There are so many interesting ideas in Interstellar MegaChef. Glance at the cover and read the blurb, and you may think this will be a cosy SF story about a woman in an intergalactic version of the Great British Bake Off. There’s certainly a (small) element of that, but it’s not the whole story, which I think may frustrate some readers.
Lakshminarayan has created a complex, living breathing world. Saras is our main character, a refugee from the looked-down-upon Earth, who wants to impress at the cookery competition. Another significant character is Serenity Ko, an overachiever virtual sim creator who is desperate to make her mark, and doesn’t care much if she makes friends along the way. She ends up eager to create a food sim – but who can teach her to cook?
This book is as much about interplanetary politics as cooking – who has control over what, which culture is better, what rules do you need to navigate society, etc. It’s interesting, but it’s darker and more complex than the book’s marketing suggests. The main characters (especially Ko) aren’t always sympathetic. It is also part of a series and to my mind the most pressing questions are not fully answered within this title. Which is fine if you’re on board and want to buy the next one. But less fine if you’re not sure!
I did enjoy the ethical question (another one not answered in this book) of whether or not it’s a good thing to promote a food experience that could put cooks out of business. It’s a bit like whether we should use AI art (because it’s easy) when it’s putting artists out of business (ie probably not) – so it feels very relevant, even if it is set in a far off future. I’d read this author again, but must admit to enjoying her previous book more.
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