3 minute read
Rom-Com with all the right ingredients
AFTER YEARS OF SAMPLING THE WORLD'S FINEST CUISINES AS AN INTERNATIONAL FOOD CRITIC, VICTORIA BROWNLEE HAS TURNED HER EXPERIENCES INTO A MOUTH-WATERING ROMANTIC COMEDY NOVEL. BUT WHILE HER STORY MIGHT BE SET IN FRANCE, HER HEART BELONGS TO THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA.
My grandparents had a house in Mount Martha where we’d visit every holidays,” Victoria said. “After close to a decade of living overseas, I became fixated on the idea of moving to an Australian beach town, but I still wanted to be close to Melbourne. The decision felt easy.”
Now she’s celebrating the release of her debut novel Eat Your Heart Out, a romantic comedy that draws on her career in the industry. The story follows Australian food blogger Chloe Bridgers in Paris as she competes against cutthroat critics for a chance to write the memoir of controversial celebrity chef Carla Duris. Its Côte d'Azur villa setting provides the perfect backdrop for romance, rivalry, and culinary drama. “I really love the idea of being stranded with a bunch of people who share similar interests but who all have different motives: clashing egos, hidden agendas and wildly different expectations.”
The character of Carla emerged from Victoria’s observations of the culinary world’s power dynamics. While she encountered many wonderful chefs throughout her career, she also witnessed the darker side of the industry, with some chefs “constantly angling for positive media coverage and pushing PR representatives to wine and dine”.
She also recalls how the industry has evolved. “When I first started writing about food, I remember getting dirty looks from other diners when I would try to snap a few quick, grainy photos. Now with social media, restaurants will actually design their lighting to facilitate photography.”
Having reviewed restaurants professionally, Victoria now enjoys the Peninsula’s thriving food scene from a different perspective. “I hung up my critic’s hat a while ago now, but I still find myself writing reviews in my head while dining out,” she said. “The Australian dining scene is so innovative and inspiring, and we have access to delicious produce, so all in all I mostly love eating out here.”
When she’s not writing at home, Victoria can often be found seeking inspiration close by. “If I'm stuck on a plot point or I’m trying to figure a character out, I’ll go for a coffee at Schnapper Point Kiosk and a walk along Mothers Beach in Mornington –solves almost any problem.”
Some of Victoria’s most memorable writing inspirations came from her early experiences. “In 2004, I wrote one of my first articles about the Melbourne dining scene. I was a sprightly undergraduate and I reviewed a restaurant called Black Out, where diners ate in the dark and waiters wearing infrared goggles had to help navigate your hand to your dinner.” This amusing experience found its way into her novel, reimagined through her characters’ perspectives.
Like her protagonist Chloe, Victoria understands the challenges of life in France. “A lot can go wrong when you’re trying to navigate a different country and a different language. I've had more misunderstandings and misadventures in France than I care to count.”
Eat Your Heart Out is available now, serving up a delicious blend of romance, comedy and culinary mishaps set against the backdrop of the French Riviera. One bite and you’ll be hooked.
