Dan Ahdoot

Undercooked: How I Let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live Dan Ahdoot

A collection of hilarious essays about how food became one man's obsession and coping mechanism, and how it came to rule--and sometimes ruin--his relationships, from the Cobra Kai actor, stand-up comic, and host of Food Network's Raid the Fridge

"When most people say they have an unhealthy relationship with food, they mean they either eat too much of it or too little. When I say I have an unhealthy relationship with food, I mean it's what gives my life meaning. That's a really dumb way to live your life, as the stories in this book will attest."

Despite an impressive résumé as an actor and writer, Dan Ahdoot realized that food has been the through line of the most important moments of his life. Growing up as a middle child, Dan struggled to find his place in his family until he and his father discovered their shared love for la gourmandise. But when the tragic death of Dan's brother pushed his parents to strengthen their Jewish faith and adopt a strictly kosher diet, Dan and his father lost that savored connection.

To fill the gaps left by his brother and father, Dan began to obsess over food and made it central in all his relationships. This, he admits, is probably crazy, but it makes for good stories. From breaking up with girlfriends over dietary restrictions, to his first foray hunting just off the Long Island Expressway, to his grandmother's magical food being his only tactile connection to his family's Iran, and jetting off to Italy to dine at the world's best restaurant, only to send the risotto back, Dan's droll observations on his unconventional adventures bring an absurdly funny yet heartfelt look at what happens when you let your stomach be your guide through life.