Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (Insider's Edition)
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- Create Date：2021-10-07 07:52:21
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Anthony Bourdain
- ISBN：1408845040
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Summary
After twenty-five years of 'sex， drugs， bad behaviour and haute cuisine'， chef and novelist Anthony Bourdain decided to tell all。 From his first oyster in the Gironde to his lowly position as a dishwasher in a honky-tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown; from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop the Rockefeller Center to drug dealers in the East Village， from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again， Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable， as shocking as they are funny。
With handwritten footnotes and afterthoughts。
With handwritten footnotes and afterthoughts。
Reviews
Gaston
，
A well written book。 Enjoyed reading it。
Thea Marlowe
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Bad boy till the end， sadly。
Ryan Farnham
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To civilized society， the professional kitchen would be the epicenter of chaos。 For Anthony it seemed the only thing in his life that resembled stability。 Bourdain gives a glimpse into the long hours， outlaw mentality， artistry， and unreliable income that defines the life of the kitchen and those that work in it。There are lessons on how to deal with monumental failure and keep moving。 Bourdain is universally relatable in this way。 He's one of us who made it。While reading this book there were som To civilized society， the professional kitchen would be the epicenter of chaos。 For Anthony it seemed the only thing in his life that resembled stability。 Bourdain gives a glimpse into the long hours， outlaw mentality， artistry， and unreliable income that defines the life of the kitchen and those that work in it。There are lessons on how to deal with monumental failure and keep moving。 Bourdain is universally relatable in this way。 He's one of us who made it。While reading this book there were some areas that felt incomplete。 Specifically the power dynamics and broader structure that necessitates such exploitative working conditions。 For this， Down and Out In Paris and London by George Orwell serves as a perfect complement。 Together they create a complete picture。 This book may have been the watershed moment that set into a motion a series of events that ultimately was disastrous for Anthony。 His ensuing fame shrinking his world to the head of a pin。 You can't help but try to reverse engineer his death。 Put the pieces together into something that resembles logic。 It's foolish and impossible to resist。 。。。more
Catalina
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A well written book。 Enjoyed reading it。
Jamal
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A well written book。 Enjoyed reading it。
Sharyn Campbell
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I enjoyed this a lot。 I recently watched Roadrunner， a documentary about Bourdain。 I never watched his show， but of course I had heard of him。 The documentary made me curious， and so I dived into the book。 I have never worked in a restaurant， so the book certainly gave me a perspective on how much work （and a lot more） goes on in a restaurant kitchen。 There is a ton of discipline and pride， more than I would have expected。 His own awakening to food - as a child， and continuing as an adult -- and I enjoyed this a lot。 I recently watched Roadrunner， a documentary about Bourdain。 I never watched his show， but of course I had heard of him。 The documentary made me curious， and so I dived into the book。 I have never worked in a restaurant， so the book certainly gave me a perspective on how much work （and a lot more） goes on in a restaurant kitchen。 There is a ton of discipline and pride， more than I would have expected。 His own awakening to food - as a child， and continuing as an adult -- and what that led to in terms of mutliple careers， is fascinating。 。。。more
Catherine Campos
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It was like having a conversation with Anthony Bourdain about his passion。 This book will make you hungry while reading it。
Nicolas
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Worth a Read， Even for a Non-CookBourdain really had a voice。 It was charming， funny。 That alone makes this a worthwhile read。 If you love food， that makes it even better。
Sara Melrose
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Delectable
Sylvan
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A well written book。 Enjoyed reading it。
Maye
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A well written book。 Enjoyed reading it。
Nate Burggraf
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Entertaining and funny， although very sporadic。 Susie says this is her favorite book of all time - that is the hottest of hot takes 🧐🧐🧐
John Rogers
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I liked the writing but not the writer， which made the reading a bit of a slog。 To be sure， I started the book with a strike against me: I’m not a foodie。 Within a few pages， I took a second strike: I didn’t much like Bourdain。 Since this was a memoir， I knew I’d be stuck with him through the book。 On the plus side， the writing is good， but the author has the problem of writing a book about what is， after all， a repetitive process—the kind job most of us have had at one time or another。 Once you I liked the writing but not the writer， which made the reading a bit of a slog。 To be sure， I started the book with a strike against me: I’m not a foodie。 Within a few pages， I took a second strike: I didn’t much like Bourdain。 Since this was a memoir， I knew I’d be stuck with him through the book。 On the plus side， the writing is good， but the author has the problem of writing a book about what is， after all， a repetitive process—the kind job most of us have had at one time or another。 Once you’ve described the process and fascination of how （in this case） a kitchen works， what do you do next？ It would have been harder to write 300+ pages about being on an internal auditing team， but not much。 The result is a jaunty ego display （does Bourdain think all restaurant owners are clods？）， descriptions of the characters that inhabit the various kitchens， and lots of piquant metaphors。 In fact， much of the writing is like listening to electric guitar with the volume knob at ten。 You get the main tune （Bourdain on parade） but lose the other notes。 I have to admit to substantial skimming， because the stories became more and more similar。 But I never did see pride in the artistry of what he was doing or picture a diner who wasn’t a jerk。 In fact， it seemed like there were a lot of jerks in the carnival that was Bourdain’s world， may of whom were marks。I guess we all bring our prejudices to the books we read。 Really， the writing is good if showy， and some of the stories were fun to read。 Just because I didn’t like the main subject 。。。。 。。。more
Daniel Hernandez Rivera
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What a great book。 I would recommend this to anyone。 I'm not someone that has much interest in the culinary arts， but I found this memoir highly entertaining。 What a great book。 I would recommend this to anyone。 I'm not someone that has much interest in the culinary arts， but I found this memoir highly entertaining。 。。。more
Anne
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I didn't really get into Anthony Bourdain until after this tragically early passing。 He really lead an interesting life and one that I can't say I would have wanted。 But it's always interesting looking into the worlds of those who at the opposite side of the life spectrum from us。 Knowing how he ended things， I certainly looked for clues throughout the book。 What I saw was a man who lived fast and hard， always a bit on the edge。 A lot of that seemed tied to his work life in restaurants， but it w I didn't really get into Anthony Bourdain until after this tragically early passing。 He really lead an interesting life and one that I can't say I would have wanted。 But it's always interesting looking into the worlds of those who at the opposite side of the life spectrum from us。 Knowing how he ended things， I certainly looked for clues throughout the book。 What I saw was a man who lived fast and hard， always a bit on the edge。 A lot of that seemed tied to his work life in restaurants， but it was definitely part of who he was as a person as well。 He also came off as someone you would want to know--I can see how he managed to travel the world with apparent ease exploring the food and cultures of so many outside his own。 He was open to trying new things and not afraid to dive into something that might be completely disgusting。 He knew how to get out there and fully taste life。All-in-all， a fascinating life。 。。。more
Dolly
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interesting quotes （page numbers from edition with ISBN13）:"Bigfoot understood， as I came to understand， that character is far more important than skills or employment history。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ） interesting quotes （page numbers from edition with ISBN13）:"Bigfoot understood， as I came to understand， that character is far more important than skills or employment history。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ）"。" （p。 ） 。。。more
Alex
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3。5 stars。 I love Bourdain’s style and have seen every episode of his shows。 The book however， while enjoyable， just went too in-depth on the play-by-play of his career backstory。 If I were in a different state of mind and more patient with the read， I’m sure I would have finished it and enjoyed it but for a casual book to pick up and read a little every day or two， it needed to move a bit faster。May try again someday。
Ramya Ch
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A brilliant writer， his voice just transcends through the pages。
Rin Dawson
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I was already a bug bourdain fan。 But my God。 He is one of the greatest storytellers of this age。
Dd
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I’ve been meaning to read this book forever！ Well I finally did it and I’m glad I did。 It was entertaining。I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bourdain himself and I must admit I kept thinking over and over about how he’s no longer。 I wondered what it would be like for his daughter and those that were close to him to listen to this in the future and hear his voice - would it be comforting for them or upsetting？ THIS is where my mind is going while listening。It was very interesting to get in I’ve been meaning to read this book forever！ Well I finally did it and I’m glad I did。 It was entertaining。I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bourdain himself and I must admit I kept thinking over and over about how he’s no longer。 I wondered what it would be like for his daughter and those that were close to him to listen to this in the future and hear his voice - would it be comforting for them or upsetting？ THIS is where my mind is going while listening。It was very interesting to get in an insiders view of that culture。 Some of the things he revealed about restaurant kitchens are quite scary and will make me think twice about my menu choices if and when I return to a restaurant。I thought it was well written and he was a very charismatic and engaged narrator。Recommend to any fan who hasn’t gotten around to it yet。 。。。more
Jeanne Julian
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A bittersweet reading， knowing what was to come。 If you've watched Bourdain on TV （I was a fan） you can hear his voice in his prose。 As sometimes on the shows， you have to be able to put up with a lot of bluster and testosterone to get through this （and additionally， here substance abuse and carnality） but the writing can be wonderful。 One example， early in the book: a vignette about catching and eating bass in Provincetown。 It isn't easy to capture logistics and motion in prose， but he's good a A bittersweet reading， knowing what was to come。 If you've watched Bourdain on TV （I was a fan） you can hear his voice in his prose。 As sometimes on the shows， you have to be able to put up with a lot of bluster and testosterone to get through this （and additionally， here substance abuse and carnality） but the writing can be wonderful。 One example， early in the book: a vignette about catching and eating bass in Provincetown。 It isn't easy to capture logistics and motion in prose， but he's good at describing the behind-the-scenes whirlwinds in all kinds of restaurants。 His caricatures and portraits of the motley collection of talented， skilled， dedicated， kookoo （mostly） lowlifes （mostly） are fully engaging。 He's often funny。 His eventual embrace of global adventure is foreshadowed here by the author's openness to experience and to cuisine and humanity in all its forms。 He pays tribute to the immigrants （Ecuadorian and Mexican in particular） who work their way up。 Though he always portrays himself as standing up for the little guy， he pretty much neglects the female point of view in this work; I've heard he later acknowledged that。 It's pretty clear that chef's kitchens then， and probably now， are hotbeds of misogyny。 It's striking how really， he began as a cook to "belong。" You can picture him giving King Henry's speech: "Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars。。。。。We few， we happy few， we band of brothers;For he to-day that sheds his blood with meShall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile。。。。"It's sad that at his end， apparently， that despite being so creatively engaged and so well known， Bourdain must have lost that sense of belonging。 。。。more
Annabel Seeling
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Took forever to get through - I guess I didn’t really like it？ Idk wouldn’t recommend - his life viewpoint is pretty outdated
Stanley Dennis
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The best。 Just。 Best。
Vleigh
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Read many years ago but found it eye opening。
Siomara Caballero
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Fantastic Anthony。 Half of the words that he wrote， I definitely had to search them in the dictionary but I was happy to do it。 He was a very honest and fluent writer。 I've seen myself next to him just watching the images that he wrote in his book。 And even， I felt again in Japan， or in New York and I haven't been in the utter。 Fantastic Anthony。 Half of the words that he wrote， I definitely had to search them in the dictionary but I was happy to do it。 He was a very honest and fluent writer。 I've seen myself next to him just watching the images that he wrote in his book。 And even， I felt again in Japan， or in New York and I haven't been in the utter。 。。。more
André Peniche
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I will never have a restaurant。
Kristen
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 A great book。 Couldn’t put it down。 Miss him terribly。
Sherry Tamone
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Sometimes I think I should not write a review until much later after I have read a book。 I think the restaurant industry sounds awful after reading this book。 Very male dominated which I guess it is but Bourdain's account is harrowing。 I am surprised he was alive through the 90s in NYC。 He sure had an interesting adventure of a life while he was alive。 You can definitely tell that the trip to Tokyo inspired a new level of foodie love Sometimes I think I should not write a review until much later after I have read a book。 I think the restaurant industry sounds awful after reading this book。 Very male dominated which I guess it is but Bourdain's account is harrowing。 I am surprised he was alive through the 90s in NYC。 He sure had an interesting adventure of a life while he was alive。 You can definitely tell that the trip to Tokyo inspired a new level of foodie love 。。。more
Adam G Perschbacher
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Though I sat on this for far too long， I can't recommend it enough。 While perhaps it more specifically pertains to food and the love of all things culinary， I think one could accept it as a lust for all forms of art （read: life？）， and the sacrifices and mistakes that go along with that passion。 While Bourdain's prose and flow is undeniably authentic， brash and artful， his ability to tell a story in that hypnotically colloquial way in both print and television will forever be celebrated。 Though I sat on this for far too long， I can't recommend it enough。 While perhaps it more specifically pertains to food and the love of all things culinary， I think one could accept it as a lust for all forms of art （read: life？）， and the sacrifices and mistakes that go along with that passion。 While Bourdain's prose and flow is undeniably authentic， brash and artful， his ability to tell a story in that hypnotically colloquial way in both print and television will forever be celebrated。 。。。more
Allison
，