Cooking With Amar'e

An All-Star on the court and in the kitchen

New York Knicks power forward Amar'e Stoudemire receives loud cheers from excited fans when he's on the court, and he wanted to receive those same cheers when he's in the kitchen at home cooking for his family. After one particularly unsuccessful day of grilling for his kids, the frustrated hoops star called his personal chef, Maxcel Hardy III, who tried his best to explain some of the finer points of cooking on a charcoal grill.

The dinner was not a hit with his family, but it was important milestone for Amar'e. Though his cooking experience up until then had been more limited to the basics, the popular pro ball player resolved to learn to cook crowd-pleasing, healthy meals for his family. And he wanted Chef Max to teach him.

Cooking with Amar'e expands upon the in-home cooking lessons that began to take shape as Chef Max guided Amar'e through basic kitchen skills and techniques, ultimately imbuing him with enough know-how to host a dinner party for family and friends—and brag that he'd cooked the meal himself.

An engaging chronicle of their seasons, Cooking with Amar'e features stories and more than 100 recipes, tips, and instructions on cooking techniques and preparation for home cooks at all levels. With delicious and easy-to-replicate meals, it allows beginners and practiced cooks to hone their kitchen skills and master dishes at their own pace. Amar'e proves that dads everywhere can be superstars in the kitchen.