A Wonka-Like Journey into an Ultra Private World of Decadence and Excess

From cooking for Martha Stewart, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, and Jerry Seinfeld to more than 20 of the world's most reclusive billionaires, Chef Neal Sheldon Salisbury has been serving the world's power elite for more than 15 years. His new book, The Billionaire's Chef: Cooking for the Rich and Famished takes you on a journey around the globe and into the private world of working for, living, and travelling with the world's billionaires.

You'll find stories and tips on event planning and social etiquette, but that's not all. You'll get career advice from someone who has been to the top of the game, made mistakes, and groveled his way back into the game. The book goes beyond polite smile-inspiring stories and gets into the real-life challenges lived by Chef Neal and his peers, detailing disappointments and unexpected triumphs, battles of ego, the money, the sex (or sometimes lack of it) coupled with the loneliness--all a part of the job.

Written with passion, love, and respect for craft and artistry, this book focuses on what is unique about the operation of kitchen on a superyacht or plane, even an impromptu or cleverly improvised kitchen on a beach. Chef Neal offers an honest, yet surreal view of what it is like to have worked as a top private chef during the "Golden Age" (1998-2008) of superyacht building / cruising and grand estate renovation / building. Whether you read it for escapism, as a practical career reference, or to help you throw better events doesn't really matter--just enjoy the trip.