Rick Tramonto - Scars of a Chef: The Searing Story of a Top Chef Marked Forever by the Grit and Grace of Life in the Kitchen

Raw is the only word I can find to describe this piece. A journey through what many experience but are not brave enough to reveal... the dreams, the disappointments, and the ultimate triumph are so vividly recalled its as if Rick were sitting across the room speaking directly to you. A must-read for anyone who has ever wondered if their past truly defines their future.

Charlie Trotter

Rick candidly shares his life journey as a person and a chef. This book is a true testament to his love of the kitchen and determination to succeed.

Emeril Lagasse

Chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author

Knowing where Rick came from, Im even more impressed with what he has been able to accomplish. If you enjoy reading about food, restaurants, and the people who create them, youll find Scars of a Chef an interesting read. And if you are committed to personal growth and understanding, I think youll be touched by Ricks journey. As he begins a new chapter in his life, I cant wait to see what surprises Rick has in store for us.

Richard Melman

Founder and chairman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc.

This book gives young chefs a peek into what it really takes, not only to be a great chef, but to be a great person.

Michael Symon

Chef and owner, Lola and Lolita restaurants, Cleveland

2009 James Beard Award, Best Chef: Great Lakes

Author, Michael Symons Live to Cook

Scars of a Chef looks deep into the soul of an iconic American chef. Rick Tramonto is both brutally honest and open in his tale of how he beat the odds in life and saved himself and his family. A beautiful testament to love.

John Besh

Chef/owner, Besh Restaurant Group

Scars of a Chef is a page turnernot just because it details Rick Tramontos troubling times or glamorous moments but because of the deep honesty with which Rick shares all of his life with us. Rick is one of Americas most talented chefs; passionate, dedicated, and committed to the highest level of culinary art. And like any great artist, Rick is a complicated person with all the scars to show for his pain and passions. As we see him rebound and triumph even as his life takes new turns, we, too, find hope to dream new dreams.

Michael Lomonaco

Executive chef/partner, Porter House New York

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Scars of a Chef: The Searing Story of a Top Chef Marked Forever by the Grit and Grace of Life in the Kitchen

Copyright 2011 by Rick Tramonto. All rights reserved.

Cover and interior photographs of author taken by Stephen Vosloo. Copyright by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Knife silhouette copyright Mark Payne/Shutterstock. All rights reserved.

Photograph of Rick plating dishes at Trio copyright 1995 Johanna Weber. All rights reserved.

Photograph of A Salute to Americas Food Legends , 10th Annual Chefs Tribute to James Beard used with the permission of Citymeals-on-Wheels.

Photographs of Rick with Gale Gand and Rich Melman, the Tru kitchen, and the Osteria dining room copyright Tim Turner. All rights reserved.

All other photographs are from the personal collection of the Tramonto family and used with permission.

Background texture by Paree Erica and used with permission.

Designed by Dean H. Renninger

Published in association with the literary agency of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management, One Union Square West, Suite 904, New York, NY 10003.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com .

Some names and identifying details of people in this story have been changed out of respect for their privacy.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tramonto, Rick.

Scars of a chef : the searing story of a top chef marked forever by the grit and grace of life in the kitchen / Rick Tramonto with Lisa Jackson.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-4143-3162-1 (hc)

1. Tramonto, Rick. 2. CooksUnited StatesBiography. 3. CooksReligous lifeUnited States.

4. Spiritual lifeChristianity. 5. Christian life. I. Jackson, Lisa. II. Title.

TX649.T73A3 2011

641.5092dc22

[B] 2010047573

I dedicate this book to my heavenly Father, whom I have a great covenant with, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who always leads me down the right road and who brings me through every storm every time.

To my best friend and wife, Eileen Tramonto, who keeps me on track. Thanks for your friendship and love.

Finally, to my mom and dad, Frank and Gloria Tramonto, who have both gone home to be with the Lord. I love you and miss you and wish you could have been around to see and experience what God has blessed me with, and the success Ive found on my journey.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my friend and cowriter, Lisa Jackson, who inspired me to put forty-eight years into not quite three hundred pages. I could never have done this without you. Youve been such a blessing to do this project with. Thank you. I love you.

Thanks to my supportive and loving family: Eileen Tramonto, Gio Tramonto, and Sean and Brian Pschirrer. Thanks to my dog, Luke, and my cat, Noah, for getting along and making Old Testament and New Testament relationships.

Thanks to my Chicago spiritual family, Pastors Gregory and Grace Dickow of Life Changers International Church, for their love, blessings, teachings, prayers, and for feeding me the Word of God. Also to my Louisiana spiritual family, Pastors Dino and DeLynn Rizzo of Healing Place Church for their love, blessings, and keeping me close to God during my time in New Orleans. I also want to thank Bishop T. D. Jakes, along with The Potters House, for continuing to inspire and illustrate Gods love and teachings to me.

Thanks to my loyal and longtime agent and friend, Jane Dystel; my editor, Kim Miller; and the great team at Tyndale House Publishers for their trust and faith in this book and me. A special thanks to Jan Long Harris.

I would also like to thank Reggie Anderson, who kept me healthy and strong during the writing of this book and who kept me Reggi-fied!

Thanks to Gale Gand, my culinary partner, for taking this journey with me.

Thanks to my supportive friends whom I rarely get to see but who I love to cook for. God bless you all and may the grace of God be with you.

Rick Tramonto

Foreword by Chef John D. Folse

Its been said that our palates are set at the table of our forefathers. They determined the foods we ate, the first tastes that passed our lips, and the dishes that were handed down as family traditions. The same can be said for our character, our personal style, and eventually our accomplishments. After all, the values we carry through life are also delivered to each of us at the family table. Rick Tramonto is certainly a great example of this philosophy, and so am I. I suppose this is where our commonality begins.