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Description
From an Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef, a cookbook that shares an exclusive look inside the mind and kitchen of the beloved restaurateur and TV personality * Named one of Amazon’s Most Anticipated Cookbooks of Fall 2024
Tom Colicchio cooked his first recipe at 13 years old—a stuffed eggplant from an issue of Cuisine magazine that he picked up out of boredom—and it changed his life. Now for the first time ever, Tom recounts the extraordinary personal journey that brought him from his working-class Italian background in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to the award-winning kitchens of New York City’s best restaurants, to the set of Top Chef and the stage of the Emmy Awards.
Through 10 memoir chapters and 60 recipes, Why I Cook shares Tom’s personal reflections of more than 40 years behind the stove. From pre-dawn fishing excursions with his grandfather to running the flat-top at the snack shack of the local swim club, to finding his way as a young chef in New York City, Tom chronicles the dishes and memories that have shaped him as a person and chef.
Through these meaningful dishes, gorgeous recipe shots, and images from Tom’s childhood, Why I Cook is the most personal look into Tom’s life yet.
Tom Colicchio cooked his first recipe at 13 years old—a stuffed eggplant from an issue of Cuisine magazine that he picked up out of boredom—and it changed his life. Now for the first time ever, Tom recounts the extraordinary personal journey that brought him from his working-class Italian background in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to the award-winning kitchens of New York City’s best restaurants, to the set of Top Chef and the stage of the Emmy Awards.
Through 10 memoir chapters and 60 recipes, Why I Cook shares Tom’s personal reflections of more than 40 years behind the stove. From pre-dawn fishing excursions with his grandfather to running the flat-top at the snack shack of the local swim club, to finding his way as a young chef in New York City, Tom chronicles the dishes and memories that have shaped him as a person and chef.
Through these meaningful dishes, gorgeous recipe shots, and images from Tom’s childhood, Why I Cook is the most personal look into Tom’s life yet.
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Praise
Cookbook readers and fans of culinary memoirs will devour these stories that look back at an accomplished career. Home cooks will find recipes that warm the heart and fill the table and will enjoy making their own memories over these dishes. . . . This cultivated collection of tales from a storied culinary career will elevate cookbook shelves and deliver lots of family meals along with hours of reading enjoyment.
—Library Journal
Chronicles the James Beard Award winner’s ascent from a working-class New Jersey childhood to becoming a New York City restaurateur and Top Chef fame, and includes recipes he mastered along the way.
—Publishers Weekly
Part memoir and part cookbook, this tome will have the Top Chef host's fans engaged for the ride. Chapters are organized by the chronology of Colicchio's life in and out of the kitchen. Entrepreneurship and human behavior dominate Colicchio’s rise in the restaurant industry and the trials and tribulations that emerge when friendship and business intersect. His interpersonal relationships—from love life to partnerships at Gramercy Tavern and beyond—are the heartbeat of the book, woven around a seasonal smattering of comfort recipes that he developed for home cooking and to reconnect with his family during the pandemic. An Italian American influence can be found in his grandfather’s frittata and his mother’s pasta with broccoli. Comfort foods such as "Not Imitation Crab Rice" or one-pot pork chops with cherry peppers and potatoes will please those looking to cook for loved ones. Glimpses of Colicchio in his home kitchen or cuddling family members are reminders that this foodie celebrity is human and that cooking for others is the way he gets back to what truly matters to him.
—Booklist
“Why I Cook is a beautiful tapestry of Tom’s life and culinary journey. I am deeply moved by his candid reflections. Each section reveals a new facet of his remarkable career and personal growth. Tom’s heartfelt stories and exceptional recipes showcase the flavors that have shaped his culinary identity. Why I Cook is an inspiring read that captures the essence of who Tom is, both in and out of the kitchen.”
—Eric Ripert
“From Tom’s gritty New Jersey beginnings as a stoner line cook to his mega-successful career as a restaurateur, Why I Cook shows us the importance of family, food, figuring out what you are good at, and following your passion. Tom’s advocacy and leadership on ending food insecurity are inspirational.”
—Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi
“A captivating blend of memoir and cookbook. It’s a one-of-a-kind exploration of Tom’s life and culinary journey, a collection of recipes and a deeply personal narrative brought to life with stunning recipe shots and images from his childhood. Through his compelling storytelling, Tom transports you to his past, crafting a vivid portrait of the profound inspiration behind his culinary passion today.”
—Emeril Lagasse
“Tom has spent decades not only honing his craft and making delicious memories but providing mentorship, structure, and inspiration to generations of cooks. Why I Cook begins with the best part of a chef: where they come from and what shaped them. May we all be inspired because of it and because of Tom.”
—Kristen Kish