FIREPROOF

ON SALE AUGUST 5, 2025

AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS-A-MILLION BOOKSHOP IPG WALMART

Praise for Fireproof

“Curtis Duffy’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.”
—Grant Achatz, Chef/Co-owner The Alinea Group
“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 Head and Dark Days: A Memoir.
“How Chef Duffy defeated his demons and fulfilled his muse will genuinely blow your mind.”
—Joel McIver, Bestselling Author of Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica
“Curtis Duffy knows that both talent and tenacity are essential for success. His refusal to surrender, his commitment to his craft and vision have given him the accolades he deserves.”
—Paul Stanley, New York Times Bestselling Author and Frontman of KISS
"Fireproof is no ordinary chef's tale. Besides becoming a world class chef, Curtis Duffy is a survivor and inspiration with an important story to tell."
—Del James, Author of The Language of Fear and Consensual Violence
“Raw and honest… a shining example of what it means to never, ever give up.”
—Frankie Nasso, Award-winning Film Director and Producer

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 Economics 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.

As Duffy soared, his marriage crumbled.  Chicago’s Grace restaurant earned three Michelin stars four years in a row, solidifying Duffy’s place as one of the world’s greatest culinary artists. After a dispute with Grace’s owner, Duffy made one of the most heartbreaking decisions of his life by leaving the restaurant. He bounced back with the launch of Ever despite facing major setbacks with the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Duffy and Ever persisted and were awarded 2 Michelin stars in 2021—with the Robb Report ranked Chef Curtis Duffy as one of the “50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining.”

Through it all, Duffy has persisted in the face of so many events that would have made anyone else crumble. Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef offers Duffy’s brutal honesty on trauma, learning from culinary heroes, and how close mentorships nurtured Duffy’s desire to aspire.

“Curtis Duffy’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.”

— Grant Achatz, Chef and Co-owner The Alinea Group