French Restaurant

French Restaurant is a captivating poetry collection by Renee de la Roche-Zhu, artfully intertwining the profound with the mundane, inviting readers on an exhilarating voyage of self-discovery and a broader quest for meaning. Chronicling the author's transformative twenties and her odyssey across continents, it poignantly captures a modern, multicultural woman navigating the complexities of love, friendships, career advancement, and personal growth. The work spans from her early-20s in New York where she began her career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company after graduating from Columbia University, to her personal and professional adventures in Tokyo, then back to New York amidst the Covid pandemic and later to California in 2024 as she joins the startup community, with memorable stops along the way such as London, Hong Kong, Toronto, Paris, etc. where she formed lasting bonds and gained new perspectives.

With evocative imagery, incisive language, and raw emotion, French Restaurant boldly explores the shifting and liminal spaces of existence, reality, identity, and human connection amidst the vibrant tapestry of urban landscapes.

As readers delve into its pages, they are transported into a realm where the quotidian and the philosophical intersect, speaking to both their hearts and minds. The collection also serves as a self-help guide for young people, especially young women, navigating the challenges of their twenties, inspiring courage and resilience in their journeys.