Book Review: KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL by Anthony Bourdain

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL: ADVENTURES IN THE CULINARY UNDERBELLY by Anthony Bourdain. (Ecco/Harper Perennial, January 2007) ISBN # 9780060899226  Paperback, 312 pages.

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Over two decades ago, the New Yorker published a now infamous article, “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” by then little-known chef Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain spared no one’s appetite as he revealed what happens behind the kitchen door. The article was a sensation, and the book it spawned, the now iconic Kitchen Confidential, became an even bigger sensation and mega-bestseller. 

Frankly confessional, addictively acerbic, and utterly unsparing, Bourdain pulls no punches in this memoir of his years in the restaurant business.

Fans will love to return to this deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade, laying out Bourdain’s more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine.  

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     I appreciate Bourdain's frankness regarding the restaurant industry, and actually find it fascinating.

     This is written in the same off-the-top-of-the-head style Bourdain employed in his television series. I appreciate his insights, his wit, his gift for words, phrases, and unusual comparisons.

     He's a bit of a smart ass, somewhat smug --- but doesn't come across as condescending. He's very aware of his own flaws and mistakes and isn't afraid to share them. I feel this is an honest book.

     Additionally, this is a great book. Also, it confirmed some things I sort of knew about the restaurant industry - - - how hard it is to make it work, how demanding the work is, long hours required, so many things that can go wrong - - - you really have to love to cook, and love the business. Otherwise it's a bad choice. You can tell from Bourdain's descriptions and loving details that he adores the business.

     This book was published before television networks established the popularity of celebrity chefs. That helped get this book recognition and propelled Bourdain into a new career as a television expert on food and restaurants. I'm wondering if success didn't bring happiness and Bourdain became despondent and depressed realizing that he couldn't go back to his restaurant management and chef days. So sad that he's gone.

     I bought this book in 2006, and it's been taking up space on my bookshelves waiting for me to get around to reading it. Thanks to the Librarian's Husband Book Club for making this one of their group reads for November. The updated copy (original was released in 2001) contains an insightful interview with Anthony Bourdain, as well as one of his later magazine articles.