I ended up with this book in a round about way. It all started when I saw something about Anthony Bourdain's new book, Medium Raw . I've commented several times here that I really enjoy watching the Food Network. I prefer the reality/challenge based shows at night to the daytime cooking shows, but I've grown quite fond of many of the chefs featured on the network. Bourdain devotes a part of Medium Raw to some of these chefs and the Food Network in general, and not in a good light, I'm sure.
Anyway...all the reviews made reference to Bourdain's first non-fiction book (Kitchen Confidential) and suggested reading it first. The Kindle price was acceptable, so I took their advice.
I enjoyed Kitchen Confidential quite a bit, despite the fact Anthony Bourdain isn't the huggable, lovable person that many of the FN chefs are. I already knew this from watching this season of Top Chef on Bravo, on which he appears. Very different from most of my FN programs! The book, written ten years ago, covers a variety of aspects of the restaurant industry as well as personal reflections from Bourdain. I have enough culinary knowledge that I wasn't lost in the telling and actually learned quite a bit. I refuse to be so cynical as to believe that all the industry is filled with the drugs, alcohol, sex and decadence that Bourdain describes.
Not only did I enjoy Kitchen Confidential, but now I definitely want to read Medium Raw. However, I will wait until the Kindle price comes down some.
I am counting this book towards the North American part of the Global Reading Challenge since the majority of it takes place in New York City.
6 comments:
Looks interesting.
I think Bourdain is quite a bit different from the other chefs on the Food Network ... but I always find him intersting. I've always meant to read this as Mr. Jenners read it (years ago) and liked it.
Bourdain is quite a piece of work, is he not? I've seen a lot of him on TV, gonna put Kitchen Confidential on my list.
quid
A bartender I dated once told me that 75% of the people that work in the restaurant industry are users. It might be just his perception...I'm hoping...
Not a Chef or programme we are familiar with here in England. I must confess that I love cookery programmes despite my hatred of the kitchen.
What a great word verification and ideal for this post - jellyco
I read this a couple of years ago and I loved it. He is someone I would probably never be friends with but the book was great and so enlightening about restaurants in New York. Also, I have NEVER eaten a Sunday brunch at a restaurant since reading it! (You can also catch him on The Travel Channel).
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