Ruth Reichl returns to Southern California to celebrate ‘Delicious’

Ruth Reichl is coming back to Los Angeles, if only for a day, and if only to celebrate her first novel, the just-published “Delicious.”

Reichl is former restaurant critic at the Los Angeles Times and New York Times, former editor of Gourmet magazine and is already author of a string of best-selling memoirs. “Delicious” tracks the progress of a former California restaurant critic who moves to New York to edit a high-profile food magazine. Hijinks, mysteries and lots of good eating ensue.

For her Los Angeles visit, Reichl will be found in conversation at Vroman’s with Times entertainment editor (and her former deputy at Gourmet) Laurie Ochoa at 5 p.m. Saturday as part of Pasadena’s LitFest. Friday, she’ll be reading at a lunch at the Santa Monica chapter of the Hungry Cat that is sponsored by Diesel Bookstore, but it’s already sold out.

If you’re up for the drive to Rancho Santa Fe, Reichl will be signing books at Chino Farms from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday as part of its goodearthgreatchefs series.

Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 449-5320. Diesel Bookstore, 225 26th Street, Suite #33, Santa Monica, (310) 576-9960. Chino Farms, 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe, (858) 756-3184.