I’m a big fan of The Next Food Network Star. I like seeing people’s dreams come true. And, competition, to a certain extent. Though the contestants on that show have years of blood, sweat and tears behind them, sometimes the show gives off the impression of instant success. You win the competition and — boom! — you’re a star.
So, I really appreciated reading Scars of a Chef by Rick Tramonto. In some circles, he’s probably a household name. I hadn’t heard of him, but I was drawn into his story. He worked his way up the ladder of success from the age of 15, overcoming a lack of education, drug addiction, a turbulent childhood and workaholism to become a star in the culinary world. Tramonto’s contemporaries and friends include Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. Not bad company if you’re a foodie.
But the real story isn’t his rise to stardom; it’s his transformation through life with Christ.
Scars of a Chef takes readers along Tramonto’s food journey from Rochester, New York and New York City to England and Chicago. It includes recipes fit for a gourmand and pictures from the chef’s life. Preview the first chapter here. Italian through-and-through, it’s easy for a reader to hear Tramonto’s voice, even if you’ve never heard him speak, which I haven’t.
With less than three hours left till the end of August, this is probably my last book for the Tyndale Summer Reading Program, though I have one more sitting on my desk and I might give it the old college try while my husband watches endless episodes of Top Gear.
Either way, watch for one more summer reading wrap-up post in the near future. I love books. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?