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Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras
Jeff Henderson was just another inner-city black kid born into a world of poverty and limited options, where crime seemed to provide the only way to get out. Raised mostly by his single mother, who struggled just to keep food on the table, Jeff dreamed big. He had to get out and he soon did by turning to what so many in his community did: dealing drugs. But Jeff was no ordinary drug dealer; by twenty-one, he was one of the top cocaine dealers in San Diego, making up to $35,000 a week. Two years later he was indicted on federal drug trafficking charges and sentenced to almost twenty years in prison. Before he knew what had hit him, he was looking at spending most of his life behind bars. The street life had been the only one he'd ever known and even incarcerated he was too hardheaded to realize that no good would come of it.
That is, until he was assigned to one of the least desirable prison jobs: washing dishes. That job helped turn his whole life around. It gave him access to the prison kitchen and he became fascinated watching his fellow prisoners cook for the thousands of other inmates and prison officials. Henderson learned to cook in prison. Not cocaine, but food. And his dream was born: Once outside, he would become a chef.
It was a tough, seemingly impossible journey for an ex-con. Few chefs would give him the opportunity to cook in their restaurants. And once hired, he endured racism and sabotage in the kitchen. But Henderson refused to accept rejection. Driven by a dream and an unshakable will to succeed, Chef Jeff worked hard to overcome unimaginable adversity and eventually reached the top of his profession, becoming executive chef at Caf� Bellagio in Las Vegas. p
Alive with the energy of the streets, the sober reality of prison, and the visceral thrill of being inside the fast-paced kitchens of great restaurants, Cooked is an intense, intimate tale of crime, punishment, and redemption -- a deeply poignant story of how the worst wrong can lead to the most extraordinary right.
That is, until he was assigned to one of the least desirable prison jobs: washing dishes. That job helped turn his whole life around. It gave him access to the prison kitchen and he became fascinated watching his fellow prisoners cook for the thousands of other inmates and prison officials. Henderson learned to cook in prison. Not cocaine, but food. And his dream was born: Once outside, he would become a chef.
It was a tough, seemingly impossible journey for an ex-con. Few chefs would give him the opportunity to cook in their restaurants. And once hired, he endured racism and sabotage in the kitchen. But Henderson refused to accept rejection. Driven by a dream and an unshakable will to succeed, Chef Jeff worked hard to overcome unimaginable adversity and eventually reached the top of his profession, becoming executive chef at Caf� Bellagio in Las Vegas. p
Alive with the energy of the streets, the sober reality of prison, and the visceral thrill of being inside the fast-paced kitchens of great restaurants, Cooked is an intense, intimate tale of crime, punishment, and redemption -- a deeply poignant story of how the worst wrong can lead to the most extraordinary right.
275 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
40 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
March 20, 2008
I wrote a review for this book for my job, so I'll keep this short. It's an engaging, quick read that seems to be the real deal as oppossed to all those fake memoirs that have been exposed lately. Jeff Henderson's story of going from a crack dealer to a prisoner to a top-rated chef is a truly inspiring story. His writing is a little rough, but it works. I'm also not too sure how good it is to essentially have a crack recipe in the book, but the fried chicken recipe looks good. I'm gonna try it.
May 13, 2010
This is chef Jeff Henderson's autobiography, tracing his roots in a poor Southern Californian family to his outrageous success as a big-time crack dealer in the 80's, to his transformation during the 10 years he spent in Federal prison, where he discovered a passion for cooking, and his fight to rise to the top despite his lack of formal training in the culinary world once he was a free man again.
The book is extremely gritty in the first half or so. The average citizen would probably find the realities of "life of the street" to be somewhat shocking, not to mention the details of prison life. If you want to know what went on in Federal prisons in the 90's... Nevermind. Take it from me, you don't.
Henderson is not a writer, nor is his reading of his book technically excellent. However, considering the fact that he left high school with a 6th grade reading level, his accomplishment in writing this book is great.
The book is interesting from several angles. It's interesting as the story of a nobody who rose to success in the professional cooking world, and one of the first successful African American chefs at that. But more than that, it offers insight into the problems that plague African American society, culture, and families, particularly the lack of parental love, parenting skills, and commitment to their families. It is inspiring to see how Jeff Henderson educated himself through reading and taking classes to improve himself, to eventually become a social activist, public speaker, talented chef, and a devoted husband and father who is doing his best to overcome the negative patterns he saw in his own home as a child.
Note: If you strongly dislike profanity, this is not a book for you. Jeff still maintains the street lingo that he grew up with.
The book is extremely gritty in the first half or so. The average citizen would probably find the realities of "life of the street" to be somewhat shocking, not to mention the details of prison life. If you want to know what went on in Federal prisons in the 90's... Nevermind. Take it from me, you don't.
Henderson is not a writer, nor is his reading of his book technically excellent. However, considering the fact that he left high school with a 6th grade reading level, his accomplishment in writing this book is great.
The book is interesting from several angles. It's interesting as the story of a nobody who rose to success in the professional cooking world, and one of the first successful African American chefs at that. But more than that, it offers insight into the problems that plague African American society, culture, and families, particularly the lack of parental love, parenting skills, and commitment to their families. It is inspiring to see how Jeff Henderson educated himself through reading and taking classes to improve himself, to eventually become a social activist, public speaker, talented chef, and a devoted husband and father who is doing his best to overcome the negative patterns he saw in his own home as a child.
Note: If you strongly dislike profanity, this is not a book for you. Jeff still maintains the street lingo that he grew up with.
April 28, 2020
Honestly, this book was ridiculous. He states that he got a GED in prison, but shows himself graduating high school earlier in the book. So how much of this book is even true?? Too much language and hard to follow with all the slang. Wanted to like it, ended up hating it. Keep this book on the shelf where it belongs.
November 15, 2008
I bought this book because I had heard about Jeff Henderson's transition from drug dealer to convict to successful cheff and I thought I could use this book in my job because I teach in a prison. Something that has worried me about my students and their chances of chnging thier lives is the depth and totality of the the changes they need to make in order to stay out of prison.
Those of use who work with at-risk youth or with adjudicated youth talk a lot about choices and change but we never really show them how all encompassing this change will have to be because it is not just about habits or lifestyle. It is also about culture and about leaving behind everything you know for something you don't know. The changes these young people need to make permeate everything in their lives. Many of my students don't believe in bank accounts. They can't adjust their speech register to meet new situations and they don't know what it means to have fun without drinking or toking. So, how did Chef Jeff do it? I think that best part of his book comes near the end when he says it took him almost 18 years to get it right and to makes the transition complete.
In this day and age when we watch shows about re-building a house in 2 days and we think every success has to be overnight or it will never come, that line says more than anything else Chef Jeff says (although he makes a lot of valuable points). Many of my students want things when they want them and they don't know how to work towards a goal one step at a time.
In fact, when I told one of my students that I was reading this book and I would loan it to him but he had to wait a few days because I was reading it, he asked me for three more times that same day! I was glad he was interested but I also wanted to tell him to stop asking me! he could wait a few days and it wouldn't kill him! In his mind, if he didn't get it right away, he might never get it. I think I'll highlight that quote in the book and see if my student gets it!
Henderson's writing style is straight forward and honest. It was an easy book to read because I felt as if I was sitting there talking to this guy and that makes a better book for my students. They want to hear from somebody who speaks in a way that they can understand and who isn't so far removed from them that they could never be like him. Henderson's point is that they could be like him if they work hard, have patience, keep learning and open their minds.
I am planning to order a few more copies of this book and use it in class. I also plan to talk to my students about time and how it's on their side.
Those of use who work with at-risk youth or with adjudicated youth talk a lot about choices and change but we never really show them how all encompassing this change will have to be because it is not just about habits or lifestyle. It is also about culture and about leaving behind everything you know for something you don't know. The changes these young people need to make permeate everything in their lives. Many of my students don't believe in bank accounts. They can't adjust their speech register to meet new situations and they don't know what it means to have fun without drinking or toking. So, how did Chef Jeff do it? I think that best part of his book comes near the end when he says it took him almost 18 years to get it right and to makes the transition complete.
In this day and age when we watch shows about re-building a house in 2 days and we think every success has to be overnight or it will never come, that line says more than anything else Chef Jeff says (although he makes a lot of valuable points). Many of my students want things when they want them and they don't know how to work towards a goal one step at a time.
In fact, when I told one of my students that I was reading this book and I would loan it to him but he had to wait a few days because I was reading it, he asked me for three more times that same day! I was glad he was interested but I also wanted to tell him to stop asking me! he could wait a few days and it wouldn't kill him! In his mind, if he didn't get it right away, he might never get it. I think I'll highlight that quote in the book and see if my student gets it!
Henderson's writing style is straight forward and honest. It was an easy book to read because I felt as if I was sitting there talking to this guy and that makes a better book for my students. They want to hear from somebody who speaks in a way that they can understand and who isn't so far removed from them that they could never be like him. Henderson's point is that they could be like him if they work hard, have patience, keep learning and open their minds.
I am planning to order a few more copies of this book and use it in class. I also plan to talk to my students about time and how it's on their side.
September 10, 2016
In Cooked, Jeff Henderson recounts his unlikely rise from a crack dealer in San Diego to a well-respected chef in a prestigious Las Vegas restaurant. His ambitions and inspiration came to him while serving a drug-related sentence in federal prison, and upon his release he put 100% of his efforts into educating himself, gaining experience, and convincing influential people in the restaurant business to take a chance on him.
Jeff’s gritty memoir was fascinating to me, someone to whom most of his life experiences are completely foreign, and I had a difficult time putting it down between sittings. One can’t help but admire his strength and resolve in making his dreams come true despite a past he wasn't proud of.
Jeff’s gritty memoir was fascinating to me, someone to whom most of his life experiences are completely foreign, and I had a difficult time putting it down between sittings. One can’t help but admire his strength and resolve in making his dreams come true despite a past he wasn't proud of.
July 22, 2008
I read this book in one day flat, it was incredibly engaging (and I was having a bit of lazy day). I have a weakness for memoir, and what I appreciated about this particular story was it's lack of preach-i-ness. Henderson tells it like it is (or was), and his rise from prison to a successful chef was not a fairytale. It wasn't just one lucky break, it was hard work, determination, willingness to do what it took. He had a lot of grit and lot of heart, and did not sugar coat his life or downplay the role of the significant people in his life who helped him. Overall an inspiring, well written book.
January 13, 2010
This book is about a man name jeff henderson he was a big time drug dealer he carried around three thousand dollars in a louis vutton bag everyday.Shortly after he got busted he severed 6years in jail.In the process of him being in jail he had come from a person who wash dishes to a cheif.Long after he served his time he became a cheif at a five star resuant.He got married and had three chidren.This book sends a lesson that you can change your life.This alson shows that just because you got money and cars and cloths it all can be taking away in a blink of a eye.This book reminds me of people in my neighborhood.This book sends a importan message to young people.I think this is a great book.
April 5, 2015
Inspirational - 2 lives in 1 lifetime...
It was suggested that I read this book upon starting an Offender Workforce Development Specialist training course offered by the US Probation Dept. Chef Jeff's story has inspired me to complete the course with the confidence that I can make a difference in planning careers with ex--offenders!
It was suggested that I read this book upon starting an Offender Workforce Development Specialist training course offered by the US Probation Dept. Chef Jeff's story has inspired me to complete the course with the confidence that I can make a difference in planning careers with ex--offenders!
April 12, 2019
I liked this book because it is showing that, in life you are going to make mistakes. In this book, that is exactly what Jeff Henderson did. Jeff was making hundreds of thousands of dollars in a week by selling drugs. For this action jeff was sentenced to 19 and 1/2 years but after his time he became a different man and took his talents to the stove and never looked back. If you wanna keep learning about Jeff story read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 9, 2018Jeff Henderson wrote an amazing book that had me rooting for him the whole time and cringing whenever he would make a bad decision in life. Jeff starts writing about his past and present and what it took to become a chef at the same time and they blend wonderfully. Even though his life his very hard the next chapter reasures you that everything will work out.
August 21, 2008
Henderson was a crack dealer in San Diego who developed a passion for cooking while in prison and who later became a successful chef. In itself, it is an interesting story. But Henderson doesn't supply enough insight to move this beyond IHOP-level fare. It was a worthwhile story, but it could have been so much more. Maybe I'm stretching it to say that most of his reading audience has never dealt drugs or been incarcerated, yet he speaks so generally on these topics that we gain only small bits of insight--and many of those he seems to deliver unintentionally. A lot of the book deals with his overcoming a "street" mentality. It's hard to get the sense of his personal change: he writes throughout with a hard, tough tone that is rarely reflective, often defensive, and constantly self-absorbed. Unfortunately what could have been explosive was more or less bland. I expect Henderson cooks better than he writes.
June 17, 2008
this book was a true quick read- although not for the normal reasons. it was easy to get through not because it was a page turner or a really great book, but rather it was a very simple, plain english, down to earth account of jeff henderson's life as a crack dealer in southern california, his subsequent fall and jail stint, and his eventual rise back up through the culinary world as a chef. it was pretty amazing to think that a person could have the drive to accomplish what he did after all he went through, and this tipped the scales for me as i was deciding between 3 and 4 stars. but this is really a 3.5 star book- weak on literary merit, strong on story. i'm also very interested in the culinary world so that probably biased me toward a 4 star rating rather than the 3 it might deserve. buyer beware.
July 16, 2009
Good story, but poorly written.
4 things Jeff Henderson is: an inspiration, an amazing chef, a role model for at-risk youth and a poster child for prison rehabilitation programs
2 things Jeff Henderson is NOT: an author, an audiobook reader
This book was in desperate need of an editor. Even in audio form, I wanted to take a red pen to this book and correct every ounce of bad grammar. Dialogue I can usually understand, but that was not the case here. This had a "nails on the chalkboard" effect for me and completely distracted me from the story at times.
Cursing doesn't normally bother me so much. get that the author was probably trying to really set the mood of his time on the streets and in prison, but the amount was unnecessary and offensive.
4 things Jeff Henderson is: an inspiration, an amazing chef, a role model for at-risk youth and a poster child for prison rehabilitation programs
2 things Jeff Henderson is NOT: an author, an audiobook reader
This book was in desperate need of an editor. Even in audio form, I wanted to take a red pen to this book and correct every ounce of bad grammar. Dialogue I can usually understand, but that was not the case here. This had a "nails on the chalkboard" effect for me and completely distracted me from the story at times.
Cursing doesn't normally bother me so much. get that the author was probably trying to really set the mood of his time on the streets and in prison, but the amount was unnecessary and offensive.
November 17, 2007
I heard an interview with Jeff Henderson a few weeks ago about this autobiography & picked it up from the local library.
Jeff grew up in the Los Angeles area, becoming a successful drug dealer at a very young age (late teens/early 20's) before getting busted. While in prison, he discovered an interest in cooking. He worked in the prison kitchens, picking the brains of anyone he could; then, upon his release, he worked his way from dishwasher to head chef at four-star hotels. I'm not generally one for "inspirational reading" - but I found this book worthwhile - honest & direct without being cloying.
Jeff grew up in the Los Angeles area, becoming a successful drug dealer at a very young age (late teens/early 20's) before getting busted. While in prison, he discovered an interest in cooking. He worked in the prison kitchens, picking the brains of anyone he could; then, upon his release, he worked his way from dishwasher to head chef at four-star hotels. I'm not generally one for "inspirational reading" - but I found this book worthwhile - honest & direct without being cloying.
December 5, 2013
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was recommended to me by a coworker, because the company I work for developed the federal bureau of prisons' RDAP, Residential Drug Abuse Program, that Henderson talks about participating in while he was incarcerated. I found the first 3/4 of the book to be very interesting. The last 1/4 or so kind of started to drag with the details of all of Chef Henderson's career roles. It's a great story of, no matter what poor choices you've made in life, you can always find it within yourself to find a better, healthier path.
April 11, 2008
I really liked this story, but I'm really looking forward to my kids getting older so they can read this story about a man who didn't fall prey to our "victim culture" and bettered himself despite the trouble he got himself into.
April 19, 2023
***** FIVE-STAR *****
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: OUT OF THE FRYING PAN… INTO THE KITCHEN!
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This is the first book in years, that I bought, without ever hearing about it, without seeing any review, nor ever hearing about the subject. It was a slow book release period, so I was just looking around at the bookstore, and when I picked this book up, and saw that the guy was from San Diego, which is where my son lives. I decided to give it a shot, if for no other reason, than to get some info, to discuss with my son. The story line, of a kid in the ghetto, going from selling $35,000.00 worth of cocaine a week, to being a head chef in Las Vegas, peeked my interest. The beginning of the story, sounded like the same old, “poor ghetto kid, wrong crowd, the world’s against me” crap. I was tired of hearing, that a kid from a one-parent family, has an “excuse” to run with the wrong crowd. All you have to do, is look at basketball star Isiah Thomas’s life story, where, despite living in the absolute worst part of Chicago, his single mom, went so far as to get a gun, to keep the wrong crowd, from getting her son. To move ahead a few years, to when Jeff’s arrested, and goes away to prison for a long time, is where this book started to get interesting. Jeff found all the ghetto slang, and “homie’s”, in the world, wouldn’t erase the rude awakening, and isolation, he found in prison. Who would of thought, that a “lost” cause like Jeff, would find a love for cooking food, (Instead of cocaine!) in prison. Not your normal, macho, music video, subject matter. Jeff discovered, a personal goal, to pursue for the future, which was still, many years away, on the other side of a prison wall. The writing style, is not the greatest, and I did not notice, any “written with”, or co-author credit. So if Jeff wrote it all himself, that would be the reason for it. Since I just got done reading his life story, I know he wasn’t highly educated. This does not take away from the fact, that he dramatically turned his life around, and wouldn’t quit, when he got his chance on the “outside”! He doggedly, and commendably, did everything within his power to reach the zenith of cooking. He is now cooking masterpieces of food, in fine restaurants, that a guy like me, can’t, pronounce, can’t spell, and probably wouldn’t eat. But, I almost feel, like I went through this with Jeff, by reading his book.
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: OUT OF THE FRYING PAN… INTO THE KITCHEN!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first book in years, that I bought, without ever hearing about it, without seeing any review, nor ever hearing about the subject. It was a slow book release period, so I was just looking around at the bookstore, and when I picked this book up, and saw that the guy was from San Diego, which is where my son lives. I decided to give it a shot, if for no other reason, than to get some info, to discuss with my son. The story line, of a kid in the ghetto, going from selling $35,000.00 worth of cocaine a week, to being a head chef in Las Vegas, peeked my interest. The beginning of the story, sounded like the same old, “poor ghetto kid, wrong crowd, the world’s against me” crap. I was tired of hearing, that a kid from a one-parent family, has an “excuse” to run with the wrong crowd. All you have to do, is look at basketball star Isiah Thomas’s life story, where, despite living in the absolute worst part of Chicago, his single mom, went so far as to get a gun, to keep the wrong crowd, from getting her son. To move ahead a few years, to when Jeff’s arrested, and goes away to prison for a long time, is where this book started to get interesting. Jeff found all the ghetto slang, and “homie’s”, in the world, wouldn’t erase the rude awakening, and isolation, he found in prison. Who would of thought, that a “lost” cause like Jeff, would find a love for cooking food, (Instead of cocaine!) in prison. Not your normal, macho, music video, subject matter. Jeff discovered, a personal goal, to pursue for the future, which was still, many years away, on the other side of a prison wall. The writing style, is not the greatest, and I did not notice, any “written with”, or co-author credit. So if Jeff wrote it all himself, that would be the reason for it. Since I just got done reading his life story, I know he wasn’t highly educated. This does not take away from the fact, that he dramatically turned his life around, and wouldn’t quit, when he got his chance on the “outside”! He doggedly, and commendably, did everything within his power to reach the zenith of cooking. He is now cooking masterpieces of food, in fine restaurants, that a guy like me, can’t, pronounce, can’t spell, and probably wouldn’t eat. But, I almost feel, like I went through this with Jeff, by reading his book.
February 28, 2021
appreciated getting a glimpse into the life of someone whose circumstances were much different than mine. however, i was disappointed by the mere fleeting moments of deeper reflection on the how and why of his changing circumstances. his narrative seemed to favor the theme of ‘hard work and a dream’ over exploring the more real and present challenges that he mentions only in passing (e.g., inherent bias, value of work based on race and gender).
November 14, 2024
I was hoping for more of the story to cover the post-incarceration period of his life. I appreciated the story but I felt there was too much focus on and detail about the criminal elements of the story that weren't necessary to get the point across and served to glamorize that life more than I would have liked. His journey is certainly inspiring.
September 11, 2018
I had to read this book for school and did not expect to like it. Once I got past about 50 pages, I could not stop reading. Henderson's story is one that should be read by all young adults, in my opinion.
March 31, 2019
3.5 ☆ He spoke at conference I went to last summer, which piqued my interest in his story. At this path in my life, I appreciate his willingness to show up & learn. To move forward from his past, love/appreciate his family.
October 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! Jeff tells his life story in a way that you can’t put down. You see his progression of street lingo begin to fade away as his professional career took off after prison. A great read for anyone in any walk of life.
July 1, 2017
Very inspirational story. I like how real the story was. The author wasn't afraid to hold back what he did or how he felt.
August 20, 2018
Interesting story of dealer to masterchef.
October 14, 2019
Wow
This was not only a great story but a fantastic read. The writing was fantastic. I as there with Chef Jeff the whole time.
This was not only a great story but a fantastic read. The writing was fantastic. I as there with Chef Jeff the whole time.
April 13, 2020
I'm now a fan of Jeff Henderson. His writing is honest and hard to put down. He's a brilliant, smart, savvy and highly intelligent man. If I'm ever in Las Vegas I would love to eat his food.
September 4, 2020
An inspirational book of re-framing & visualization; inspiring for all-not just those who think they have hit rock bottom and have no choices. Thank you, ChefJeff!
September 6, 2020
Very inspiring
February 2, 2021
Prompt 11 of the Read Harder Challenge 2021: Read a food memoir by an author of color.
What an inspiring read! Well done, chef, well done.
What an inspiring read! Well done, chef, well done.
April 18, 2021
Great job
This book was very good and I enjoyed it tremendously.It has really kept my interest through out the entire book
This book was very good and I enjoyed it tremendously.It has really kept my interest through out the entire book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews