Kitchen Privileges

For nearly four decades, Tony Ridgway has been providing Naples with honest, straightforward, and well-crafted food. He’s been a pioneer in the local restaurant scene, starting with The Wurst Place and The Chef’s Garden and Truffles, all the way up to his current stable of Ridgway Bar & Grill, Tony’s Off Third, and Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar. Now he’s distilled his knowledge into a cookbook titled Kitchen Privileges: A Hands-On Account of Life, Food, and How to Cook ($55), which will be sold online and in the Ridgway family of businesses. As the title suggests, the volume is part memoir, part exposition of classic cooking techniques. A self-taught chef, Ridgway describes the restaurant meals that opened his eyes and remains as fascinated with the process of cooking as he is with the result. In an entertaining yet methodical fashion, he gives a complete rundown on how to source and prepare basic ingredients, plus everything you need to know to make great savory dishes and desserts including cakes and tarts.