Ammazza! - by Hillary Sterling (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The long-awaited cookbook from four-time James Beard Award nominee Chef Hillary Sterling, featuring over 100 seasonal recipes showcasing the delicious dishes that have earned her acclaim at the helm of Ci Siamo, Danny Meyer's "flat-out fantastic" (The New York Times) restaurant.

A celebration of a life devoted to food, Ammazza! blends story, substance, and soul. Raised in a tight-knit Jewish household in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn--where her grandmother kept kosher downstairs and her family broke the rules upstairs--Sterling shares over 100 recipes that trace her path from her early days as a young cook, to her later love affair with Italian cooking, and her career spent in the kitchens of New York's most beloved restaurants.

Following the rhythm of the seasons, these recipes showcase Sterling's brilliance with flavor. Interspersed are menus rooted in family and tradition, with inspired twists--she brings an Italian spin to the Passover table, and shares a Mexican Thanksgiving feast influenced by her time at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill.

A standout cookbook for home cooks, Ammazza! offers smart, encouraging tips throughout--from how to clean artichokes to frying at home without fear.

Whether you're searching for the best pasta cookbook, a gift for foodies, or a coffee table cookbook as beautiful as it is practical, Ammazza! is packed with bold recipes, culinary storytelling, and the know-how of a chef who cooks with both precision and heart.

Review Quotes

"Ammazza! is a remarkable collection of chef Hillary Sterling's cooking. Although she is now known as an elite Italian practitioner, every reader will be pleasantly surprised by the range of global cuisines in this book. Having Hillary as a member of my brigade early in her career makes me super proud to watch the rise of this chef, who now adds author to her impressive resume." --BOBBY FLAY, Chef

"Ammazza indeed! Here is that all-too-rare cookbook whose winning recipes practically jump off the pages and right onto your plate. I adore Hillary Sterling's smart, personal cooking and can't wait to make these dishes at home throughout the seasons of the year." --DANNY MEYER, Founder, Union Square Hospitality Group

"Finally, we can all celebrate Hillary Sterling's vast range of cooking in one place. From her Italian mastery to her take on Jewish holidays and her extraordinary Mexican recipes (my personal favorite!), this book has it all. Not only is Hillary one of the most talented cooks I know, she's also one of the best teachers and storytellers out there. The recipes in Ammazza! are humble, bold, and steeped in tradition, while remaining all her own. I've had the pleasure of enjoying Hillary's food for the past two decades, and now we can all cook with her same confidence and precision." --MISSY ROBBINS chef, restaurateur, and author of Pasta: The Spirit and Craft of Italy's Greatest Food

"I've happily followed chef Hillary's kitchen adventures for years, not only because I know wherever she's cooking I'll have a great meal but also because her food defines the way I love to eat--punchy, bright, celebratory, and soulful all at once. With Ammazza! she finally shares this signature style and fresh perspective on Italian classics for us all to master at home, guiding every step with confidence, unmatched expertise, and a genuine reverence for ingredients. My kitchen is warmer and my dinner table all the richer for it!" --GAIL SIMMONS, TV host and author of Bringing it Home

"In Roman slang, 'ammazza' is a word used for 'wow!' or 'holy smokes!' or even 'OMG.' I can tell you this outstanding cookbook is accurately named. Hillary, the chef at Ci Siamo, one of my favorite restaurants in New York City, tells a wonderful tale, and when you cook these recipes, your guests are going to be saying 'Ammazza!' Move over, Amazing. Ammazza is taking over." --NANCY SILVERTON, chef and cookbook author

"This book is alive with the flavors, memories, and confidence of a chef who knows when to honor tradition and when to torch it. The recipes are generous and full of joy, the storytelling hits with warmth and authority, and the whole thing buzzes with the spirit of Italy and New York colliding at the table." --KATIE PARLA, author of Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide to the Flavors that Built a City

"With seasonality at the forefront, Hillary honors tradition while cooking with the unbound creativity of a well-traveled virtuoso." --DAN RICHER, author of The Joy of Pizza

About the Author

Hillary Sterling is the four-time James Beard-nominated Executive Chef of Ci Siamo, a Danny Meyer restaurant with a focus on seasonal, live-fire Italian fare. After graduating from Chicago's Le Cordon Bleu, Sterling began her formal training in the kitchen of Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, and continued with Flay at the acclaimed Spanish restaurant, Bolo. Turning her attention to Italy, she joined the team at Lupa Osteria Romana, where she developed a lasting respect for the unifying power of food and the importance of intentionality in cooking. In 2010, she assumed the role of chef de cuisine at Michelin-starred A Voce. Working under Chef Missy Robbins, Sterling fell in love with the regionality and traditions of Italian cuisine. She would later return to her domestic roots as the executive chef and partner of Vic's, where her menu of thoughtfully prepared dishes gained a loyal following. Sterling was born and raised in Brooklyn, where she continues to live with her wife and their son.