Gabrielle Hamilton
Gabrielle Hamilton is an American author and chef. She is the author of
Blood, Bones, and Butter and a regular contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker.
In
Blood, Bones, and Butter, Hamilton narrates the story of her life from a quite happy family to a loveless, rudderless, and outwardly parentless teenage years characterized by drugs, cigarettes, and a lack of money. She would fight her way through the struggles to become one of the best chefs in New York.
The book explores a lot about Hamilton’s cooking and career, and how her now-closed restaurant,
Prune, came to be.
Overall,
Blood, Bones, and Butter is not a chef’s tale that follows the standard foodie books of recent years. It is more of an autobiography, with a lot of cooking and eating. It is a self-analysis in writing,, inviting the reader to tag along.
Next of Kin is a memoir that explores Hamilton’s life and rise to success. She explains how her background was marked by conflict and chaos until she eventually distanced herself from them all.
In the aftermath of her brother’s death and another suicide in the family, while she was raising her own kids, Hamilton was forced to examine the collapsing and complex root system beneath her losses. She began examining her family’s staunch individualism and independence with an almost forensic precision and discovered something about their long-held self-satisfaction.
By the time she called to look after her ailing mother, whom she had only seen twice in almost 30 years, Hamilton discovered a freedom that was made possible through a crucial psychological examination of her family.
Hamilton is truly gifted in creating sharp dialogue, humour, honesty, and propulsive storytelling. She offers a keen portrait of the people she was raised with and the era that produced them.
Next of Kin is a heartwarming story of one family’s disintegration and a tale of the emotional clarity that comes after examining our family mythologies and seeing through to the other side.
Prune is Hamilton’s cookbook with interesting recipes that have detailed descriptions, providing context for the food one creates.
The book provides readers with tailored instructions on how, what and why recipes are constructed. It also features handwritten notes and plenty of photos that give readers an inside look at the practices that kept Hamilton’s restaurant at the top of its game.
Gabrielle Hamilton: Awards & Accolades
Hamilton's book, Blood, Bones, and Butter was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Food and Cookbooks, in 2011.
Gabrielle Hamilton: Lists & Other Mentions
- Next of Kin: Amazon US: Editors' Best Books of 2025 Selection in 2025.
Related Authors
Fans of Gabrielle Hamilton also enjoy these authors:
- Louise Penny, author of the Inspector Gamache Series.
- Ann Patchett, author of: The Dutch House.
- Fredrik Backman, author of: A Man Called Ove.
- Jodi Picoult, author of: My Sister's Keeper.
- Alex Michaelides, author of: The Silent Patient.
Gabrielle Hamilton: F.A.Q
What was the first book Gabrielle Hamilton wrote?
The first book written by Gabrielle Hamilton was Blood, Bones, and Butter, published in 2001.
What was the most recent book Gabrielle Hamilton wrote?
Her most recently released work was Next of Kin on October 14th, 2025.
What is the most popular book by Gabrielle Hamilton?
Based on the number of readers on Book Notification, the most popular Gabrielle Hamilton book is
Blood, Bones, and Butter. Here are her most popular books and their average ratings:
- Blood, Bones, and Butter (7.71)
Are there upcoming new books by Gabrielle Hamilton?
Gabrielle Hamilton does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
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How many books has Gabrielle Hamilton written?
Gabrielle Hamilton has written 3 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 2 Non-Fiction Books, 1 book in the Cookbooks.