Burn the Place

A Memoir

By: Iliana Regan

Narrated by: Eileen Stevens

A singular, powerfully expressive debut memoir that traces one chef's struggle to find her place and what happens once she does.

Burn the Place is a galvanizing culinary memoir that chronicles Iliana Regan's journey from foraging on the family farm to opening her Michelin-starred restaurant, Elizabeth. Her story is alive with startling imagery, raw like that first bite of wild onion, and told with uncommon emotional power. It's a sure bet to be one of the most important new memoirs of 2019.

Regan grew up the youngest of four headstrong girls on a small farm in Northwest Indiana. Even when she was picking raspberries as a toddler still in diapers, Regan understood to pick only the ripe fruit and leave the rest for another day. In the family's leaf-strewn fields, the orange flutes of chanterelles seemed to beckon her, while they eluded others.

Regan has always had an intense, almost otherworldly connection with food and earth. Connecting with people, however, has always been harder. As she learned to cook in the farmhouse, got her first job in a professional kitchen at age 15, taught herself cutting-edge cuisine while running her "new forager" underground supper club, and worked her way from front-of-house staff to running her own kitchen, Regan often felt that she "wasn't made for this world." She was a little girl who longed to be a boy, gay in an intolerant community, an alcoholic before she turned 20, a woman in an industry dominated by men.

Burn the Place will introduce listeners to an important new voice from the American culinary scene, an underrepresented perspective from the professional kitchen, and a young star chef whose prose is as memorable and deserving of praise as her food.

A Publishers Weekly Pick of New Cooking Books of 2019

©2019 Iliana Regan (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A Must Read

One of the most real and raw books I’ve read in 20 years. A must read.

Great book and unique look into a passionate mind

I work in the food industry and enjoy getting a glimpse into the mind of a successful chef who devotes her life and passion into her career, exposing her insides , struggles with identity, and vulnerability for all to see. The stories are raw and real, unfiltered and entertaining, and relatable if you have worked in the business. A great writer. The narrator does a pretty good job also. (a few food terms are mispronounced though ) highly recommend

Superb!

A remarkable story by an even more remarkable person. The author’s ability to detail and all of describe such a rich and tough background is so refreshing! Highly recommended!

A deliciously authentic story

After listening straight through, I thought of how many levels this story reverberates. Love of food, flavor and experiences that add the back story to creativity. The brokenness of growing up in a world that is brutal to women and anyone who doesn’t fit the narrow molds of “society”, the drive to endure while simultaneously numbing the pain of growing up in said world. Thank you. I do hope I find myself at your table one day. It would be magic. Many your love together last forever.

Confusing

I found the story difficult to follow. It was like listening to Dory from Nemo tell her life story if she was a lesbian chef from Indiana………. She jumped around randomly in her story telling. One minute she was 5, the next 25, and then 17. This continued throughout the book. She did the same with relationships. It became rather frustrating.

Captivating

Sincere and inspiring, a must read if you are feeling a bit jaded! The author reminds us that we are our own saviors and that creativity is our greatest joy in this world

Dark

Very very dark but an ok read, ended with not really understanding the point of the story?????? Still wondering.

Disjointed story of food, family and bad choices

I really wanted to like this story of struggle and success by one of the few but growing community of female chefs and I stuck it out to the end but I would not recommend this book. It was scattered and lacking a through line. I’m fine to jump between timelines and stories but there needs to be connective tissue to tie it all together just like a great rib eye. Disappointed.

What a life!

Ileana is amazing! We love her story her honesty we are fans.. big fans. We’re looking forward to seeing her and Anna one day at Milkweed.

Instantly loved this book

Intrigued by the title and the subject matter I downloaded this book for a listen. Lordy. I was engrossed within minutes. I loved the cringe worthy frankness and the relatable nature of the author. Also her descriptive food porn is a plus. Highly recommended.