Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson

Synopsis: Multi award winning Executive Chef reflects on his career and life.

Writing Style: Passionate, genuine.

Pacing: Started out slow, before taking me on an unforgettable passionate culinary journey.

Personal Highlights: For starters I have four pages of notes on what I read. This is rare. On many levels the engagement factor is high following Marcus’s journey through Ethiopia where he was born, where I couldn’t get his natural mother, doing what mothers naturally do, sacrificing herself for her children, off my mind. Adopted (along with his sister) raised in Sweden where “herring was woven into Swiss language” (roots of his introduction to food), his adoptive family also proved to be as much an integral asset to his future. His new mother's mothering spirit and parenting won me over totally, wholly and throughout.

The genuine passion in telling this story affected me deeply. The pacing was done like how a seasoned Executive Chef presents a meal, none too ironic for a chef skilled at MIXIN’ Flava’, staking his worth in creating ‘that’ signature dish, who has led kitchens cooking for the Obamas not once, but at least twice. Guess I must now try that ‘foie gras ganache. I’m saying, this memoir is packed with flavor.

Overall, delivering a memoir that pulls on all the senses, from the choices Chef made selecting friends, his lessons learned acknowledging mistakes, his passion for cooking, which includes a broad professional culinary education, along with sacrifices he’s taken on... like the many people he’s mentored...near and far, none more so than his half sisters, makes Yes, Chef a phenomenal treat to experience! Absolutely redeemable. Highly recommended. Simply a Must!