Uses for Obsession: A (Chef's) Memoir

Ben Shewry

Uses for Obsession: A (Chef's) Memoir
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Murdoch Books
Country
United Kingdom
Published
1 October 2024
Pages
272
ISBN
9781922616845

Uses for Obsession: A (Chef’s) Memoir

Ben Shewry

Signed copies are available while stock lasts.

Purchase a copy of Uses for Obsession for your chance to win a $300 voucher for Attica! Order online before 31 October 2024 to be automatically entered in the draw to win, or buy in our shops and email your receipt to [email protected]. T&Cs apply, see online for details.

Chef and restaurateur Ben Shewry knows obsession well. Whether it's crispy-edged lasagne, saltwater crocodile ribs or the perfect potato, obsession is what motivates him and what makes him tick. It's also what has propelled his Melbourne restaurant Attica into the league of the most innovative, acclaimed dining experiences in the world, and one of the most vital in Australian history.

In this absorbing and wide-ranging memoir meets manifesto, Shewry applies his sometimes searing, sometimes comic eye to creative freedom in the kitchen, food journalism, sexism in hospitality, the fraud of the farm-to-table sustainability ethos, the cult of the chef, cooking as muse and the legendary Family Bolognese.

Raised on a farm in a close-knit rural New Zealand family, he shares how a childhood surrounded by nature and a reverence for First People's cultures has influenced his work, the values he lives by, and the meticulous, inventive multi-course menu that is synonymous with Attica. Uses for Obsession also tells the intimate, desperate story of how Attica survived 262 days with an empty dining room. How, during a time of epic hospitality transformation, it morphed into a takeaway food business, a merch shop and a summer camp. He was told it couldn't be done and that doubt both tortured and drove him.

At its heart, this is a positive story, an antidote to the macho chef culture that thrives on old ideas about leadership and success. Shewry prosecutes the compelling case for a new way forward. A bold blueprint for the restaurant - and workplace - of the future. One built on kindness, community, truth and a commitment to never giving up.

Review

Ben Shewry’s book is an argument in favour of creative control. The Attica head chef and owner highlights the best parts of hospitality while wrestling with the worst. He goes all in: this is manifesto territory. Rants in all directions are cut with food memories from a childhood in New Zealand and surreal career moments. Life’s highs and lows all feature and make for an entertaining and eye-opening read.

The book feels well timed, if not overdue. There have been headlines about toxic hospitality recently, but these are iceberg tips; accountability and cultural change remain to be seen. Open regarding his own mistakes and lessons learned, Shewry shares steps he has taken in striving to create a better, more inclusive workplace with Attica. He asks men to be accountable, food media to take restaurants to task over poor culture and sustainability practices and calls out the shallow behaviours of reviewers and award systems.

There are three recipes only in the book, for three different approaches to bolognese (family, ‘authentic’ and Attica obsession level). These are contained within an exuberant chapter about lasagne. Even Aotearoa’s freezer favourite the Lasagne Topper gets a shout-out in this deep-dive, although I can’t say I agree with Shewry’s choice of music to accompany this particular delicacy.

In a fascinating chapter on bimbullas (blood cockles), Shewry invites us to embrace the ancient, living cooking knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the extraordinary range of ingredients native to Australia. It’s also a joy to learn how a second-hand David Thompson book led to a Thai-food obsession. From keeping the local bong shop in business during (food) smoking experiments at Attica, to dining at Sydney’s Marque immediately after being hit by a bus, Shewry’s boundless passion, curiosity and drive are evident on every page.

Behind-the-scenes explanations of Attica’s pivot to takeaway and subsequent Summer Camp make interesting reading and highlight how industriousness and community-focus have served Shewry well.

This is essential reading for anyone working in hospitality or food media and, of course, for fellow food obsessives, but also more broadly for creative people trying to carve out a career that has a positive impact or looking to shift workplace culture and lead with empathy.

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