The Chefs Collaborative Cookbook: Local, Sustainable, Delicious Recipes from America's Best Chefs

Almost twenty years ago, some of the most revered chefs in the world―including John Ash, Rick Bayless, Susan Feniger, Nobu Matsuhita, Nora Pouillon, Michael Romano, and Alice Waters―looked at the way Americans were eating and decided that they had to help change it. They had watched while processed foods replaced fresh food in our supermarkets. They saw family farms disappear and huge agribusiness corporation take over. They worried about obesity in children and adults and the associated illnesses. And they realized that Americans were losing the joy of cooking and eating fresh food.

In 1993, these visionary chefs founded Chefs Collaborative and vowed to use their influential restaurants to educate the public about a better way to nourish ourselves, a way that would be better for the planet, for our health, and for our communities. The declaration they created at that meeting traveled around the country and was signed by chefs in every state. They stated their goal: Support small farms, healthy food, and sustainable agriculture for everyone. They would do so through research and educational programs, but mostly by cooking delicious food that showed America that eating healthy, sustainable food is not only good for us and the environment―it is also pure pleasure.

Now more than 12,000 strong, the Chefs Collaborative network includes top American chefs who have been a significant force in the food revolution that’s improved the way Americans eat.

With over 115 original recipes from over 115 of America’s best chefs, The Chefs Collaborative Cookbook celebrates that revolution and translates the tenets of sustainable food production into actual recipes that most any home cook can prepare. The book is divided into four sections that focus on vegetables, fruits, and other edible plants; meat and poultry; fish and seafood; dairy and eggs. Each section features sumptuous recipes and also provides information about the principles of sustainably around those “main” ingredients, with information provided by, farmers, artisan producers, breeders, environmentalists, and activists. The visually rich package contains over 50 finished dish photos.

ELLEN JACKSON was born and raised in southern California. As a teenager, she always wished her feet were small and delicate, and tried to cram them into shoes that were several sizes too small. Later, when she read the story of Cinderella to her kindergarten classes, she wondered how anyone could run in glass slippers, much less dance in them.

Now the author of several books for children, Ellen lives in Santa Barbara, California, where she has gladly forgotten the recipes for dozens of ways to make tuna casserole.

CHEFS COLLABORATIVE, founded in 1993, is a national nonprofit chef network promoting a more sustainable food system through education, collaboration with the greater food community, and responsible buying decisions. The organization leverages  the unique opportunity chefs have to educate and inspire home cooks with their menus, thus impacting the food landscape beyond their own purchases of seasonal, sustainable ingredients. Chefs Collaborative is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to promoting sustainability among chefs in restaurants and institutional food service.
ELLEN JACKSON has been active in the food community in Portland, Oregon, since 1994. After working for 12 years as an award-winning pastry chef in some of Portland’s best kitchens, she combined her kitchen skills and English degree to become a cookbook author, food writer and stylist, and recipe developer. She is the coauthor of The Grand Central Baking Book, wrote and contributed recipes to The Paley’s Place Cookbook, and contributed recipes to Weber’s Way to Grill. In addition, Ellen is a longtime Slow Food steering committee member and a Portland Farmers Market board member.