a boy's journey into manhood and the things he experiences through his private and culinary life. Nathan Gross became a chef because he found that he was good at it, not because he couldn't do anything else. What was the secret in Nathan's life that he kept to himself for more than forty years? Nathan overcame the bullying, embarrassment, and humiliation by finding out there was life after childhood. He also found out what it meant to be a professional and to work with professionals. Were their lives much different from Nathan's? Can you put a price on friendship, dignity, and credibility? Or is friendship just a stepping-stone to get you from one stage in your life to another?

This book talks about Nathan's experiences on the road of life. What were the decisions he made that helped him to become a better person? Who influenced his life the most? What changes did he make along the way? Nathan found that success can be achieved even though the odds are against you. Problems never went away; Nathan just came up with a plan on how to deal with them differently. Mostly set in a large country club kitchen, Nathan created bonds in order to survive with the staff as they put out some of the most lavish buffets in the northeast. You may see yourself in this book. Then again, you may not want to. If you are happy with the way you are, then more power to you. If you notice that you have no friends, you have to do things by yourself, and you're not included with the group, then it's time for a change. Read this book with the understanding that we all have been there at one time or another. It's what we do with our learning experiences that define who we really are, what we want to become, and ultimately, how we want to be remembered.

Life, Love and Cooking is so much more than a book about a young boy dreaming of becoming a chef. It is a story of the redemption of a boy with a hardscrabble upbringing who prevailed and went on to become a successful chef and creative entrepreneur. But the extraordinary aspect of the story is Nathan Gross himself, looking for healing and growth and taking complete responsibility for making that happen, working for years at learning how to become the man he dreamed of being.

This book is a serious, raw, and sometimes comical look at refusing to let the past determine the future. It is a must read.

Carol Berger

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