Books like The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman

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

The Art of Fermentation is a definitive guide that translates the science, history, and practical techniques of fermentation into clear, step‑by‑step instructions for beginners and experts alike.

Ruth Reichl’s memoir chronicles her life from a childhood shaped by food to her rise as a celebrated culinary writer, capturing the people and places that defined her passion for cooking and storytelling.

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

Chef Marcus Samuelsson tells the true story of his journey from an adopted Ethiopian boy to a celebrated New York chef, blending family memories, culinary triumphs, and personal discovery.

In the UK, White's brilliant cooking and high-wattage antics have made him a legend: the first British chef (and the youngest chef anywhere) to win three Michelin stars, a chain-smoking, pot-throwing, multiply married culinary genius whose fierce devotion to food and restaurants has been the only constant in a life of tabloid-ready turmoil. Here, he tells the story of his life in food, spanning his apprenticeship with Albert and Michel Roux, his wild years in the bacchanal of 1980s Chelsea, his ferocious pursuit of the highest Michelin rating, and his "retirement career" as a hugely successful restaurateur. With cameos from the likes of Michael Caine, Madonna, and Damien Hirst, The Devil in the Kitchen leaves no dish unserved, relating the backroom antics, the blood feuds, and the passion for great food that have driven London's greatest restaurants for decades.--From publisher description.

Michael Ruhlman explores how chefs have risen from kitchen hands to cultural icons, examining the dramatic shift that has turned restaurant cooking into a form of performance art and the chef into a celebrity‑CEO.

Julia Child’s life unraveled from a spirited California girl to an iconic culinary author and renowned teacher, revealin her wartime service, marriage to Paul Child and the decades-long love of French cuisine.

A memoir exploring the tastes and textures of growing up in India, featuring recipes for delicious dishes from childhood.

"Named one of the five favorite culinary books of this decade by Food Arts magazine, The Professional Chef is the classic kitchen reference that many of America's top chefs have used to understand basic skills and standards for quality as well as develop a sense of how cooking works. Now, the ninth edition features an all-new, user-friendly design that guides readers through each cooking technique, starting with a basic formula, outlining the method at-a-glance, offering expert tips, covering each method with beautiful step-by-step photography, and finishing with recipes that use the basic techniques. The new edition also offers a global perspective and includes essential information on nutrition, food and kitchen safety, equipment, and product identification. Basic recipe formulas illustrate fundamental techniques and guide chefs clearly through every step, from mise en place to finished dishes. Includes an entirely new chapter on plated desserts and new coverage of topics that range from sous vide cooking to barbecuing to seasonality Highlights quick reference pages for each major cooking technique or preparation, guiding you with at-a-glance information answering basic questions and giving new insights with expert tips Features nearly 900 recipes and more than 800 gorgeous full-color photographs Covering the full range of modern techniques and classic and contemporary recipes, The Professional Chef, Ninth Edition is the essential reference for every serious cook"--

New Professional Chef is a culinary text from the Culinary Institute of America that introduces professional cooking techniques with an emphasis on quantity cooking for aspiring chefs.