Standing on stories -- Egusi stew -- Dominoes -- Ancestors -- The block -- Gulf state -- Finding my craft -- CIA man -- Blood on the eggshells -- From old guard to start up -- Angles -- The jewel -- The lesson.

As a boy Onwuachi was sent from the Bronx to rural Nigeria by his mother to 'learn respect.' Through food, he broke out of a dangerous downward spiral and embarked on a new beginning at the bottom of the culinary food chain before going on to train in the kitchens of some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country and appearing as a contestant on Top Chef. His love of food and cooking was a constant, even when the road to success was riddled with potholes. Here he shares the pursuit of his passions, despite the odds. Each chapter includes one recipe.