Chef Doug Keane once told me he would name names if he ever wrote a book. Soon, we’ll know, as the Top Chef Masters’ winner, owner of Michelin-starred Cyrus restaurant and occasional provocateur prepares for the launch of his memoir “Culinary Leverage: A Journey Through The Heat.”
Keane recently invited his social media followers to vote on a potential cover image for the book, which will hit shelves in February next year.
Keane’s book takes a sobering look at the dysfunction of the culinary industry and his efforts to create a healthier, more sustainable work model.
When Keane reopened Cyrus in Geyserville in 2022, a decade after closing his original Michelin-starred restaurant in Healdsburg, he implemented an audacious plan to provide a living wage to staff, who share tips and roles throughout each shift — a server may be helping in the kitchen or a cook bringing plates to the table.
“It’s really exciting yet at the same time surreal and a tad scary to have this very deep window into me out there,” Keane said about his memoir. “I’m hoping it has a positive impact on the hospitality industry that needs more compassion and thought about the model. I also hope it allows people to keep moving forward through personal and professional struggle.”
You can vote on the book cover at koehlerbooks.com/cover-polls/culinary-leverage.
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.