Rebecca L. Spang

About the Author

Rebecca L. Spang is a distinguished historian and professor specializing in the cultural and social history of France during the Enlightenment and Revolutionary periods. With a PhD from the University of Chicago, she has taught at institutions including Indiana University and the University of Maryland, where her research explores the intersections of food, politics, and everyday life in modern Europe. Spang's work challenges conventional narratives by examining how mundane practices, such as dining, shaped broader societal transformations. Her acclaimed book, The Invention of the Restaurant: Paris and Modern Gastronomic Culture (Harvard Historical Studies), traces the origins of the modern restaurant amid the upheavals of the French Revolution, revealing how culinary innovations reflected and influenced revolutionary ideals. A sought-after speaker and contributor to scholarly journals, Spang continues to illuminate the hidden histories of consumption and culture.