What’s Good?

A pioneer of farm-to-table cooking blends memoir with a deep exploration of the ingredients he uses and where they come from

What goes into the making of a chef, a restaurant, a dish? In his highly anticipated first book, influential chef and food thinker Peter Hoffman offers delectable answers to these questions. Hoffman, a pioneer of farm-to-table cooking in New York, tells the story of his upbringing, professional education, and career as a chef and restaurant owner in a series of charming and illustrative tales of a life in kitchens—everything from the importance of your relationship with your refrigerator repairman to an account of how a burger killed his restaurant.
Mixed in with Hoffman’s personal stories are passionately curious explorations into the cultural, historical, and botanical backstories of the foods we eat. Following the march of the seasons and moving ingredient to ingredient through the bounty of the natural world, Hoffman meets with farmers and greenmarket vendors and unpacks what we eat, why we eat it, and how to make it delicious. What’s Good is as complex, thought-provoking, and enjoyable as a perfect meal.