Gourmet Cuisine with a Side of Murder

Heike Henderson

Research output: Contribution to conferencePresentation

Abstract

In recent years, culinary mysteries, a subgenre of crime fiction, have enjoyed immense popularity. Marketed to both fans of detective fiction and food aficionados, they enjoy a large crossover appeal, which at least partially explains their commercial success. They satisfy both their readers' interest in crime fiction and their love of food. Particularly popular are mystery series that feature a recurring protagonist - usually a professional cook or caterer who seems to stumble over corpses wherever he or she goes. Due to their serial nature, readers can "get to know" the hero or heroine, enjoy their success in solving crimes, and at the same time learn more about food, food preparation, and life in professional kitchens.

After raising some general questions regarding the widespread appeal of culinary mysteries, I will then focus my analysis on one popular German mystery series. Tom Hillenbrand's Xavier Kieffer series (started in 2011, four books to date) centers on a professional cook. Hillenbrand's protagonist, a former Michelin-starred chef who now owns and operates a small restaurant in Luxemburg, uses culinary knowledge to solve the crimes that he gets entangled in. Food marketing, egomaniacal chefs, and the monetary implications of restaurant reviews all play a significant role in these very astute and entertaining mysteries. Hillenbrand also tackles important contemporary issues like the mass production of artificial flavors and synthetic flavor enhancers (in Teufelsfrucht , Devil's Fruit, 2011), the world of tuna fishing and trade (in Rotes Gold , Red Gold, 2012), or the relationship between global finance, technology, and the availability of food resources in Letzte Ernte (Last Harvest, 2013). He thus not only entertains his readers, but also informs them about a wide variety of food-related issues and concerns.

Original languageAmerican English
StatePublished - 30 Jul 2015
Event4th International Conference of the European Popular Culture Association (EPCA) -
Duration: 30 Jul 2015 → …

Conference

Conference4th International Conference of the European Popular Culture Association (EPCA)
Period30/07/15 → …

EGS Disciplines

  • German Literature

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