The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique

Vérant’s latest novel (following Sophie Valroux’s Paris Stars) features another American in Paris. After a disastrous first opening at Kate’s new French bistro—a piano crashed through her restaurant’s awning, her sous-chef quit with no notice, and an irritating neighbor continually spars with her—her landlady, Garrance, forces a two-week closure of the restaurant so that Kate can regroup. Garrance is the owner of a perfume and spice shop, as well as being the owner of high-end resorts. She has two conditions for Kate’s reopening: first, Kate should incorporate Garrance’s exotic spices into her cooking and second, she will work with her irritating neighbor, Charles, as the new sous-chef. Charles is a Michelin-trained chef on sabbatical. Coincidentally, he’s also the (wealthy) son of Garrance. Kate starts to open her world beyond just the work of being a busy chef.