Available June 3, 2025.

Click here to preorder.

“Warm and generous, precise and exacting, this book is one of a kind, tied together by Birdsall's knowingness and generosity. An absolutely gorgeous work.” 

— Bryan Washington, Family Meal

“Birdsall's genius has given us a queer chronicle, full of both famous names and untold stories, revealing the subversive secret life of food in America.”

 — Andrew Sean Greer, Less and Less Is Lost

“The book defies category: it’s a history and a philosophical argument, a chain of interconnected stories told in Birdsall’s unmistakable voice, sexy and joyous and angry and thrumming with life.”

— Helen Rosner, The New Yorker

“John Birdsall masterfully unveils the hidden stories of influential figures who have shaped American cuisine—individuals whose queer identities often remain unrecognized. With compassion and insight, he brings their journeys to life.”

— Nik Sharma, The Flavor Equation and Veg-Table

“I couldn’t help but read large portions of this book out loud to give the masterful storytelling a voice and ring loud. John Birdsall continues to establish himself as one of my most anticipated writers.”

— Lisa Donovan, Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger