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Chef headed to the Front Range
Marcus Samuelsson’s new memoir, traces his remarkable life story from an Ethiopian orphanage to his adoptive family in Sweden, through his cooking career in Europe and the United States and his rise through the celebrity food world.
The book manages to tell his unique tale while resonating with the shared experiences of immigration, race, family and food. It’s a compelling story that made me cry.
On Monday, Samuelsson will cook at in Boulder (1738 Pearl St.) at 5:30 p.m. and sign copies of “Yes, Chef” at (2375 E. First Ave.) 11 a.m. to 1 p.m..
The book begins with an image of your mother, even though you write that you have never seen a picture of her.
I imagined walking with her. I thought, “She’s slim, she’s strong, she has no shoes.” It was a way of telling about people in a poor village but who have a lot of dignity and strength and know-how. She knew how to find that hospital for us.
You write honestly — about the daughter you didn’t see for 14 years, about throwing up before work at the hotel restaurant. Was it hard to be that honest?
If you’re going to do this, you have to be honest. This is a 21st century journey but it started in the 20th century. It also shows how much I wanted it (to be a chef). Getting to a place of comfort can be uncomfortable. It’s OK to scream it out.
Did you begin your chef career with a desire for fame?
(Laughing) I set out to work really, really hard for a really long time. I was cooking long before I was a celebrity. I feel fortunate to be part of the cooking community. We learn from each other.
See more of our interview with Samuelsson at the Colorado Table. Kristen Browning-Blas, blogs.denverpost.com/food
