Millions know Mike Isabella as a tough-talking Top Chef competitor and the celebrity chef behind hot new DC restaurants Graffiato and Bandolero. Now, in his first cookbook, Mike Isabella’s Crazy Good Italian, you’ll be able to taste the chef’s New Jersey childhood alongside the refined flavors that come from decades in the culinary world. Inspired by the food his Italian-American grandmother prepared, Isabella serves up 200 recipes for everyday meals that appeal to the heart and the appetite, with a modern twist. These are “small plates” versions of Mediterranean classics, made lighter and more flavorful. Isabella shares his secret family recipes, the dishes that made him famous on Top Chef, and signature meals from his restaurant. From Ricotta with Charred Scallion and Harissa to Grandma’s Potato Gnocchi, Chicken Wings with Pepperoni Sauce to Carnival-Style Zeppoles with Seasonal Sugars, home cooks will taste the pure joy these meals can bring. Delivering lip-smacking food (and talking some smack while he’s at it), Isabella makes Italian fun to cook again.