In addition to more than 100 recipes, the cookbook takes readers on a historical ride from 1940 to present through the lens of Schulman’s colorful career and rise to restaurateur and baker extraordinaire. From surviving the Depression by selling shoes out of the back of his car to creating “Chicago Style” cheesecake in his restaurant’s kitchen 35 years later, Schulman, with no formal culinary training, managed to create one of the country’s most loved desserts.

It was there that he dreamed up dishes like Liver Eli and Shrimp a la Marc, put his own spin on Shrimp De Jonghe and Chicken Vesuvio, all recipes in the book, and created the signature dessert for the restaurant. When it came to cheesecake, Eli broke all the rules — no water bath, and a fast and hot bake — resulting in a creamier texture than its New York counterpart and baked on a shortbread cookie crust instead of graham cracker one.