A Taste of Sage

March 15, 2020
When Dominican chef Lumi Santana's unconventional restaurant fails, she takes a job as sous chef at traditional French outpost DAX, owned by the acerbic Julien Dax. Julien is presented as a Gordon Ramsay type who cuts an intimidating figure in the kitchen. But though Julien ejects a customer who deigns to ask for ketchup and fires a cook who ruins some expensive dried meat, Santos never fully captures either his bark or his bite. And although Lumi is a more fully realized character, she still suffers from lack of a strong plot to support her. Lumi repeatedly mentions how much she hates Julien, how little she enjoys her position at DAX, how every rude comment her boss makes brings her to the brink of quitting--but Santos writes the kitchen staff as friendly and Julien as sarcastic and nit-picky but affable. Most disappointing, the romance between Lumi and Julien is completely unearned. The two spend a minimal amount of time together before falling head over heels, so when both claim an intense and life-altering attraction, there is little evidence to support it. Several underdeveloped and unnecessary side plots (a disgruntled chef, an obsessive secretary) take needed time away from cultivating a real romantic connection between the main characters. It's clear that Santos is as proud of her Dominican heritage as she is passionate about food--when she shares the beauty of her culture (a thread of magical realism runs through the text in Lumi's ability to taste emotions in food) and lushly describes Lumi's culinary creations, the passages shine. But these brief moments are not enough to save the uneven writing and thin plot. This dish sounds good on the menu but ultimately fails a taste test.

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March 30, 2020
Santo cooks up a disappointingly bland debut romance between chefs. After the failure of Lumi Santana’s experimental Dominican restaurant in Manhattan, Lumi reluctantly takes a position as sous chef in Julien Dax’s traditional French restaurant. At first, Lumi and Julien butt heads, as Lumi attempts her own spin on traditional dishes, but Julien is attracted by Lumi’s beauty, and Lumi—who possesses the ability to discern a chef’s emotions when she eats their food—is intrigued by the depth of flavor and feeling in Julien’s cooking, and the two begin a romance. After Julien’s secretary, Esme, secretly assists in cooking a dessert, Lumi claims she can taste the bitter flavors of Esme’s jealousy of Lumi. Still, the women’s conflict fails to adequately complicate the plot, which plods along toward its happy ending with few surprises for the protagonists and little to no character development for Santos’s supporting cast of largely indistinguishable colleagues and friends. Santos’s creativity and humor, however, shine through occasionally in the recipes that accompany many chapters (for Lumi’s Rice Chex Smoothie, preparation instructions simply read, “Don’t”; others, such as a bouillabaisse with rouille, sound appetizing). Unfortunately, her recipe for romance is not equally inspired. Agent: Nick Owen, Pontas Literary & Film Agency.

April 1, 2020

DEBUT Lumi Santana's dreams of owning her own Dominican fusion restaurant have been dashed, and she's forced to apply for a position as a sous-chef for a fancy French chef who runs his kitchen with an iron fist. Lumi has been able to taste the emotions of various cooks' food her entire life, and she knows Julien Dax's cooking will taste rigid and unyielding. Julien is determined to see his restaurant succeed where others have failed, and he's convinced there's only one way to do it. Lumi's vibrant cooking style, however, is intriguing and he seeks out her ideas more and more. When Lumi finally samples a bite of Julien's cooking, she finds the food electric and starts to wonder if she's misjudged him. After a dangerous mishap in the kitchen, Lumi is sure she should stay far away from both Julien and the restaurant. Julien realizes if he wants Lumi in his life for good, he's going to have to open his mind to new ideas and different life goals. VERDICT Santos's debut blends the rare but real condition of synesthesia into a fast-paced if uneven romance. The recipes throughout make this a perfect recommendation to those checking out cookbooks with their romances.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

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April 15, 2020
New York City chef Lumi Santana is devastated when her cozy, cute Dominican restaurant is forced to shutter. Soon after, she takes a job as the sous chef at DAX, a French restaurant run by brooding bachelor Julien. Lumi is determined to keep her head down and focus on her craft. She never expects to fall for her boss, but their chemistry is undeniable, especially because of Lumi's unique case of synesthesia. Lumi can sense a person's emotions by tasting the food that they cook. One bite of Julien's cuisine tells Lumi everything she needs to know: Julien feels the heat too. Unfortunately things aren't so straightforward for this workplace romance. Their steamy connection is threatened at every turn by dismayed diners and Julien's jealous personal assistant. Lumi must use her mystical gift to guide them both toward happily ever after. Included throughout the story are the actual Dominican-French fusion recipes that Lumi and Julien create. This sweet and spicy tale will bring out the romantic epicurean in all who pull it off the shelves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)