Danny Meyer’s restaurants – Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, Blue Smoke and more – are among the most beloved in the nation, winners of an unprecedented number of James Beard Awards. “Family Table” takes you behind the scenes to share the food that chefs make for one another before they cook for you.

Each day, the staff sits down to a “family meal,” simple, often improvised, but special enough to please discerning palates. Now, the restaurants’ award-winning culinary director, Michael Romano, and author Karen Stabiner collaborate to celebrate the food, the family itself, and the restaurants’ rich backstage life – with 150 recipes and dozens of stories about the restaurants’ often-unsung heroes.

It’s the best food you’ll never eat in a restaurant.

Advance praise for Family Table:

“I always say to my team, ‘Cook the staff meal with the same care as if you were going to serve it to your mother.’ The stories and recipes in this book really encapsulate the passion that chefs should show while preparing their ‘family’s’ meals.” ~ Daniel Boulud

“It’s the food chefs cook for each other, which of course we all want to eat, too!” ~ Mario Batali

“With this wonderful book devoted to the meals he makes for his own restaurant family, Michael Romano gives us an intimate look at the dishes that are closest to his heart: food that is personal, generous, and nurturing. Family Table isn’t just a source of delicious dishes. It¹s a beautiful reminder of what cooking and eating are all about.” ~ Thomas Keller