Make It Messy

March 1, 2015
Based on Yes, Chef (2012), a memoir for adults, this young readers' version offers insights into the life and food of one of America's top chefs. During a tuberculosis epidemic in 1972 in Ethiopia, Samuelsson's mother walked 75 miles with young Marcus on her back to a hospital in Addis Ababa. She died there, but he and his sister survived and were adopted by a Swedish couple. In clear and straightforward prose, less adorned than his recipes, Samuelsson chronicles growing up in Sweden, going to school, playing soccer, and working his way up the hierarchy in various restaurants on his way to becoming a chef. This is not exactly a linear "pursue your dream" story since Samuelsson originally had wanted to be a professional soccer player but was too small. Soccer went off the table, and food took its place. In adapting the adult memoir for young readers, the authors have adopted the motivational tone of a coach before the big game: "Step up to the challenge; don't avoid it. Win or lose, take the shot." But many young people have seen Samuelsson on television's Chopped and will be eager to learn about the journey that got him there. Now a world-renowned chef, Samuelsson neatly serves up inspiration and food for thought for the many young people interested in cooking. (Memoir. 12-16)

May 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Aspiring chefs and fans of the Food Network will appreciate learning about the incredible journey of celebrity chef Samuelsson from this new edition of his autobiography Yes, Chef (Random, 2012), adapted for a teen audience. Samuelsson's perfectly imperfect life began in Ethiopia. An orphan whose parents died of tuberculosis, Samuelsson and his sister were adopted by a couple living in Sweden, where they thrived under the warmth and protection of their new parents. The Samuelssons instilled in him a strong work ethic, while his beloved grandmother nurtured his interest in food and cuisine. Devastated by his failure as a soccer player due to his slight weight and stature, Samuelsson instead decided to train as a chef. His incomparable work ethic would help him rise to the highest echelons of European cuisine, while a chance opportunity would elevate him to become the youngest chef ever to receive three stars from the New York Times. This new edition is a delightful read, and Samuelsson effectively connects his love of food to his personal journey. He is a clear and thoughtful storyteller, conveying his frustration about how his race made him an outsider. His refusal to quit amid adversity is admirable. In adjusting his book for teenage readers, however, Samuelsson leaves out many compelling chapters about his life, including the experience of meeting his biological family in Ethiopia and winning the covetous award for the best chef in the United States. VERDICT While this is an enjoyable memoir, libraries would be better served by purchasing Yes, Chef.-Maria Alegre, The Dalton School, New York

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 7-12 Based on Yes, Chef (2012), his best-selling adult memoir, this charts celebrity chef Samuelsson's culinary evolution. Born in Ethiopia and orphaned at age three, he was adopted by a Swedish couple and raised as a self-described black Swede. When a hoped-for career as a soccer player falls through, hehaving learned to cook from his maternal grandmotherturns to food as an alternate career and never looks back, having quickly come to love the organized chaos of the kitchen. Readers will share his excitement as he quickly rises through the ranks to become, at age 25, executive chef of Aquavit, one of the most famous restaurants in New York, as well as the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star review from The New York Times. Samuelsson asserts, and his story evinces, that three things have stood him in good stead: he is humble, he works hard, and he loves food. This smoothly written account, coauthored with Chambers, brings the drama of the kitchen to vivid and memorable life. Bon appetit!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)