Savor

A Chef's Hunger for More

By: Fatima Ali, Tarajia Morrell - contributor

Narrated by: Nikhaar Kishnani, Deepa Samuel

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • A young chef whose dreams were cut short savors every last minute as she explores food and adventure, illness and mortality in Savor, an “inspiring” (The New York Times Book Review) memoir and family story that sweeps from Pakistan to Manhattan and beyond.

“Ali’s strength and passion for food and her culture shines through. . . . This memoir is a tribute to the extraordinary life and impact she made in twenty-nine years.”—Oprah Daily (Best Books of the Year)

Fatima Ali won the hearts of viewers as the Fan Favorite of Bravo’s Top Chef in season fifteen. Twenty-nine years old, she was a dynamic, boundary-breaking chef and a bright new voice for change in the food world. After the taping wrapped and before the show aired, Fati was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Not one to ever slow down or admit defeat, the star chef vowed to spend her final year traveling the world, eating delicious food, and making memories with her loved ones. But when her condition abruptly worsened, her plans were sidelined. She pivoted, determined to make her final days count as she worked to tell the story of a brown girl chef who set out to make a name for herself, her food, and her culture.

Including writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh, and her collaborator, Tarajia Morrell, Savor is a deftly woven account and an inspiring ode to the food, family, and countries Fatima loved so much. Alternating between past and present, listeners are transported back to Pakistan and the childhoods of both Fatima and Farezeh, each deeply affected by cultural barriers that shaped the course of their lives. From the rustic stalls of the outdoor markets of Karachi to the kitchen and dining room of Meadowood, the acclaimed three-star Michelin restaurant where she apprenticed, Fati reflects on her life and her identity as a chef, a daughter, and a queer woman butting up against traditional views.

Savor is a triumphant memoir, at once an exploration of the sense of wonder that made Fatima so special and a shining testament to the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, it is a story about what it means to truly live, a profound and exquisite portrait of savoring every moment.

©2022 Fatima Ali, Tarajia Morrell (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Inspiring . . . Ali comes across as being sensual, vulnerable and wise. Even as she righteously mourns all that she’s losing, she maintains a wicked sense of humor. She writes, ‘I want to leave something behind, something traceable, that could perhaps help others to ride the bull, to grab life by the horns.’ With [Tarajia] Morrell as a posthumous guide, that is exactly what she has done with Savor.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A new posthumous memoir by beloved Pakistani American executive chef, restaurateur and television personality Fatima Ali . . . serves as an inspiring ode to the food, family and the countries Ali loved so much.”—Good Morning America

“Ali’s strength and passion for food and her culture shines through. Ali passed away in 2019 from bone cancer, and this memoir is a tribute to the extraordinary life and impact she made in 29 years.”—Oprah Daily

Loved this book🥰

Fatima was an amazing human being, and the world is better for having had her as long as she was gifted to be here💕 God bless her, and her wonderful family and friends…her supporters🌸

Beautiful

Beautifully done. Great narration. Thea stories are wonderfully descriptive and take you on a journey around the world.

Very well done

Have been a Fatima Ali fan since Top Chef. Her story is very well written, and I love how her mother’s chapters are intertwined with her. Like other memoirs published posthumously, you know it will end in sadness from the beginning, but I can’t help but get tearful anyway. Great read. Hope Fatima’s loved ones are getting closure through this book.

Powerful

Inspiring, heartbreaking, it’s beautifully sad how much can one person experience in such a short period yet no where near the length they deserve.

You will laugh, think, ponder, and cry with bittersweet love!

I just finished listening and as I type this I am wiping away tears! So much of her story and her moms I can relate to… it relates to all with the pain and beauty all in one space. I feel like I know her…. Like we have met and would have become friends. Emotions aside, her love for food and sharing it will make your taste buds bloom! I mentally kept track of all the dishes and restaurants mentioned, making a one day list for myself! This book, her journey shared, will forever be on my list of top books to read
And cherish!

Inspiring, Uplifting and Tragic

Loved this book! A mix of emotions and left saddened by the early loss of a beautiful life but heartened by the fullness of her time on earth. Narrating was perfect and the prose detail rich and engaging.

Very well written

I enjoyed reading this book. While the story is sad, it brought me to tears, her spirit and love of life is what you remember. Definitely worth reading. I highly recommend.