Must-Reads For Foodies

There's a reason "chef life" has such a reputation: it's chaotic, full of excitement, hard work, and passion. The lifestyle has been lovingly captured first-hand in books, intriguing foodies and non-foodies alike because let's be honest, a "day at the office" for a chef is just plain different. From Anthony Bourdain to Julia Child, here are some of the best chef memoirs ever written. 

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1. Eat A Peach - David Chang

Momofuku's David Chang's memoir is a frank re-telling of his journey from opening a small noodle bar in NYC to becoming one of the most successful and influential chefs of a generation. He has seemingly no filter when he talks about his struggles with mental health, his relationships, and his failures.

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2. Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain

Practically everyone who's spent even a little time in the industry has a well-loved copy of the line cook's bible Kitchen Confidential on their bookshelf. Anthony Bourdain's raw and genuine memoir gives a sneak peek into the inglorious world of professional cooking with heart and humor. 

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3. My Life in France - Julia Child 

Julia Child broke ground with her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, introducing Americans to French culinary traditions. Her memoir recounts her move to France for her husband's job; taking classes at the Cordon Bleu, learning the language and traditions, and slowly falling in love with all of it.

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4. Blood, Bones, and Butter - Gabrielle Hamilton

American chef and owner of Prune restaurant in NYC, Gabrielle Hamilton is renowned for her writing almost as much as her cooking. Her memoir Blood, Bones, and Butter recounts her unconventional journey through kitchens all over the world and how they shaped her into the cook she is today. 

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5. Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel - Alon Shaya

Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel is at once a cookbook and a memoir, chronicling Alon Shaya's journey from Israel to the USA, Italy, and back to Israel. It touches on themes of food, family, and identity, and tells the story of how food saved Shaya's life. 

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6. Yes, Chef - Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson's book tells the story of his remarkable life beginning as an orphaned Ethiopian child to being adopted and raised in Sweden, and finally becoming one of NYC's most renowned chefs. He speaks candidly about his triumphs as well as his failures and challenges. 

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7. Clementine in the Kitchen - Samuel V. Chamberlain

Clementine in the Kitchen is the story of the Chamberlain family's culinary adventures with their charming and talented cook Clementine in pre World War II France. This book is a portrait of the family in their blissful years together as well as a cookbook, with 170 tantalizing classic French recipes. 

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8. Heat - Bill Buford

Heat is Bill Buford's zestful and fast-paced retelling of his deep dive into the culinary world, from lowly prep cook to line cook in Mario Batali's Michelin three-star NYC restaurant. Buford not only tells his own journey but also gives a behind-the-scenes look at the goings-on in a famous restaurant and the amazing life story of its owner, Batali.

9. Life, on the Line - Grant Achatz

Owner of one of the most cutting-edge restaurants in the world, Alinea, Grant Acahtz's story is fret with challenges. As a young, already celebrated chef, he was diagnosed with tongue cancer which rendered his tastebuds useless. The book tells the story of his remarkable journey overcoming a profound challenge with creativity, passion, and friendship.

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10. The Making of a Chef - Michael Ruhlman

The Making of a Chef tells of Michael Ruhlman's experience at the Culinary Institute of America, the country's most renowned cooking schools. Ruhlman communicates the passion, ambition, and spirit required to join the ranks of this chaotic profession in a compelling and colorful narrative.

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11. 32 Yolks - Eric Ripert

For Eric Ripert, food began as an escape from his tough upbringing before it became his calling. From the south of France to Paris's most demanding restaurants, to the USA where he opened the three-star Le Bernardin, 32 Yolks is an honest and evocative telling of the story of how a man became one of the most successful chefs in the world. 

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12. Medium Raw - Anthony Bourdain

A sequel of sorts to Kitchen Confidential, Medium Raw tells Anthony Bourdain's story going from line cook to famous globe-trotting TV personality. Rife with rants and confessions, it's a look at how the modern subculture of chefs and cooks has warped and changed.

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13. Sous Chef - Michael Gibney

This unique memoir written in second-person narrative by Chef Michael Gibney captures 24-hours of kitchen mayhem in an upscale restaurant. It's an insider's perspective that celebrates all the hard work and dedication professional cooks put into their work and gives an honest sneak preview for anyone considering becoming a cook. 

14. Notes from a Young Black Chef - Kwame Onwuachi

Notes from a Young Black Chef is a powerful account of one of the most important chefs in America's unique journey from selling drugs in New York to facing racism in the food world. Chef Kwame Onwuachi tells his story with enough depth and honesty to be both eye-opening and inspiring.

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15. Humble Pie - Gordon Ramsay

Perhaps the most famous chef in the world, his loud and angry TV personality is known to everyone. Humble Pie sheds light on the aspects that aren't so well-known like his father’s alcoholism, his brother's heroin addiction, his failed career as a soccer player, and his early days finding his legs in a professional kitchen.

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16. The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen - Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin's memoir is at once a coming-of-age story growing up in war-torn France and the story of America's culinary awakening, with Pépin at the helm. Included in the book is also 40 delectable recipes.

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17. No Experience Necessary - Norman Van Aken

Norman Van Aken's memoir spanning two-plus decades begins with a job advertisement with the words "no experience necessary."  Van Aken tell the story of how, with no formal training, he rose from toiling through gruelling graveyard shifts to gaining celebrity chef status.

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18. Climbing the Mango Trees - Madhur Jaffrey

The most renowned writer on Indian cuisine, Madhur Jaffrey's whimsical memoir captures a bygone era growing in Dehli and all the evocative food memories that came with it. It also includes more than 30 Jaffrey family recipes. 

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19. Burn the Place - Iliana Regan

Iliana Regan’s Burn the Place captures her journey from foraging wild foods on her family's property to opening a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's a vivid account of her trials, tribulations, and her deep, otherworldly connection with food.

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20. Arbitrary Stupid Goal - Tamara Shopsin

Tamara Shopsin's offbeat and charming memoir takes readers to her family's greasy spoon in Greenwich Village, vividly capturing all the hilarious characters involved in running the place. It's full of nostalgia for a simpler time and a progressively obsolete way of life.

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