Yes, Chef: A Memoir Paperback – May 21, 2013 by Marcus Samuelsson and ‎ Veronica Chambers Random House Trade Paperbacks) (IBRCookBooks)

Success is life is part talent and part opportunity. Chef Marcus shares, in a wonderfully readable format, how he rose from an orphaned child in Ethiopia to one of the top chefs in the USA. His journey takes him from Africa to Sweden, around Europe and finally to North America. It was rarely easy personally or professionally but Marcus shows great tenacity through these struggles and takes every opportunity afforded him to develop his skills. Often at the detriment of his personal life. Marcus pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of the kitchens of some of the great restaurants and behind the scenes we see what it takes to put perfection on the plate - an impeccable palate, yes; but also crazy days and weeks of hard work mixed in with a toxic and egotistical environment. If I ever truly aspired to be a real chef this book convinced me that the cost is too great.

We discover that Marcus is both an inspired and driven man. He was inspired at the apron strings of his Swedish grandmother Helga through whom he discovered the joy of chopping and mixing and creating good food. His drive comes from an internal struggle to please the parents that took him out of a life of poverty and gave him every opportunity he desired. They instilled a strong moral compass and sense of propriety that required Marcus to stand out amongst other chefs in the kitchen. Marcus has an innate ability to compartmentalize his life. When his personal life collides with his professional drive we see this magnified. But, we are afforded a peek into the life he begins to create on his own terms as he moves up the ranks and becomes the chef he desired to be. In this climb he steps back to his roots, re-connects with his Ethiopian father and family as well as with a daughter he put in a box marked "later". As tragedies continue to strike Marcus shares how each experience helped shape the man he is today. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book - it is definitely a must read for a real foodie but even one whose fine dining repertoire includes McDonalds will enjoy the story.