Dean James Max has launched a one-man crusade to convince Americans to cook—and eat—more. He lays the groundwork at his restaurants, where his food savvy has wowed critics and diners alike. The Sun-Sentinel’s M.L. Warren referred to Max as a “culinary dynamo,” and described his menu as “imaginative without being overly cute, satisfying without being heavy.”

In Max’s hands, Florida red snapper is bathed in boniato purée and carrot-cumin sauce, Australian butterfish rests on a bed of black polenta and organic root vegetables, and black grouper is grilled and dressed up with coconut curry. Max takes advantage of fresh, local produce, which he transforms into unique and inspired accompaniments.

Max is also determined to reduce what he calls “seafood’s fear factor” for home cooks. His new book, A Life by the Sea, features recipes for simple, elegant seafood preparations that are sure to help readers conquer their fish phobia. Teaching others about food comes naturally to Max, who grew up on a small farm near the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, tended his own vegetable patches, and fished and cooked with his grandfather, a professional chef.

Max eventually decided to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and gained experience at such notable restaurants as San Francisco’s Brasserie Savoy, Gerard’s Place in Washington, D.C., and the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta. Before taking on his current role, Max was the executive chef at the popular Brentwood restaurant Woodside, where he garnered praise from Gourmet magazine for his “stylish American cooking.”