At her charming flat above a bistro in England, Pauline Parry was constantly enveloped in the comforting aromas of slow-roasted lamb and fresh-baked pie crusts, punctuated by the occasional whiff of freshly chopped garlic. It was the setting of Parry’s culinary apprenticeship, and where she discovered the secret recipe for a life filled with flavour and substance.
In her engaging new memoir, My Culinary Love Story, Parry invites readers inside her formative years in hospitality, the early days of her romance with her future husband and the life experiences that fed her entrepreneurial spirit. Along the way, she introduces readers to the people who nurtured her talents and helped shape the award-winning catering powerhouse she is today.
“In this book, I share my story with you. Food is an important part of it, as is love. Both are the foundation on which my marriage and my business are built and how we journeyed from England to America,” Parry writes. “It’s the reason I say that everything I do has been guided by food, fun, and love.”
It all begins when, as a newly single mother, Parry gets an unexpected invitation to work at a bistro in a quaint English market town. The job includes a flat above the bistro, so she would be able to work without being far from her children. After moving in, she finds she loves the excitement of the kitchen and of being on her own. But Parry is not alone for long.
She is soon joined on her journey by a handsome carpenter, and the result is a snowy, romantic Christmas wedding. Every juicy detail of Parry’s romantic relationship and every bite of the cuisine Parry learns to master are chronicled in a story that takes the reader from one English Christmas to the next.
Peppered with 64 delicious recipes, accompanied with beautiful watercolour illustrations by Janette Carpenter, My Culinary Love Story maps the author’s serendipitous encounters, the setbacks she faced with resilience and the many victories she met with gratitude.
In My Culinary Love Story, the lesson is clear: life is all about food, fun and love.
Pauline Parry is the renowned and highly sought after founder and president of Good Gracious! Events, an award-winning food and beverage company, and the author of My Culinary Love Story, a memoir and collection of her favorite recipes that started her on her career path and journey.Parry’s awards include Caterer of the Year, Best Event for a Corporation, Best Off Premise Caterer, The I-3 Award (Innovation, Inspiration and Instruction), ACE (Achievement in Catering Excellence) and the UK’s John Mossman Award for ICA, among others. She was an inductee into the English Event Industry Hall of Fame and the Wedding Industry Hall of Fame.
She enjoys bringing friends and family around the table at her home, watching films, drinking a good red wine and munching popcorn. She is a lifelong Beatles fan. On the few occasions of downtime, she enjoys spending time with her husband and grandsons, and keeping on top of all her favourite magazines. For more information, please visit https://paulineparry.net,
