Laurent’s first person perspective and what comes through consistently is his passion. We go beyond just hearing of this passion and instead feel it intimately through author Chadwick Wall’s dexterous, loving food descriptions, whether about Laurent’s vision or the creations of others. But we also see it in the admiration he has for this city. The novel’s rich atmosphere mixes the grittier non-touristy parts of New Orleans along with the more affluent ones.

Revitalizing Wilson’s Cayenne Club also makes for some deeply interesting reading material. The interior design, kitchen layout, menu, and of course hiring staff. An eclectic bunch recruited not just for their ability to cook but their creative synergy with Laurent’s vision. For instance one applicant, Brooke, quotes from a (fictional) book called Spirits in Your Kitchen:

“. . . not only humans have spirit and energy. Animals do, and plant life has it. A certain remnant of an animal remains in the meat. Something remains in every vegetable, too, and eating it can influence who you are. Thoughts, behavior. And that a chef can evoke the essence, the spirit of an animal or plant through its presentation on the plate.”

Such pensive asides add depth to further round out Laurent’s expression of his vision. A vision each buys into, albeit in their own ways. The unity of purpose does not neutralize the human factor. The tensions of a team of disparate individuals working together in a hot kitchen are narrated in a way no television reality show can emulate. This feels very real.

Laurent is a (self-admittedly) flawed protagonist who’s often his own worst enemy. His is an intense, complex life even before the novel begins. He’s dramatic, but drama also finds him. There’s little middle ground in that people and events either work for him or against him, including the precipitous incident that drives the conclusion.

The Fertile Crescent is generously seasoned with an always surprising variety of spices of conflict and emotion.

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