This one was between 3.5-4 stars for me. Since it was easy to read, kept me interested, and it helped me feel connected to the author, I'm giving it four stars here. 
 I watch a lot of food television, so I have seen lots of Marcus Samuelsson on Chopped, and especially the Top Chef Masters show. I was glad he won, for I'm kinda sorta a fan, and his book only helped (kinda, sorta) cement that feeling. 
 He tells his story plainly, simply, and with lots of love and heart. I could envision him easily as I read it (all that food TV helped for something). I learned that he initially wanted to be a professional soccer player. I liked reading why he was adopted, and how, and learning about both his biological family and his adoptive parents. There was some information on his relationships, though not enough for me--I like that sort of detail. 
 The most important aspect of a chef's memoir is, naturally, about the food and the cooking. Samuelsson does this well, providing a complete picture of what got him started cooking (loved the part about his grandmother), his early jobs, and the career path that led him to opening the Red Rooster in Harlem.