A witty and lively memoir from food writer, The Age Chief Restaurant Critic and New York Times contributor Besha Rodell, (formerly) one of the world's last anonymous restaurant critics.

Hunger Like a Thirst is a bold and deeply personal memoir from Besha Rodell; chief restaurant critic for The Age, New York Times contributor, and one of the most respected voices in food writing today.

When Rodell moved from Australia to the United States at fourteen, she found herself adrift – missing her home, her father, and the flavours of her childhood. As a young waitress, she fell in love with the restaurant world, drawn to its energy, creativity, and sense of community, while also grappling with its darker realities. Against the odds, she forged a career as a restaurant critic – one of the few women to do so and one of the last anonymous critics in the world – ultimately becoming a trusted authority on food and dining across Brooklyn, Atlanta, Los Angeles and beyond.

From the thrill of a perfect meal to the cultural shifts that have made us all food obsessives, Hunger Like a Thirst is a captivating journey through a life spent chasing flavour, belonging, and the stories behind every plate.

Details

ISBN13: 9781761452215
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 272
Edition:
Publication Date: 17 Jun 2025
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
Publication City, Country: South Yarra, Australia
Dimensions (cm): 23.4(H)x15.3(L)340
Weight (gm): 340

Author Biography

Besha Rodell is a James Beard Award–winning food writer, editor, and restaurant critic who has been obsessed with eating out since she was a child. Born in Australia in a bungalow on a farm her father dubbed Narnia, she moved to the United States as a teenager. She has been writing professionally for more than two decades, and her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Travel + Leisure, PUNCH, Eater, Gravy, and many others. She was the restaurant critic at LA Weekly and was a critic and columnist for The New York Times, where she is still a regular contributor. In 2019 Besha was tapped by Food & Wine to be their global critic, traveling the world solo to pick the best restaurants for an annual list. She is currently the chief restaurant critic at The Age, the daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia. Besha moved back to Australia in 2017, and lives in Melbourne with her husband, Ryan; her parrot, Chobi; and a rotating menagerie of foster cats.

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