I picked up Tart with no prior knowledge of Slutty Cheff herself, drawn instead by the promise of a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes chaos and charm of the restaurant world. What I discovered was an entertaining and sharply observed account of life in London’s fine dining scene, told with wit, honesty, and a generous dash of irreverence.

At its heart, Tart is about a woman stepping away from the safety net of corporate life to follow her passion for food. What follows is a vibrant, often raw depiction of kitchen culture – the camaraderie, the exhaustion, the impossible hours, and the quiet triumphs that come with a perfectly executed service. There’s something deeply compelling about the way the author captures the energy of a kitchen in full swing, the adrenaline, the mess, the madness, and the joy.

Though the title and the persona might suggest a raunchy romp – and yes, there’s sex, flirtation, and a fair bit of saucy humour – what stood out to me was the focus on food. The sex is more of a garnish than the main course, adding spice to what is, at its core, a book about a woman carving out space in a male-dominated industry and finding her own rhythm.

Slutty Cheff writes with both grit and charm. She doesn’t shy away from the grim realities – the unrelenting shifts, the unwelcoming attitudes, the physical toll – but she also celebrates the magic. The early mornings cycling through a sleepy city, the heat of a kitchen on a busy night, and the triumph of small wins. If you’re interested in food, hospitality, or the lives of women in high-pressure spaces, this is a thoroughly relevant and enjoyable read.

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As much as I wanted to enjoy this erotica novel based around a foodies adventures on becoming a chef, unfortunately it just didn’t work for me.

The erotic scenes for me missed the mark and came off more lewd and for the shock value and I didn’t connect with the main character - she seemed unable to help herself and make meaningful growth on her journey.

An incredibly wild ride into the London culinary scene - it started off a bit slowly but once it got going it was incredibly pacy and I felt like I was there in the kitchen with the author, right beside the pass, feeling the heat as she scrambled against the clock to plate up her dishes and banter with the (male!) team.

Loved this - such an evocative and engaging memoir, replete with mouth watering food descriptions. I tore through it and overall it was delicious. Great cover as well!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Tart, which is a fitting title, is about the contemporary restaurant scene, its kitchen and front, and a young woman chef’s love life.
Before requesting the book, I was not familiar with Slutty Cheff, and requested the book solely because of my interest in the food scene, food, the kitchen, hospitality and being curious about the experiences of a woman chef.
I felt like the sex and food had the right balance, with more emphasis on the food, and the sex and the funny commentary of the Slutty Cheff serving as a dressing to add or amplify flavours.
Admittedly, I was more into the food scene aspect.
This is an engaging and entertaining book, and it is relevant.
After reading it, I read a couple of the author’s articles. I would certainly read more by her, especially if food stays as the main character. Have I said food?
Food.

This book does not hold anything back! The honesty and exhilaration from the author brings you so clearly into the center of her world and you can only try your best to keep up. I flitted between laughing out loud and having hunger pangs for the phenomenal food cooked!

I have never worked in a restaurant (although I have worked in food hospitality before) and I have actually never read Slutty Cheff before this, but something compelled me to request this from NetGalley (probably my love of Boiling Point) and I am glad I did! I really enjoyed this book written by an anonymous chef working in London restaurants – the writing is chaotic but good, the food descriptions were excellent, and she conjured up the hectic pace of a kitchen and restaurant life so well. I want to read a sequel, or two. I wanted to read a much longer book. Only complaint is that this book needed a copyedit – I hope all the inconsistencies and contradictions with timelines and locations etc are all sorted out before pub date!

Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef by Slutty Cheff is a memoir about self-discovery and takes you behind the scenes of working in kitchens, especially as a woman. I think anyone who enjoyed watching the series The Bear would enjoy this.