Books like Never trust a skinny Italian chef by Massimo Bottura

Anthony Bourdain tells the candid, behind‑the‑pan stories of his rise from dishwasher to celebrated chef, mixing culinary insight with personal anecdotes.

A chef‑turned‑writer shares the culinary journey and personal stories that shaped her career and her restaurant, Prune, in New York City.

Bill Buford chronicles his three‑year apprenticeship under chef Mario Batali at the New York restaurant Babbo, detailing the trials of learning professional cooking, from butchery in Italy to hand‑made pasta in Tuscany.

Learn the secrets of Italian cooking.

This collection of Americanized Italian recipes offers some useful ideas for lowering fat, but many of Glick and Bagget's recipes seem misplaced in a cuisine that is already naturally healthy. Each recipe includes nutritional information, but serving sizes can be misleading (e.g., 1 3/4 cups of Hot Artichoke Spread yields 25 servings, which would make a serving fractionally over a tablespoon; at 80 calories and 2.4 grams of fat per serving, that's hardly a skinny dish). When the authors stick to fresh ingredients, there are some light and tasty results: Italian Garden Orzo Salad with peppers and herbs, Braised Turkey Stew, Milan Style (an ossobuco wannabe) and Tuna Steaks with Sweet-and-Sour Tomato Relish. Some of the recipes rely unnecessarily on prepared products, e.g. commercially seasoned stuffing mix rather than stale bread in Italian Bread Soup, and a Tiramisu made with cottage cheese, marshmallow cream, Neufchatel cheese and cream cheese.

Danny Meyer explains how his "enlightened hospitality" philosophy—prioritizing people, then guests, community, suppliers, investors—has built one of New York City's most respected restaurants and a dynamic global dining empire.

As ethnic neighborhoods in other cities assimilate to American life, the exuberant local flavor of San Diego's Little Italy remains both culturally and culinarily distinct. Tucked between Interstate 5 and San Diego Bay southeast of San Diego International Airport, the blocks surrounding the landmark Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church contain many of the most notable eateries and gourmet cafes in "America's Finest City." Join Maria Desiderata Montana, a daughter of that Italian heritage and one of the city's most notable food writers, on this savory tour through the zesty Italian food traditions, businesses and recipes both in Little Italy and across San Diego.