Overview

With rare intensity and candor, world-renowned, Michelin-starred Chef Curtis Duffy shares his epic journey from child of an outlaw biker father to famed culinary iconoclast. Fans of no holds-barred stories such as Motley Crue's The Dirt, memoirs by celebrity chefs, and brutally honest personal memoirs will love this raw and inspiring true story. ""Chef Curtis Duffy's Fireproof is like Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential meets Sons of Anarchy."" --Peter Blauner, New York Times bestselling author of The Intruder Fireproof charts Chef Curtis Duffy's rise in spite of trauma, to being mentored by and recognized among the world's top chefs. Amid childhood chaos in rural Ohio, a young Duffy first found refuge in Home Ec class, then at one of Columbus's best restaurants, where he honed his skills. His passion ignited, Duffy was dead set on leaving Ohio and breaking the Duffy family curse. But the tragic deaths of his parents jeopardized his promising trajectories. Summoning extraordinary fortitude, Duffy ate pain, graduated culinary school, and moved to Chicago to work in Chef Charlie Trotter's kitchen--a hotbed of talent that produced prominent alumni such as Grant Achatz, Graham Elliot, and Homaro Cantu. Inspired by stellar peers and staging for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry, Duffy's drive only grew. His meteoric rise would cost him a marriage--the price of ambition, focus, and Grace restaurant. Grace earned three Michelin stars four years in a row, solidifying Duffy's place as one of the world's greatest culinary artists. But in a heartbreaking act of defiance, Duffy walked out after disputes with Grace's owner. Unstoppable, Duffy created Ever restaurant--a launch nearly derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Duffy persisted where many others would have resigned their craft, and Ever earned two Michelin stars from 2021-2024. Duffy was ranked one of the ""50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining"" in 2024 by the Robb Report.

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9781639511358

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Reviews

""Like Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential meets Sons of Anarchy.""--Peter Blauner, New York Times bestselling author ""Few chefs have endured what Curtis Duffy has, and even fewer have been able to turn such pain into something so refined and purposeful. Fireproof is a stunning testament to the strength of the human spirit and the quiet discipline it takes to rebuild yourself--and your art--on your own terms."" --Eric Ripert, Chef & Co-Owner of Le Bernardin ""Curtis's story is one of tragedy and triumph, the art of perfection and perfecting the art, and what it means to be one of the country's best chefs. His journey is deeply personal, yet universally resonant. Readers will discover reflections of their own lives and the drive to rise.""--Grant Achatz, Chef/Co-owner The Alinea Group ""Curtis Duffy's amazing book Fireproof is an incredible story of triumph and tragedy. From a tough upbringing to becoming one of the world's top chefs it really is an incredible read. Highly recommended!!!""--Brian Slagel, Chairman/CEO Metal Blade Records ""How Chef Duffy defeated his demons and fulfilled his muse will genuinely blow your mind."" --Joel McIver, Bestselling Author of To Live Is to Die: The Life and Death of Metallica's Cliff Burton ""Curtis Duffy knew innately that both talent and tenacity are essential for success. His refusal to surrender and his commitment to his craft and vision has given him the accolades he so deserves.""--Paul Stanley, New York Times bestselling author and front man and rhythm guitarist of KISS ""Fireproof is proof that the fragility of the human experience can be fortified by determination, consistency, and finding purpose in your passion. Through Jeremy Wagner's raw and honest narrative, Chef Curtis Duffy allows us to relive his own personal tragedy and triumph not for sympathy or praise, but as a shining example of what it means to never, ever give up.""--Frankie Nasso, Film Director and Producer ""Fireproof is no ordinary chef's tale, it's the story of perseverance and finding salvation in the kitchen. Besides becoming a world class chef, Curtis Duffy is an inspiration and a survivor with an important story to tell.""--Del James, Author of The Language of Fear and Consensual Violence ""The deeply human tale of a young man rising from a background of poverty and hair-raising familial violence in small town Ohio, and through applied discipline and sheer force of will, turning himself into one of the most celebrated chefs in America....More than just another 'celebrity chef' memoir--it's a meditation on the universal values of resilience, mentorship, compassion, and the purpose-driven life. Alternately heartbreaking and inspiring, this story of food, fortitude, and (ultimately) forgiveness will linger in your mind like the memory of a favorite dinner with family and friends. Outstanding!""--D. Randall Blythe, Frontman of Lamb of God and Bestselling author of Just Beyond the Light: Making Peace with the Wars Inside Our Head and Dark Days: A Memoir ""Fireproof shows how the power of love for food, friends, and family provided the necessary grit to build (and rebuild) a life. Chef Curtis Duffy shares how he was able to keep his flame burning without letting it consume him, even in the direst of circumstances. Fireproof kept me captivated from harrowing beginning to hopeful end.""--Regina Garza Mitchell, author of Shadow of the Vulture ""Curtis Duffy takes life on the chin--and never allows his tragic experiences to define him. In his memoir, Fireproof, Curtis goes through enough levels of hell and obstacles for NINE lives. This calm, soft-spoken, and focused man--who also happens to be a huge metal fan and a refined chef of the highest order--never stopped dreaming or aspiring. Through the hardest of times, Curtis saw light and promise. He vowed to break the cycle of abuse that transcended generations in the Duffy family. Curtis succeeded in crushing that toxic cycle--and prevailed in myriad ways. Seeing Curtis Duffy attain his goals and arrive at a wondrous place in life with his beloved family at its core is beyond inspiring.""--Chuck Billy, frontman of Testament ""Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef. Horrifying and inspiring, tragic and triumphant, powerful reading.""--Mike Bordin of Faith No More, and Ozzy Osbourne ""I never would have thought being a chef has so many parallels to being a musician, all the highs and lows, and in Curtis's case, huge success and redemption. An amazing read!""--Gary Holt of Exodus/Slayer, and bestselling author of A Fabulous Disaster: From the Garage to Madison Square Garden, the Hard Way ""I've never had to put a book down because it overwhelmed me emotionally--until Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef. Curtis Duffy's story is so raw and intense that I had to step away at times just to process it. What struck me most was how he stood in the eye of a tornado of trauma and emerged not just intact, but driven--fueled by his culinary alchemy. As a musician, it was powerful to see how, despite our art forms being so different, the journey of using creativity to survive and transform pain is universal.""--Charlie Benante of Anthrax, Pantera ""Fireproof is incendiary. The flames of Duffy's passion and of the pain that he rose through to get where he is are on full display here. A true story of salvation through one's self and pure tenacity of will. It is a heroic and inspirational read.""--John Boden, author of Thrift Store Puzzles, and Snarl

Author Information

Curtis Duffy is a Michelin-starred chef and co-owner of Ever and After in Chicago. With a career history in renowned restaurants Charlie Trotter's, Trio, Alinea, and Avenues, Duffy rose to prominence for his precision, creativity, and leadership. He opened Grace in 2012, earning three Michelin stars four years running before closing in 2017. His culinary journey was featured in the 2015 documentary For Grace. In 2020, Duffy launched Ever, which has earned two Michelin stars annually since its opening. He later debuted After, named one of Esquire's 2023 Best Bars in America, and The Canvas by Ever, an upscale event space. Duffy has received top honors including the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes(2016). He has appeared on Top Chef, Iron Chef, and The Bear, and serves on the advisory board of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. His memoir, Fireproof, will be released August 2025. Jeremy Wagner is a guitarist, songwriter, and bestselling author. His debut novel The Armageddon Chord is the recipient of the Hiram Award and Barnes & Noble Top 10 paperback bestseller. His novel Rabid Heart was nominated for a Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel, received an Independent Publisher's IPPY Award for both Best Horror e-Book, and was a Next Generation Book Award finalist for Best Horror Novel. Wagner is releasing two books in 2025: including a new dark-crime novel Wretch and Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef with Chef Curtis Duffy. Living between Chicago and Miami with his wife Kym, Wagner has released several albums with his bands Broken Hope and Earthburner.

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