Jay Rayner

Combining memoir with vivid scenes at the table; interviews with the world’s most renowned chefs, restaurateurs, and eaters; and a few well-placed rants and raves about life as a paid gourmand, Rayner puts his thoughtful, innovative, and hilarious stamp on food writing. He reports on high-end gastronomy from Vegas to Dubai, Moscow to Tokyo, London to New York, ending in Paris where he attempts to do with Michelin-starred restaurants what Morgan Spurlock did with McDonald’s in Super Size show more Me—eating at those establishments on consecutive days and never refusing a sixteen-course tasting menu when it’s offered. The Man Who Ate the World is a fascinating and riotous look at the business and pleasure of fine dining. Reminded me of Jeffrey Steingarten. show less

"As a man who has rarely met a calorie he couldn't hug, I should love a buffet: all that food, full out there on display." (page 67) ...... I just knew there was going to be a big BUT following that sentence and there was! This book by Jay Rayner is such good fun and perfect for a pick up put down have a chuckle kind of read. It's not long, only 134 pages with short, witty chapters. It's the sort of book that could be endless. People who write columns for magazines and newspapers have a show more knack of making simple, everyday things in our lives sound interesting and funny and their columns always leave me saying, why can't I write like that! As a food critic who loves to cook at home, the author has what I would call an obsession with bacon - "As far as I can see there is no savoury dish that can't be improved by the application of a little pig." (page 9) If you're looking for a delicious, tongue in cheek look at all things foodie in our lives, look no further. As Julia Child once said "People who love to eat are always the best people." show less

This book was published in 2013, and in many ways, the world has changed. Back then, Brexit didn't exist: now it's almost a fait accompli. Nor was the debate about climate change quite so centre stage.
However, much of what Rayner writes about concerning food imports, feeding an exploding world population and so on remains germane. He treats this extremely important subject with a light touch, leavening his writing with personal anecdotes which are in fact relevant to his argument. I don't show more agree with all his conclusions - I think the organic movement has much to teach us about sustainability and soil health for instance. But he has made me look again at the arguments round such topics as food miles. A thought provoking, interesting and entertaining read. show less

British South American Airways flight G-AGWH Star Dust famously disappeared above the Andes in August 1947, after radio operator Dennis Harmer repeated the mysterious coded message 'STENDEC'. Nobody knew what became of the plane, its crew of five and six passengers until 2000, when a sighting by two climbers two years earlier lead to the discovery of the wreckage.

Jay Rayner tells the fascinating story of Star Dust's fate, as well as the history and rapid demise of the BSAA airline and the show more eccentric war hero, Don Bennett, who ran the whole operation - well, into the ground. There are few definitive answers given - investigators can surmise that the Star Dust crashed as a result of a 'CFIT', or controlled flight into terrain, but not why. And 'STENDEC' remains an eternal mystery. But the whole unravelling of the tale is a readable blend of history, science and legend. I just wish the BBC would repeat the Horizon documentary on the Star Dust now! show less