My father's recipe book

My Father's Recipe Book is a tender and mouth-watering story set in a French bistro.

For thirty years, Julien lived without knowing why his mother, Hélène, left, and why his father, Henri, let her go without saying a word and, ever since, has refused to mention her name.

Now, on the eve of saying goodbye to his father, who is succumbing to a serious illness, Julien has only one thing on his mind: finding Henri's long-lost recipe book; a gift from Hélène in which he recorded all the recipes that made him the renowned chef of the traditional Relais Fleuri restaurant.

More than that, the notebook represents the final link with the father Julien loves so much and the mother he misses so deeply. But will his father's culinary secrets finally help him find the answers to the questions that have always haunted him?

With this novel, Jacky Durand offers us a magnificent portrait of a man for whom cooking is more than just a job: it's the daily pleasure of sharing and the art of overcoming difficulties. A tender declaration of love from father to son, My Father's Recipe Book is a story of passing on a legacy, where, on every page, the author's writing is mouthwatering.

“A delightful romance.” — L'Express

“A magnificent love story, savored like a delicious meal.” – Le Parisien

“A beautiful novel, full of emotions, aromas, spices and raw feelings.” – Page des Libraires

“What a delight this story is, it awakens our soul and our taste buds!” – Le Pèlerin "

“I didn’t read this book, I devoured it.

It took me back in time and relived my time, when manual labor wasn't highly valued. Especially after World War II, parents wanted more for their children. So, everyone's dream was to study, to go to college. And people couldn't keep changing professions because their parents couldn't afford it.

This book reminded me a lot of a conversation I had with my father. I was only 14, and he said, "Are you sure you want to be a cook? You'll work on a day when others are having fun. There are jobs that are much more valued, professions that will give you more pleasure and allow you to spend much more time with your family." I was firm: "Dad, I'm sure." He explained: "I never had the opportunity, but you need to study." I reiterated: "Dad, but I want to be a cook." And he repeated: "But you'll have to study."

I remembered this conversation with my father so much while reading these pages. I cried, I was moved. Devour the book and you'll understand my story. I understood my life reading this work. I would love to be the author of this book. I identified so much with it that I could rewrite the story. I felt like a character. It reminded me of the French writer Marcel Pagnol, in The Glory of My Father , in which he highlights respect and family life. It made me think that when we're young, we don't have the big hearts to say everything we'd like to our father. And when he leaves, we regret not having said everything we could have.

Enjoy, and happy reading!”

Erick Jacquin — French chef, judge on Masterchef Brazil and host of the program Pesadelo na Cozinha.