Description
What goes into the making of a chef, a restaurant, a dish? In his highly anticipated first book, influential chef and food thinker Peter Hoffman offers delectable answers to these questions. Hoffman, a pioneer of farm-to-table cooking in New York, tells the story of his upbringing, professional education, and career as a chef and restaurant owner in a series of charming and illustrative tales of a life in kitchens-everything from the importance of your relationship with your refrigerator repairman to an account of how a burger killed his restaurant.
Mixed in with Hoffman's personal stories are passionately curious explorations into the cultural, historical, and botanical backstories of the foods we eat. Following the march of the seasons and moving ingredient to ingredient through the bounty of the natural world, Hoffman meets with farmers and greenmarket vendors and unpacks what we eat, why we eat it, and how to make it delicious. What's Good is as complex, thought-provoking, and enjoyable as a perfect meal.
A culinary pioneer blends memoir with a joyful inquiry into the ingredients he uses and their origins
About the Author
Chef Peter Hoffman is a thinking cook. Recognized by Slow Food NYC with a Snailblazer Award, he served on the advisory boards of the Greenmarket and Chefs Collaborative, and his writing has been published in Edible Manhattan and the New York Times. For more than 30 years, he has been cycling to the Union Square Greenmarket to source the best in local and seasonal ingredients, the core of his cooking.
Reviews
"In What's Good? Peter Hoffman has transformed his delicious, ethically sourced cooking into an inspiring book; I feel as though a friend has taken me by the hand and walked me through the market, sharing all the secrets of the harvest. Readers come away with a deepened understanding of nature's wonder, our interconnectedness, and the importance of buying directly from our local, regenerative farmers."
-Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse
"Before local was a thing, Peter Hoffman was filleting Hudson River shad, foraging for ramps, and unlocking the secrets of upstate maple syrup at his legendary American bistro Savoy. What's Good is a passionate retracing of the tastes, textures, histories, and emotions that lie behind Savoy's brilliance. Woven together as a gentle ramble and Proust-like with its exquisite attention to detail, Hoffman's book is an ode to all seasons and a passionate call for a better way of bringing food to the table."
-Paul Greenberg, author of Four Fish and American Catch
"Just like a recipe that evolves over time, so does a chef. Through this deeply personal story, Peter Hoffman takes us through the trials and tribulations that forged his career and shaped his thinking on equity, justice, and sustainability in the food industry. A splendid read that makes you reflect."
-Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation and columnist for Serious Eats, the Guardian, and Food52
Book Information
ISBN 9781419747625
Author Peter Hoffman
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Abrams Press
Publisher Abrams
