“Food Person” by Adam Roberts

Adam Roberts’ Food Person is a deliciously sharp and emotionally rich debut novel that blends satire with sincerity. At the heart of the story is Isabella Pasternak, a once-promising food writer who’s adrift both professionally and personally. When her estranged father dies, she’s thrown into a spiral that forces her to confront her past, her future, and everything she’s tried to curate in between.

Isabella’s grief is the emotional anchor of the novel, but Food Person isn’t just a story of loss—it’s a satirical deep-dive into the food world, reality TV, and influencer culture. When Isabella agrees to compete on a reality cooking show, she enters a surreal world full of over-the-top contestants, bizarre culinary challenges, and producers hungry for drama. It’s absurd, hilarious, and uncomfortably close to the truth for anyone who follows food media or influencer culture.

Roberts, who knows this world intimately, balances the ridiculousness with genuine insight. Isabella is a flawed and endearing narrator—anxious, ambitious, sometimes self-sabotaging, but always relatable. Her voice is smart and biting, especially when she’s skewering the hollow performance of online authenticity. But there’s also heart here: her attempts to process her father’s death, reconcile with old wounds, and reclaim her voice give the novel emotional depth.

Final Thoughts:
Food Person is more than just a send-up of food culture—it’s a novel about identity, legacy, and the messy process of growing up (even in your thirties). It’s laugh-out-loud funny one moment and quietly profound the next. If you like your fiction with equal parts bite and warmth, and a side of sharp cultural critique, this is one to add to your reading list.