Top Chef Reads

I recently did a quick search back through the archives of The Reader blog and discovered that I've mentioned on more than one occasion that I have a bit of an obsession with the TV show Top Chef. Not only has the show become part of my TV watching routine, but it's also impacted my reading. I've read biographies of hosts and contestants of both Top Chef and its spin-off Top Chef masters, not to mention the cookbooks I've perused that have been officially and unofficially affiliated with the show.

In my job ordering cooking related books for the library, I've noticed that in the last year, the publishing industry has produced a number of books affiliated with the Top Chef brand, so I don't think I'm alone in my obsession. Combining cookbooks with memoirs, and from both up-and-coming chefs and those who are already celebrities, these recent and upcoming releases make great reading and cooking for food fans everywhere.

Beginnings: my way to start a meal (M) by Chris Cosentino

Cooking with Love: comfort food that hugs you (M)
by Carla Hall

Fabio's Italian kitchen: a traditional food affair with a twist (M)
by Fabio Viviani

Fire in My Belly: real cooking (M)
by Kevin Gillespie

Girl in the Kitchen: how a top chef cooks, thinks, eats and drinks (M)
by Stephanie Izard

Hubert Keller's Souvenirs : stories & recipes from my life (M)
by Hubert Keller

Mike Isabella's Crazy Good Italian : big flavors, small plates (M) by Mike Isabella

Smoke and Pickles: recipes and stories from a new Southern kitchen (M)
by Edward Lee

Try This at Home: recipes from my head to your plate (M)
by Richard Blais

Yes, Chef: a memoir (M)
by Marcus Samuelsson