The Man Who Ate the World

Award-winning journalist, writer and broadcaster Jay Rayner takes on the world in this witty and erudite account of his search for the perfect dinner.

THE MAN WHO ATE THE WORLD is a journey through the great cities of the world. It s about extraordinary restaurants and the people who visit them. It s about the globalisation of high culture, the market in taste and the money spent on it. And, of course, it s about dinner. From Las Vegas to Moscow, Dubai to Tokyo and New York to London, Jay Rayner chronicles the revolution in high-end gastronomy that has been sweeping the world since the late eighties.

Not simply an account of endless meals in high-end restaurants, it is an exploration of the cities and cultures in which they are found; the inevitable involvement of Russian mafia in Moscow s luxury post-soviet catering business, Tokyo s efforts to fuse ancient Asian culture with Western ideas, and the feverish cult of the Manhattan restaurant in a town which considers itself the most cosmopolitan in the world.

Part character-driven travelogue, part food critique, always sharp and funny, this book, now available in paperback, is the result of Jay's lifelong campaign to find the perfect meal. Just don t read it if you re hungry.