Erin French Unveils "Seize the Supper," Celebrates Maine Roots Through Cooking and Hospitality

Freedom, Maine — Culinary personality Erin French has confirmed that she is not a chef, a distinction she makes early in her announcement of her new cookbook, "Seize the Supper." The owner of The Lost Kitchen restaurant in Freedom, Maine, has built her reputation on simple, comfort-focused home cooking rather than elaborate fine dining. Yet her latest publication reflects a deeper philosophy about adaptability, local sourcing, and the urgent rhythm of seasonal living.

French, who hosts the Magnolia Network series "The Lost Kitchen"—her first of three original television projects—explained during a conversation ahead of a national book tour launch that her approach to cooking is defined by improvisation. One of the book's central themes, according to French, is the importance of being present and responsive to whatever ingredients happen to be available on any given day.

"The penchant for improvisation is at the heart of Seize the Supper," French noted. "On the eve of a national book tour kicking off with a speaking event at the State Theater, I talked with you about how being a daughter of Maine manifests in my cooking, what hospitality means right now, and where the new book fits into the evolution of my career."

The concept of spontaneous adaptation runs deep in French's work. As the proprietor of The Lost Kitchen and its adjacent store and café, she operates a small-scale media enterprise that extends beyond traditional restaurant operations. French described her restaurant's origins as deliberately modest—a space that began with limited resources and relied heavily on what was already on hand. "We used what we have in our backyards and was on our shelves," she explained. "Whether it was using mismatched plates and silverware to set the table or foraging for things in the garden or the fields to make arrangements that cost nothing."

This ethos of resourcefulness, French argues, distinguishes Maine from other regions. "There's something very scrappy about Mainers. We use what we have, and that was how I opened my restaurant when I started. It was very little and we used what we have in our backyards and was on our shelves." French believes this cultural trait fosters authenticity among Mainers, allowing individuals to remain true to themselves rather than conforming to external expectations. "You go other places and you feel like you're always trying to be like everyone else, but Maine allows you to just be who you are here, and that's why I think you find so many creative people here, because that's what this place invites you to do."

The book itself serves as a practical manifesto for this philosophy. French describes it as centered on "being in the moment, eating in the moment, living and embracing right here, right now." She points to specific passages in the text that illustrate this principle, noting that the book frequently addresses situations where ingredients run out and menus must be completely reimagined on short notice.

"This book is really about a sense of urgency, and answering the call of urgency," French said. "It goes back to what we were talking about in Maine, which is always giving us this sense of urgency if the season is changing. It keeps you on your toes. Living here has taught me about looking around at your surroundings and saying, 'We've got to grab onto what's happening around us right now or it's going to slip right past us.'"

French's decision to publish another cookbook came during a natural pause in her business schedule. After the intense demands of summer operations at The Lost Kitchen and the slower seasons of fall and winter, she found herself with ample time for recipe development and solitary reflection. "The summers are insane and we're just heads down with the restaurant, and then Maine gives way to fall and things slow down, and then you have winter and that's time for having more solitude time and for me that's writing. That's recipe testing and development and I love that shift."

She called "Seize the Supper" her absolute favorite book to date. The title encapsulates her core belief that cooking should be about seizing opportunities rather than adhering rigidly to plans. "Of all the books, it's my absolute favorite thus far," she said. "It is absolutely the way that I live my life."

The cookbook reflects French's evolution as a chef and storyteller. While she acknowledges her roots in classic American diner cuisine, she has increasingly elevated that foundation toward more refined presentation. "I hate to say elevating or raising it, because great diner food is simply awesome," she admitted. Her influences span multiple generations of cooking culture. As a teenager, French was deeply inspired by Martha Stewart, whose magazine presence made her a regular reader. "My neighbors around Freedom would call me Little Martha." She credits both Stewart and her own grandmother for shaping her approach to food, emphasizing simplicity, honesty, and the importance of the dining experience itself.

French has spoken openly about the pressures of her dual roles as restaurateur, author, and public figure. She has distanced herself from online review platforms, describing the experience as "rough" and "not kind." After ten years of dealing with negative reviews, she decided to step away from TripAdvisor entirely, stating that the relationship had become "toxic" and that she would not continue under such conditions.

Regarding the perception of her restaurant's pricing, French defended the $295 per-person rate for her signature dinner, explaining that the costs reflect genuine investment in quality ingredients and fair wages for staff. "We don't get rich off these dinners. We're lucky if we break even because of how much goes into them. There's a reason that things cost what they cost. I believe that you have to pay people well. I believe that you have to buy ingredients that are supporting people well."

Among the recipes featured in "Seize the Supper," French highlighted the tea bars included in the Fall section as particularly compelling. "One that I'm actually crazy about, which you could just buy the book for this one recipe alone, is the tea bars in the 'Fall' section. They're just so goddamn good. Like, so good."

French's upcoming speaking engagement at the State Theater in Portland marks the beginning of her national book tour. The event, co-sponsored by Print: A Bookstore, takes place on October 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $50 to $75 and are available through Ticketmaster or at the theater's box office.

As a daughter of Maine who has spent her entire adult life rooted in the state, French sees her work as a form of tribute. "Maine has shaped 100% the way that I am as a cook," she said. "And it is pressure. Part of this has been the greatest gift, and sometimes it feels like the greatest burden because the workload is insane and it doesn't stop, and we don't have a day off. But I'm constantly grateful to be in this place and have people recognizing what we're doing. I feel an endless duty being a daughter of this state to keep doing my absolute best for it. I feel like I owe it something because of everything it gave me."

For French, the act of creating food and sharing stories about her hometown represents a continuation of the values passed down through generations of Mainers. Whether through a carefully curated menu at The Lost Kitchen or a page in her newest cookbook, she seeks to preserve the spirit of her community while adapting to the demands of modern life.