French cuisine is often seen as timeless, elegant, and untouchable—but what if its rise was anything but inevitable?

My guest is Luke Barr, a James Beard Foundation Book Award nominee and acclaimed writer whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, GQ, and more.

In his fascinating book, The Secret History of French Cooking, Barr uncovers the dramatic, messy, and often political story behind how French cuisine became the gold standard of the culinary world—through larger-than-life chefs, cultural upheaval, and a battle for taste itself.