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. “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