Mãn has three mothers: the one who gives birth to her in wartime, the nun who plucks her from a vegetable garden, and her beloved Maman, who becomes a spy to survive. Seeking security for her grown daughter, Maman finds Mãn a husband, a lonely Vietnamese restaurateur who lives in Montreal. Thrown into a new world, Mãn discovers her natural talent as a chef. She creates dishes that evoke memory and emotion, time and place, and even bring her customers to tears. Mãn is a mystery, while her name means "perfect fulfillment," she and her husband seem to drift along, respectfully and dutifully. But when she encounters a married chef in Paris, Mãn discovers the obsession and ever-present dangers of a love affair.

Translation of French book with same title.