{"product_id":"main-middle-gay-a-chef-finds-his-place-in-the-world-against-all-odds-9781250436382","title":"Main, Middle \u0026 Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"It is amazing to read the story of how he came to be the chef he is―a pioneer for the industry, a believer in rural America, a supporter of local economies, and a wizard creating pure magic.\" ―Chef José Andrés\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe chef and founder of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Inn at Little Washington gives us an inside look at the tumultuous joys and struggles that have brought him to his special place at the intersection of Main, Middle, and Gay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWorld-renowned chef Patrick O'Connell has been recognized as a pioneer of American cuisine; his internationally acclaimed restaurant in the Virginia countryside, the Inn at Little Washington, is Michelin-starred and a Relais \u0026amp; Châteaux hotel. Named for the three historic streets in the little town where O'Connell's life and career have taken root, \u003ci\u003eMain, Middle \u0026amp; Gay\u003c\/i\u003e chronicles O'Connell's winding journey through the rough-and-tumble restaurant world. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eGrowing up gay in the 1950s and working as a paperboy and a cook at a hamburger joint, O'Connell found his place with other misfits in the addictive restaurant scene, where he learned to be nimble and grew up fast while working long hours and late nights with colorful characters. He lived free-spirited on farms with friends and traveled Europe, teaching himself to cook along the way. When he opened his restaurant in an old abandoned garage, he had no idea it would grow to the heights it has achieved today. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn his first-ever memoir, O'Connell shows us the evolution that has led the Inn at Little Washington to become a global destination for foodies and travelers alike.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Patrick O'Connell\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Celadon Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.14lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.53h x 6.46w x 1.09d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781250436382\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/13\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePatrick O'Connell\u003c\/b\u003e is a self-taught chef who pioneered a regional American cuisine in a rural Virginia village. His alliance with local farmers was born of necessity more than forty years ago, when nothing but milk was delivered to the town. In 1978, he opened the Inn at Little Washington in a former garage; now the restaurant is regarded as an international culinary shrine. Chef O'Connell is referred to as \"the Pope of American cuisine.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePatricia Wells of the \u003ci\u003eInternational Herald Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e named the Inn one of the top ten restaurants in the world, hailing O'Connell as \"a rare chef with a sense of near-perfect taste, like a musician with perfect pitch.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eO'Connell was asked to cook for Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Virginia in 2007. He has appeared on \u003ci\u003eGood Morning America\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eToday\u003c\/i\u003e show, \u003ci\u003eThe Early Show\u003c\/i\u003e on CBS, \u003ci\u003eThe Martha Stewart Show\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTop Chef\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Diane Rehm Show\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eCharlie Rose\u003c\/i\u003e and is a frequent guest speaker at the Smithsonian and the Culinary Institute of America.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Patrick O'Connell \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48944067969181,"sku":"9781250436382","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_238213a6-3221-4bdf-9e78-0a859ee9e6a4.jpg?v=1790153735","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/main-middle-gay-a-chef-finds-his-place-in-the-world-against-all-odds-9781250436382","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}