Coming to My Senses

The Making of a Counterculture Cook

By: Alice Waters

Narrated by: Alice Waters

The long-awaited memoir from cultural icon and culinary standard bearer Alice Waters recalls the circuitous road and tumultuous times leading to the opening of what is arguably America's most influential restaurant.

When Alice Waters opened the doors of her "little French restaurant" in Berkeley, California, in 1971 at the age of 27, no one ever anticipated the indelible mark it would leave on the culinary landscape - Alice least of all. Fueled in equal parts by naiveté and a relentless pursuit of beauty and pure flavor, she turned her passion project into an iconic institution that redefined American cuisine for generations of chefs and food lovers.

In Coming to My Senses, Alice retraces the events that led her to 1517 Shattuck Avenue and the tumultuous times that emboldened her to find her own voice as a cook when the prevailing food culture was embracing convenience and uniformity. Moving from a repressive suburban upbringing to Berkeley in 1964 at the height of the free speech movement and campus unrest, she was drawn into a bohemian circle of charismatic figures whose views on design, politics, film, and food would ultimately inform the unique culture on which Chez Panisse was founded.

Dotted with stories, recipes, and letters, Coming to My Senses is at once deeply personal and modestly understated, a quietly revealing look at one woman's evolution from a rebellious yet impressionable follower to a respected activist who effects social and political change on a global level through the common bond of food.

©2017 Alice Waters (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[Waters] does an artful job of showing how even the most apparently unrelated experiences helped lead her to her profession. She is also quite frank about her failures; her relationships with lovers, friends, and colleagues; and her pride in remaining a part of the 1960's counterculture that nourished her. An almost charmed restaurant life that exhales the sweet aromas of honesty and self-awareness." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Alice Waters's narration is so approachable that it's as if she walks up to your table wearing an apron, carrying an enticing plate of food, and says, 'Eat this while I tell you my story'.... Another person could have narrated her story, but if that were the case, we would have missed hearing her passion for lighting and lettuce, her fears and excitement, and her gentle laugh." (AudioFile)

Not tight & crisp enough.

Alice is a formidable woman who has done so much to capture & refine American cuisine albeit with her Francophile sensibility. Her last book was more enjoyable because it was more thematic, organized, & disciplined. This book was a hot mess. It just careened from place to place in a rambling, repetitive, unorganized, & undisciplined way. There were bursts of interesting ideas & experiences concerning food & Chez Panisse, but they were few & far between long stretches of mind numbing dullness.I doubt she would cook something this muddled. I generally enjoy author narration, but it didn't work here. Too slow, too mumbly, too much emphasis on the wrong syllables or words.I believe it will have to be a hard nosed food journalist who writes the definitive Alice Waters book.

Part of our history

An authentic window on the history of our times written and read by an important participant

Difficult to listen to

This is probably a better book when you read it versus listen to it. Alice Waters should not be narrating this...it’s very difficult to follow her. I took the advice of another reviewer and increased the playback speed; I still couldn’t handle it. I could not finish listening to this.

Pretty good

Push past Waters’ voice, and you’ll love it. I’m a cook, and enjoyed her simple but relevant thoughts that led her to success. Makes me believe in my self.

Excellent Story

I love Alice Water's sensibility, it is so detailed and enlightening. I am fascinated by her journey and it is well told. Sometimes an author should not read their story. I love what Alice Waters has to say although the early history is a bit long winded. Her voice is not easy to listen to as it is sing/songy with no dramatic performance at powerful moments in her life. All the dramatic moments are told in the same pitch. A great actress would have made this a deeper listening experience.

I was interested in how she evolved into a counterculture chef/restauranteur. She is a good writer. I throughly enjoyed her book and do recommend it.

The Life of Alice Waters

Alice Waters narrates her life story from her early life to the eventual opening of her famous restaurant. She takes time to reflect and honor those in her life who have influenced her, and her dream of opening a counter culture restaurant.

This book isn't all what I expected - it was much more a human story than a hero's journey. It was a family story, the kind my parents and grandparents would tell as we worked in the kitchen. In the end I think this was her purpose in writing - a kind of counter-culture biography that cherishes a generation of experience and its influence on food.

A good biographical tale.

I enjoyed hearing Alice Water's life story on how she came to own Chez Panisse.

Alice Waters is an American Treasure

A life well lived, and I loved that she read it. Sad when it was over, and can't wait to dine at Chez Panisse knowing the backstory of how it came to be.

A true memoir:

It’s a memoir: An account who Ms. Waters sees herself to be and how she got there went there, what she thinks about the world (holistically) and it what way. Yes there are accounts of food, travel, drink, and love- but also of how she developed philosophy : never forget that food is alive and that cooking and eating are essential parts of life.” And her politics. So it’s really an account of how she thinks about the world and acts in in it. And it is lovely, sentimental, and amusing.

Ms.Waters also manages a neat trick: she reveals who she is without revealing too much.



It’s a great book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

Amazing storytelling!

For fans who love Alice Waters and enjoy learning from her, this is a must listen. I was always excited for a free moment to listen to this audiobook. She is such an amazing woman and glad she shared her journey with us.