Book excerpt: "'POW! My Life in 40 Feasts' is so much more than a cookbook-it's the actual celebration of Chef Jesse's way of life...through delicious food. We are all so fortunate to take a peek into the life of one of America's finest chefs and, more importantly, to share a little of his bon vivant personality." -Thomas Griffiths, CMC, Campbell's Global Culinary Institute "Chef Jesse is the real deal - a loyal friend and family man whose cooking sings with stupendous flavor and authenticity. I intend to cook my way through the whole book." -Nick Malgieri author of How to Bake and PASTRY Chef Jesse Jones's story is honest and heartfelt as he describes how the kitchen saved him from the streets. He grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and summered with his grandparents in North Carolina, then trained in a great French restaurant. When he used his hard-won French technique to make Southern fried chicken, then served it alongside his sweet potato waffles, all his diners could say was POW! Chef Jesse is a gifted American chef who has owned his own restaurant, cooked in five-star restaurants, and chefed for celebrities who have become lifelong friends. He cooks it low and slow, or fast and furious. But regardless of the technique, Chef's food is always delicious. This collection of 40 feasts will give you party ideas all year long. For beginners and experts alike, cook with Chef Jesse and soon you'll be saying POW!