February 25, 2019
Giuliani (The Cocktail Party) hilariously recounts her evolution from a girl with “one eyebrow” in a Long Island household that “couldn’t be more Italian if we tried” into a successful caterer to the stars who appears on television with Rachael Ray and Ina Garten. The author recalls her Catholic childhood in a Jewish neighborhood (she “electively went to Hebrew school”), her coming-of-age as an aspiring actor in the city, and her pivot into the world of luxury catering. Giuliani is candid on such personal topics as her battle with infertility, and has a habit of asking “heavy questions for someone who slings tiny hot dogs for a living” (“Once we pick out our ‘perfect’ role, are we committed to it for life?”) . The book abounds with brushes with celebrity, including sitting at the table next to Robert DeNiro (after five minutes of telling him about her family in Montauk, he politely turned away, then asked for her number on the way out) and serving tuna tacos to her heartthrob, the “perfectly imperfect” Alec Baldwin. Recipes punctuate Giuliani’s anecdotes, some of them client favorites—such as Mini Italian Challah Grilled Cheese—some family go-tos including My Mom’s Friend Rita’s Chocolate Cake, and, of course, there are three recipes for tiny hot dogs. Giuliani’s entertaining memoir is packed with satisfying stories and recipes that readers will guiltily enjoy.
Starred review from April 1, 2019
Caterer to the stars and author of the party-planning guide The Cocktail Party (2015), Giuliani (who claims no relation to the other Giuliani) pens her memoirs in a kind of familiar intimacy that will immediately grab most readers. Sprinkling in 20 recipes, mostly of the mini variety, as is her specialty (pizza in a cup and cotton-candy margaritas), she recounts her childhood as a wannabe Jew, crushes of the obvious and unusual kinds (Robert DeNiro and John Goodman), and 15-year struggle with infertility. Almost nothing is sacred?and almost everything, humorous. Here are tales of her pet turtles Captain and Tennille (the guy ate the gal); the Harry Potter premiere she catered; her encounter with Alec Baldwin; and the storytelling show she hosts, Eating Stories. Readers might nod along with the lists of things she'd like to do with Oprah. Giuliana has chutzpah to spare in these life-filled, rib-sticking (and -tickling) stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)