100 approachable, satisfying, and flavor-packed dishes for every mood from culinary creator Emmanuel Duverneau

Known for his positive energy and mid-cooking dance breaks, social media star Emmanuel Duverneau proves that the kitchen can be your happy place—where you can be yourself, relax, and have fun. Emmanuel discovered a passion for cooking as a way to unwind from stress and process heavy emotions, and in Make It Excellent, he becomes your choreographer in the kitchen, breaking down the steps so that you can put on a fantastic show every night.

Emmanuel grew up in a multigenerational Haitian household where food and flavor ran deep, and his dishes aim to recreate the complexity that made the food of his childhood so exciting, but with less time and energy. The 100 recipes Make It Excellent blend the rich traditions of his heritage with the comforting spirit of American classics, and everything is streamlined for busy lifestyles so you can make the most of your time in the kitchen. With chapters spanning every meal of the day, you’ll find familiar dishes with an unexpected twist like a Crunchy Butter Chicken Sandwich and Roasted Jalapeno Hummus with Beef, Plantains, and Pikliz; simple, homey meals like Dama’s Haitian Spaghetti and My Best Lemon Herb Chicken Thighs and Potatoes; boldly flavored knockouts like Backyard Jollof Rice and Creamy Cajun Butter Halibut; and dreamy desserts like Tropical Coconut Sorbet and Mommom's Special Rum Cake. 

Emmanuel’s standard of excellence means only sharing food so good it makes you do a happy dance at the table. His true passion, however, is to help others find happiness through cooking like he did. The spirit of Make It Excellent is to create a stress-free, no-judgement zone where you can cook like nobody’s watching you.