Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll: How Food Lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits and Wanderers Created a New American Profession

Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll traces the rise of the American restaurant chef and culinary culture from the 1970s through the 1980s. Andrew Friedman examines this evolution from coast to coast, exploring how the politically charged environment of Berkeley drew new talent to restaurants like Chez Panisse; how Los Angeles developed an underrated chef community including Wolfgang Puck, Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, and Nancy Silverton; and how New York City saw a clash between established French chefs and American innovators at establishments like The Quilted Giraffe and The River Cafe. The book follows young cooks of the era, such as Tom Colicchio and Emeril Lagasse, who became prominent figures. Drawing on over two hundred interviews with food writers, critics, and chefs including Ruth Reichl, Jeremiah Tower, Alice Waters, Jonathan Waxman, and Barry Wine, the narrative captures the perspectives of chefs, line cooks, front-of-house staff, investors, and critics. The account documents the profession's transformation as the Food Network emerged in the 1980s, told largely through firsthand accounts of those who experienced this period.