Henderson - Chef Jeff cooks: in the kitchen with Americas inspirational new culinary star

My core team for my first cookbook has been my family, and I cant thank them enough for their unwavering support. When I search for one word to describe my wife, Stacy, my sons, Jeffery Jr. and Jamar, my two beautiful daughters, Noel Marie and Troy Kennedy, I come up with extraordinary ! Stacy, without your patience and sacrifice, my success would have been impossible. You truly made it possible for me to translate my restaurant skills into recipes the home cook can relate to. Jeffery, Noel, and Troy, thanks for being quiet and giving up cartoons while Daddy was in the kitchen cooking, testing, and documenting recipes. Troy, you were amazing standing on a stepladder to stir the greens while Daddy worked the dough for the dinner rolls. I think you have the cooking bug. And Jamar, you ate just like Daddy: You ate it all!

Chef Robert, thanks for consulting with me on my vision for my recipes and for your continued inspiration. My literary agent, Mike Psaltis of the Culinary Cooperative, came through once again on this deal. Thanks, Mike. Beth Wareham, my editor at Scribner, the tough gal from Texas, fought hard for this project. Thanks for betting on me. Phil Davis, my lawyer, has really helped Stacy and me hold it all together. Thanks, Phil, for your integrity and for taking a special interest in my family. Betsy Pochoda, thank you for your help and for adding great vision to the stories that made this book inspiring. Chris Baker, photographer, you really showcased my passion for food through your pictures. Kudos to food stylist Lora Zarubin and to the young cook who helped me make these recipes camera ready.

To all the kitchen workers in the West from Los Angeles to San Diego to Las Vegas who have been on the front lines with me from the beginning of my professional career. Juan Carlos, Mario, and Feliciano in California helped me polish my skills enough to become a chef. My crew at Caesars Palace, Timmy and Drew, you always had my back during the rough times on my road to success.

I really want to thank the entire kitchen and stewarding crew at Caf Bellagio, who gave 100 percent every day, especially during the busy season when you all stepped up to the plate. Simon Youl, the hardest-working man in the kitchen, you are a legend for keeping the kitchen organized, and your humor during service kept us all laughing. The breakfast crew, pantry ladies, and the prep crew in the back, I commend you all for the years of hard work. To the sous chefs at the caf, Jamie, Kelly, Matt, Larry, and Patrick, we always made it happen when we were short and you all gave me 100 percent no matter what. Thanks.

Tammy Baker, Andrea Foggy-Paxton, and Tavis Smiley, thanks for giving me a shot at showcasing my talent for my first celebrity party. That opportunity gave me the confidence to go out and cook across America. Derek Folk, Tami Womack, Greg Evans, and Levi Jones, you all were believers from the start, and your support opened doors for me and kept me off the streets. Thank you all. La Cresha, thanks for your help on this book and for many adventures. You are very special to Stacy and me, and your input and passion for community has been invaluable.

To all my former chefsFriendly Womack, Big Roy, Robert Gadsby, Sterling Burpee, Sara Bowman, James Perlio, Wolfgang Von Weiser, and Edmond Wongwho gave me the skills and the opportunity to feed my family, I will never forget the impact you have had on my life. To Las Vegas executives Greg Waldren, Win Person, and Bart Mahonny, thank you for signing off on my opportunities.

I want to thank all the staff at the Bellagio who helped me succeed inside and outside the company: the bartenders Pops and Gin; Tim and Martin Herling, who campaigned to get me hired; Larry, the shoeshine man who kept my clogs looking goodthanks a million to you all. Terry Lanni, thank you for taking my meetings to discuss life. You are an inspiration to many.

To Robin Carter, the Tutto manager who oversaw my best book signing, thanks for your help. To MGM/MIRAGE, I am grateful for your professionalism and support of my life story. To all the nonprofit organizations and companies that have believed in my mission: MFHA, NSMH, ARAMARK, Smithfield Foods Inc., Patterson Partners, Pro Start, C-CAP, Chicago Public Schools, Books for Boys, New York City Public Schools, Las Vegas Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Job Corps. Bob Tushman, Brian Lando, and the Food Network, thank you for the opportunity to live my dream.

To all the young people out there, especially the ones who have fallen by the wayside, it is you whom I strive to inspire in my daily life. I draw my strength from you in all my work. Find your purpose, and your dream will come to light. Cooking is a joy for those who have a passion for pleasing. Cook hard and remember that those who sacrifice are those who win.

Twenty years ago, I did not know what a reduction was or even how a saut pan worked. I couldnt pronounce foie gras, and I certainly couldnt imagine that one day Id know how to cook it to perfection. Id never heard of heirloom tomatoes, now a staple on my dinner table during the summer. I never knew about slow-braising collard greens and couldnt imagine that cooking them with smoked turkey and low-sodium chicken broth would create a healthier version than the one Id grown up on. In fact, outside of eating, I didnt give much thought to food at all. I didnt know the power of food back then, or how, twenty years later, it would change my life.