MARIA ISABELLA 

Former editor-in-chief of Food & Wine magazine, author

“I love getting ideas for last-minute entertaining from the chefs in this beautifully photographed book [Chefs & Company]. If anyone knows how to throw a party, it's this fabulous group of culinary rock stars!”

Host of Chopped, bestselling author

“In Chefs & Company, Maria and Ken get you a table that nobody can get—inside the home kitchens of chefs from every corner of our food-obsessed country.”

Judge on Top Chef, chef, author

“Chefs & Company is as much a cookbook as it is a celebration of home cooking at its absolute best!”

Three-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer

"Maria Isabella has captured the essential question that all home cooks lean on professionals for: What can I make for dinner in less than an hour? The answers are insightful while the recipes in Chefs & Company are fun and approachable. What makes this book come alive are Ken Goodman’s brilliant photos."

Founder of TastingTable.com

“It's exciting to see books like Chefs & Company make restaurant culture accessible to cooks of all skill levels. Maria's book has already found a spot on my kitchen bookshelf as a go-to!”

Book publisher

"Chefs & Company is one of the most anticipated Page St. books to date...really stunning...definitely a standout book...the cookbook to end all cookbooks."

Literary agent

"I just received my advance copy of Chefs & Company and was stunned by the book's beauty and its inviting layout. As I started reading entries at random, I was enticed to try so many of the recipes, and I enjoyed learning inside information about the individual chefs. Everything is first-rate...I predict that the book will win awards and will sell extremely well for a long time to come."

James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, author, radio talk show host

“When you need inspiration to get a meal on the table, reach for this cornucopia of recipes in Chefs & Company by some of the coolest chefs in the nation."

Bestselling Belgian cookbook author

"Chefs & Company is the kind of cookbook that inspires creativity in the kitchen and rewards one's passion for beautiful food. The bonus is how quickly and easily it all comes together!"

Author of The Yellow Table, blogger

“Chefs & Company makes me want to stop what I'm doing and throw a dinner party! This book is a delight to the senses that gives us a rare and intimate view of how America's gastronomic heavyweights cook at home.”

James Beard Award-winning food writer, editor, restaurant critic

“Maria Isabella has crafted a cookbook both useful and enchanting. Above all, her ability to tease out each chef's unique personality lifts this book [Chefs & Company] beyond mere recipes and into the realm of good reads.”

James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author, recipe developer, blogger

“The best cookbooks not only help you to make a delicious dinner, but they also teach you how to be a better cook. Chefs & Company is that kind of book.”

Award-winning food/travel writer, cookbook author

“Want to WOW your friends, your family, and yourself? Feast on this must-have collection of show-stopping meals from gifted chefs in Chefs & Company who have sculpted America’s palate!”

Event committee chair, Womankind Maternal & Prenatal Center

"Recently, Maria was the featured keynote speaker at our organization's annual fundraiser at The Country Club. What a success!!! Her presentation (slideshow and talk) was charming, instructional, and completely engaging! The true mark of a great presentation is that the audience is wanting more...and ours was so disappointed when it ended." 

Former acquisitions editor, Kent State University Press

"Your book is the most successful book I've ever been involved with throughout my 30+ year career. I am so pleased to have worked with you!"

Digital marketing manager, The Step2 Company

"It was an honor to collaborate with Maria for our Step2 blogger retreat in 2013! She demo'ed some of the recipes from her cookbook and shared some cooking tips with us. It was a  great ice-breaker for the first night of our nationwide event!"

Owner, Canton and Wooster Food Tours

"It was a pleasure developing a successful food tour event in Ohio City with Maria, our guest speaker. She is skilled at building a rapport with her audience and brings to life her passion for food, making it easy for attendees to interact and ask questions. Maria is personable, professional, and a great ambassador for Cleveland’s chefs!"

Employment specialist, Jane Addams Career Center

"Just wanted to thank you for your wonderful presentation here at Jane Addams. I hope you could tell how engaged the students were and how much they enjoyed hearing your story. You gave a great example of determination, patience, and confidence. And sharing the details about your family made it sweet and personal. Thanks again!"

Program committee chair, Tuesday Study Club

"It is with great pleasure that I write about Maria’s presentation to the Tuesday Study Club. Her presentation of her journey creating the concept, doing the research, and final completion of her book, In the Kitchen with Cleveland's Favorite Chefs, was lively, fun, and very informative. Our members really enjoyed her candor and humor as she took us through the birth of a cookbook! I would highly recommend her to any group looking for a speaker."

Workshop committee chair, Tri-County Beekeepers Association

"Because the book, In the Kitchen with Cleveland's Favorite Chefs, written by Maria, was so well done, her name immediately came to mind when I needed a honey recipe contest judge for our association's 2015 Workshop. What a great asset she turned out to be! So gracious, accommodating, and fair. Her contribution led to the huge success of our event!"

Reporter/producer, WKSU

"It was a pleasure to interview Maria about her book for my weekly radio feature 'Quick Bites' on WKSU radio. She was lively, passionate about her subject, extremely informative, and a great storyteller." 

Private chef

"Thank you so much for writing the article about us travelin' chefs in Edible Cleveland magazine! It reads so nicely and actually makes me think I know what I'm doing! I loved the whole layout." 

Former Copy Director, Nationwide Advertising Service

"I was so pleased with the freshness that Maria brought into the department. Her copy shone with originality, her assessment of difficult tasks was strong, and her solutions were always remarkable. Maria's creative talents are truly impressive."

Feedback from speaking engagement/cooking demo attendees

Overwhelmingly rated "Excellent" for all three areas surveyed: program content, subject knowledge, and presentation. Sampling of comments is as follows:

What did you like best about the program?

• "Maria's personality and how clearly she demonstrated each recipe."

• "Oral presentation was great. The process involved in writing the book was so very interesting. I enjoyed learning background facts."

• "Guest speaker was enthusiastic, articulate, and knowledgeable."

• "The author and her stories and food samples."

• "Very relaxed and informative."

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What did you like least about the program?

• "Nothing."

• "Loved it all!"

• "Everything was great."

Additional comments/suggestions?

• "Delightful guest."

• "Excellent presentation, great ideas."