FOODIE NOVELS http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636 daisysinherhair Is anyone else writing a novel about a foodie or chef? I'm sure I can't be alone in this. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:25:19 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9270 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9270 Heather Kamins Sort of? The one I'm thinking of doing involves competitive baking. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:31:00 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9346 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9346 CarolinaWriter Not this year, but in a project idea I have, my MC is a pastry chef. I am also playing with the idea of a "who dun it" with the setting being one of those "Foodie Cruises" - complete with over-the-top celebrity chefs. Yes - I am a Food Network/Cooking Channel Addict :) Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:48:16 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10728 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10728 DarthFormal Mine is such a foodie novel! Or, at least I'm being inspired by my love of food. Is that the same thing? My main character is going to be going through the trials and tribulations of operating a food truck with no professional cooking experience. I know nothing about operating a food truck, but I'm hoping watching 2 seasons worth of the Great Food Truck Race will help! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:02:56 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17655 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17655 daisysinherhair That sounds really awesome. I am using alot of the knowledge I have learned by watching chopped. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:05:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18924 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18924 DarthFormal Chopped is an awesome place for inspiration. The ingredient combos they throw at their contestants are truly crazy at times. Your plot sounds awesome as well! I hope you don't mind my following your progress with it :). Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:32:25 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20656 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20656 knittingkneedle Not exactly, even if my title has a foodstuff in it, but the female main character does work in a run down kebab joint. She hates it. The place is pretty damn close to health violation and the donner kebabs are pretty much a biohazard. I do love foodie novels- too many baking shows watched on my part Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:26:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_25080 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_25080 daisysinherhair Not at all. I could always use more writing buddies!!! Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:28:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_27353 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_27353 ikirkwood62@gmail.com Mines about a food network chef :) I mean, come on. Everyone loves to read about Food! Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:48:23 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82625 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82625 Erdboden The first ever Nano I tried to write (and failed after 4000 words or so) involved two university drop-outs touring England's finest burger vans and establishments, until the protagonist (nicknamed Bourdain for kicks) got bored. This half-formed idea has since been worked on extensively and may be whipped into shape for this year, if I can stomp my other ideas into submission. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:09:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_100417 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_100417 Heather Kamins You know, it occurs to me that foodie novels could include recipes as word padding... :) I love those food competition shows, too. Chopped is great. Some of the Food Network baking competitions are part of what inspired my idea. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:18:30 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113669 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113669 heavy hedonist I'm not doing a foodie novel this year, but I'll be watching this thread hungrily. Perhaps we'll have to petition the powers-that-be-wrimo about adding a new genre... Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:28:15 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_119072 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_119072 Ginger11 I am writing a novel about a failing French restaurant called Jacques' Place. A new owner comes in Restaurant Impossible-style and changes everything, in the process falling in love with the former owner. I was looking for some food- based dares to include in my novel. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:32:49 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_136018 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_136018 qpidity My novel's about an aspiring female chef who becomes an apprentice to her world-renowned executive chef dad. The catch is that she's an illegitimate daughter and there is barely enough proof for her to be his. Most of the story focuses on the restaurant as a whole because everyone else, chefs and even the maitre d', are either backstabbing liars or lying sheep. I plan to put tons of real recipes and food facts in it. xD Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:54:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_140949 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_140949 Ginger11 Sounds interesting. How does she find out she's the daughter of the chef, and how does he feel about her, and how did she come to be his assistant? Just curious. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:54:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_151735 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_151735 qpidity Basically, I'm not going to actually say she's his daughter and he's not going to explicitly say anything about it either. Her only parent, her mom, dies and her last words were the executive chef's name so the lead character just assumes things. She goes to see him and it turns out her mother is his first love and he decides to make her his apprentice just because she looks like her mom and his kitchen staff isn't exactly good nominees. Hahaha! It's more about the characters effing things up every chance they get. xD Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:16:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_153820 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_153820 daisysinherhair I love that idea. Like have at least 100 words just be a recipe at the end of every chapter. That would be a nice way to pad my word count and get dinner on the table by trying new recipes. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:59:18 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_157413 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_157413 daisysinherhair This sounds fantastic. I would love to read this!!! Good luck Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_157428 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_157428 qpidity Why thank you! Good luck to everyone of us! Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:11:15 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_195353 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_195353 Canas One of my MCs is a foodie...except it's more along the lines of one struggle is her explaining to an AI system why she loves food so much. Kinda gets a bit more transcendental at that stage than I would like. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:17:26 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_216835 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_216835 Ginger11 It does sound interesting. As long as it's not a whole novel's worth of the chef yelling and throwing temper tantrums at everyone when they do mess up. :) I think my chef is going to be a man of few words. If he sees someone mess up, he looks at them pointedly, says "I'm not serving that. Do it right or get out." No yelling, no screaming. Just a my way or the highway mentality. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:21:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_230744 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_230744 qpidity Haha! Well to pay homage to Chef Gordon Ramsay, the inspiration of the executive chef, there is a scene where he goes ape...ehrm...crazy and yells at one of the sous chefs. But 2/3 of it is outside of the kitchen. It's about the restaurant as a whole and the characters in general. But I can't say no to featuring yummy dishes! "Out of my kitchen, you talentless monkey!" Nothing like that? xD I'd like to work in that kitchen, please. :)) Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:45:57 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_241914 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_241914 Liniya It's not quite a food novel, but the twin of my MMC loves to cook. She is a sometimes chef at a high-end restaurant and cooks elaborate meals for six all the time - even though only two people live at home. I will indeed be talking about food some... and how my MMC likes food, but really didn't care for the details as he hears his twin ramble about how awesome it was she found the rock sugar or something ridiculous. ^^ Sat, 29 Oct 2011 03:27:37 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_277549 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_277549 bighillgoddess I am inclined to write a foodie novel, as I particularly enjoy cozy mysteries and other fiction that include food and recipes. I keep thinking about a FMC working in a bakery and sandwich shop that is very pagan themed but there is a persistent niggling thought that it has already been done. qpidity, that sounds like something I would enjoy reading! And Ginger11, I love Restaurant Impossible! Good luck to all of us. I am a pantser so my planned foodie novel may not have a morself of food in it, after all. I won't know until I get started. :D Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:34:18 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_281997 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_281997 qpidity Thank you! Good luck to you too. Your plot's something I haven't heard of, or at least I can't remember hearing it until now. xD Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:22:22 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_342780 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_342780 FeastOfFools I wouldn't necessarily say mine's a 'foodie' novel, but my main character is vegan, which is a bit of a theme... :) Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:56:36 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_358726 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_358726 OpheliasMusing My protagonist is a food critic who travels back to her native Ireland for the death of her beloved grandmother. In the process, she uncovers a dark family secret that shatters everything she thought she knew about her family and identity. I decided to make her a food critic so I can spend lengthy passages describing all sorts of delicious meals from my recent trip to Ireland ;) My opening scene? She's trying to choke down ika sashimi (to no avail). Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:01:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_379024 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_379024 davidcrabtree Some very good plot ideas so far! I think it's a great idea to have a chef as a MC as they're known for their passion! I can't wait to come back here and read some passages describing tastes, as I suspect I will be needing help! My MC is a synesthete and can taste words, so I'll be describing all the tastes without the calories! Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:24:02 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_384467 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_384467 Liniya Yup. It happened. Lini's Adventures of Noveling #272: Discovering that your novel is actually going to feature food heavily nearly right away, but being in the state of denial until you mention food again... two chapters later. Darn it. Oh well! I love food! Celeb's exposure to food will be good. And I think Evie will appreciate food too, so it'll work out. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:09:33 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_418128 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_418128 J_S_C Oh yeah, the my main character is a baker, her father was a baker and in the end, she wants to get a cookbook published so she starts entering Food Network competitions to get her name on the tongues of the cook book buying populace. --JSC Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:55:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437553 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437553 anzoey Yup! My FMC is disgraced former pastry chef who is trying to get back into the business. She is more or less blacklisted so she changes her appearance to disguise herself. My MMC is hot headed minor "celebrity" chef(think a young Anthony Bourdain with slight Gordon Ramsay tendencies) who ends up running the bistro she works at. The pair will have this love/hate/rivalry/respect thing going on between them and ultimately he'll figure out who she is, then try to help her regain her good name. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:12:24 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=2#forum_thread_comment_485983 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=2#forum_thread_comment_485983 SparkleKate MC is a famous chef. FMC is an up-and-coming pastry chef/cake decorator. Right there with ya! :) Sat, 12 Nov 2011 18:26:11 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_665420 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=1#forum_thread_comment_665420 Ginger11 Hey, guys. All these novels with chefs or foodies as main characters must be set in restaurants at least part of the time. I've been told by some critiquers that excessive scenes which take place in restaurants are boring, because all the characters are doing is eating and talking. How do you get around the boredom or the mundane-ness of the setting? I'm writing this thing, and I'm bored. If I'm bored, how can I expect my readers to stay interested. Your thoughts on the subject are helpful. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:48:27 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=2#forum_thread_comment_682041 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/1636?page=2#forum_thread_comment_682041