Founder of the Restaurant the Lost Kitchen & Author of 'Finding Freedom,' 'The Lost Kitchen Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom'

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• By Ashna Tamrakar
• Update : April 12, 2022

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If you're a fan of cooking programs, you might recognize the talented American culinary expert and author Erin French from her Magnolia Network show The Lost Kitchen. The series is named after her critically acclaimed 40 seat eatery in an old mill in Freedom, Maine, launched in 2014.

But before all this remarkable success, French had gone through some unimaginable situations in her personal and professional life. Back in 2013, the chef went from being an established restaurateur invited to organize a meal at the famed James Beard House to losing her first-ever eatery, along with her house, relationship with her first husband, and custody of her only kid in just a few months. 

More on Erin French:

1. Erin French - Husband, Age, Biography & the Lost Kitchen- Biography
2. Erin French Got Right Support When She Was On The Verge Of Suicide - Her Journey From Living In Parent's Cabin Post Divorce To Running Acclaimed Lost Kitchen
3. A Peek Into Erin French’s Life Feat. Loving Husband, Lifestyle Online Shop, All Women Restaurant, The Online Kitchen’s Exclusive On Set And Recipe Pictures & Passion For Food

It was an unfortunate reversal of fortune, filled with an emotional wreck, lost love, drug addiction, suicidal thoughts, and a bitter divorce. French had married a violent, alcoholic boat builder who was almost her father's age. It was a stormy period of her identity and self-discovery. 

According to a 2021 article from People, doctors prescribed Xanax and Ambien to help French cope with the effects of despair and anxiety. Unfortunately, French began to abuse the medication over time. "I was hoarding them, trying to get multiple prescriptions from one doctor or another because it was the only thing that made me feel okay. I wanted to drown it all out," she said.

French eventually went to treatment and became clean, but her battle was not done yet. During the same time, the culinary expert discovered her ex-husband had secretly closed their first eatery and replaced the locks a few days into her two-week rehabilitation center. But, that's not it; French went through a lengthy divorce procedure to keep custody of her only son, Jaim. 

"It was sort of that awakening moment, when you realize all your fears were true," French said. "Because you want to believe, like, 'Well, maybe he is a good person.' " 

But, French was not a quitter; she soon started over and restarted her life, courage, and career from the ground up. She relaunched her business by starting a second chain of dinner clubs out of a vintage airstream trailer. She jokingly dubbed it "the divorcemobile" and began what she loved doing, creating special recipes for people.

"Walls had never defined me. It was what I brought to the table that defined me," she said.

And in a short period, she achieved it all. This time, a crucial part of her success is her current husband, Michael Dutton, with whom she met on match.com and married in 2018. "I was fearful no one would ever love me again. I felt tainted," she said. "But the relationship I'm in now—he's so supportive and is never trying to put a cap on me." 

It wouldn't be wrong to say her life has been a bumpy journey, but French said she would still not swap anything about her life. In her words, "It's those moments of difficulty that shape us. We don't like it because it feels uncomfortable. But that's where you find out what you're made of."

Also Read: Beau MacMillan - Age, Net Worth, Wife, Career, TV Show, Bio

She ultimately authored a book, 'Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch,' to explore her hardships and empower others who may be in a comparable position.