Chef Dad Books and Such

Chef Dad, aka John R. Thompson,  is a writer, a scholar, an educator and a few more nouns that can't be printed in a family blog.  Below are a few books that I have either written or to which I contributed.  They involve food and fun in different combinations.

Tween/Young Adult Adventure: 

Monty MacNamara and the League of Exceptional Children

Recommended ages 11 and up or a whole family read-a-thon

In this debut adventure, danger awaits Monty, his massive butler, Jeeves, and his computerized assistant, Wallace, as they land in Austin, Texas.   The boy genius and his crew must avoid kidnappers and a ruthless mercenary to match wits with a U.S. senator who possesses more than just skeletons in his closet; a human skull rests in a safe in his study.  The senator and his menacing advisor have plans for the skull – plans that Monty and the Austin chapter of the League of Exceptional Children hope to thwart.  But, threats lurk in this fast-moving game of cops and robbers.  Will Monty steal the skull before an Austin police detective and a Texas Ranger figure out his game?  Are the people lurking in the shadows friends or foes?  Just who is Monty MacNamara and why is the richest kid in the world chasing an old skull?  Will the League save one of their own when things go awry?  It’s summer in Texas and things are heating up for Monty and his band of adventurers.

Scholarly Food Studies Books: 

In addition to being a husband, father and confirmed "guy," I am also a food studies scholar.  But, don't hold that against me.  Below are a couple of books to which I have contributed chapters.  Food scholars are a fun bunch.  If you're this far into this blog, you'd like us.

The Rhetoric of Food

A wonderful scholarly tome from a wide-ranging group of people who care about food and human communications in a wide variety of forms.  Great pair of editors brought it all together.  I contributed a chapter of food talk and globalizing forces.

Food as Communication: Communication as Food

One of the first books of its kind.  Wonderful group of editors.  If you have ever stopped off at the store for a pre-roasted chicken and wondered why that made sense to you versus going to a fast food shop, you'll enjoy the chapter I contributed.