Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef

In Where I Come From, America’s most prominent Latino chef shares the story behind his food, his family, and his professional journey.

“Chef Aarón Sánchez’s memoir touched my soul.” —Oscar De La Hoya

Before Chef Aarón Sánchez rose to fame on shows such as MasterChef and Chopped, he was a restless Mexican American son, raised by a fiercely determined and talented woman who was a successful chef and restaurateur in her own right. She is credited with bringing authentic Mexican cuisine to the New York City dining scene.

Sánchez, who lost his father at a young age, was destined to follow in his mother Zarela’s footsteps. He spent nights as a child in his family’s dining room surrounded by some of the most influential chefs and restaurateurs in New York. At 16, needing direction, he was sent by his mother to work for renowned chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans.

In this memoir, Sánchez delves into his formative years with remarkable candor, injecting his story with adrenaline and revealing how he fell in love with cooking and started a career in the fast-paced culinary world. Sánchez shares the invaluable lessons he learned from his upbringing and his training—both inside and outside the kitchen—and offers an intimate look into the chaotic and untraditional life of a professional chef and television personality

This memoir is Sánchez’s highly personal account of a fatherless Latino kid whose talent and passion took him to success at the top of his profession.

“A testament to family and the mentors that shape a young cook into a passionate, innovative, and ruthless chef.” —Gordon Ramsay

“This captivating book reminds us that food is dynamic, a form of cultural currency.” —Emeril Lagasse