Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (with Recipes)

Following in the footsteps of 2014’s Pen & Ink, a book based on the simple premise of asking people about the meaning and significance of their tattoos, Fitzgerald and MacNaughton focus on one of the most visibly tattooed professions, interviewing 65 people in the food and hospitality industry. The authors continue their winning approach, with MacNaughton’s illustrations of the tattoo in question accompanying Fitzgerald’s profile of the subject. The best entries in this collection are about tattoos that show the passion and dedication each person brings to their craft in the kitchen. Kate Romane, owner and chef at E2 Restaurant in Pittsburgh, has a tattoo of the Library of Congress call number for The Joy of Cooking. Joe Palma, who runs an open kitchen at a restaurant in Queens, N.Y., has a tattoo of crossed knives on his hand, used to showcase his pride and commitment to his work and as a kind of hello to customers watching him cook. The book also features recipes supplied by a handful of chefs, ranging from the very simple (such as a basic seasoning rub) to dishes best left in the hands of the pros (such as pork head rillette and an elaborate tater tot casserole). Readers are sure to devour this in a single sitting. [em](Oct.) [/em]