Symon Michael - Michael Symons Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen

Michael Symon is cooking that means the aroma of sizzling pork is in the air!

Michael Symon is a good friend of mine, and that makes me a lucky guy. When he asked me to write this Foreword I was flattered, in part due to my respect for his food and his personality, but also because any chef Michael has come into contact with over the years would have been honored to contribute to this, his first cookbook.

Chef Symon and his coauthor, Michael Ruhlman, give you all you need to know to emulate the Symon way of cooking and eating, which is a good thing. Now because I have had the privilege of spending plenty of quality time with him, I am going to try to let you in on who Michael Symon really isas a chef, as a cook, and as a friend.

Michael Symon loves to ride motorcycles, although he recently admitted to me that his current maturity has him less behind the handlebars and more likely to be gripping a golf club these days. (For those who are interested, hes about a nine handicap on a good day, so beware!) He has also traded in his competitive wrestling gear for an Iron Chef jersey, which makes him rather dangerous in Kitchen Stadium. Instead of putting his competitors in a devastating headlock, he is now more likely to bring them to their knees with a bowl of crispy gnocchi with morels and peas.

Michael knows who he is and where he lives, and his heritage and community come into play in his deeply personal, soul-satisfying dishes. The thing I love most about Michaels food is that its handcrafted and focused, and each dish has a distinct story to tell.

Michaels pedigree is predominantly Greek and Italian, so his food often tastes like its been flown in from the Mediterranean. Youll find lots of Greek yogurt, tons of lemon, fish cooked in grape leaves, and handfuls of savory pastas to fill your table.

Since he lives in Cleveland, Ohio (which, by the way, makes him a huge fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns, and he roots as hard as anyone Ive seen), his Midwestern sensibilities also come into play when he cooks. Michael encourages not only flavor but also abundance and embraces dishes like pierogies, an Eastern European answer to the dumpling, which he fills with beef cheeks and laces with horseradish. He also shares a full roster of sausages and charcuterie that tie his Midwestern pride to his olive oil bloodline.

Chef Symon isnt just obsessed with porkits a part of his lifestyle. He doesnt just teach you how to cook a pork chop or twoalthough I am looking forward to checking out his rack of pork with grilled peaches and chestnut honeyMichael uses pork as his ace in the hole, a card he plays often and with tremendous results. He uses pork cheeks in chili, braises greens with bacon, pairs pork belly with polenta and wild mushrooms, and wraps walleye in bacon. He hits a pork double in something he calls a BBLT, which combines pork belly and bacon. Then theres the puree of pea soup, which he uses as a canvas for three pork provisions: bacon, ham hocks, and spare ribs. I say: Bring it! And for lots of fun, lets not forget the crispy pig ears! Could any other recipe prove just how dedicated he is to embracing every last edible part of his beloved pig? You may have reservations now, but believe meMichael will make a convert out of you.

Michael is always easy to find in a crew; just listen for his infectious laugh, a signature of his genuine personality. He is high energy and good humored, with a heart of gold and a passion for all things delicious. Michael is the cook you want guiding you in your own kitchen. Just listen to what Symon says! I promise it will be worth it.

Its been a fact of my life and of my work, and its one of the most important things I know: food brings people together.

I grew up in a family that loves food and truly loves to cook. My mom, Angel, born to Greek and Italian parents, always cooked from scratch when I was a kid and, with one exception Ill explain, I dont remember a time when we didnt sit down together to eat and talk about the day. Importantly, all the