By twenty-one, Jeff Henderson was making up to $35,000 a week cooking and selling crack cocaine. By twenty-four, he had been sentenced to nineteen and a half years in prison on federal drug trafficking charges. It was an all-too-familiar story for a young man raised on the streets of South Central LA. But what happened next wasn't.
Once inside prison, Jeff Henderson worked his way up from dishwasher to chief prison cook, and when he was released in 1996, he had found his passion and his dream—he would become a professional chef. Barely five years out of federal prison, he was on his way to becoming an executive chef, as well as being a sought-after public speaker on human potential and a dedicated mentor to at-risk youth. A window into the streets and the fast-paced kitchens of world-renowned restaurants, Cooked is a very human story with a powerful message of commitment, redemption, and change.

Cooked : my journey from the streets to the stove

Jeff Henderson

William Morrow Paperbacks

New York: William Morrow

HarperCollins Publishers

Longman Publishing

Harper Paperbacks

United States, United States of America

HarperCollins, Pymble, NSW, 2007

First printing, New York, 2007

1st Harper pbk, New York, 2008

1st, First Edition, US, 2007

1st ed, New York, ©2007

1st ed, New York, c2007

Illustrated, 2008

February 20, 2007

March 1, 2008

<p>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. <p> 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. <p> 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 Café 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, <i>cooked</i> 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.</p> <h3>usa Today</h3> <p>&ldquo;[a] Harrowing Journey Toward A Life As A High-profile Las Vegas Chef.&rdquo;</p>

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 Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.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.

Traces the story of a Los Angeles native who spent time in jail for dealing drugs and discovered his aptitude for cooking while working in a federal prison kitchen, a talent that led to an executive chef position at an upscale restaurant

2023-06-28