The Nasty Bits
by Anthony Bourdain
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| published
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2007
by 1596913606
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| first published
| 2006 |
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| date added
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04-28-08
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I've never watched any of his TV shows (save a glimpse of an interview clip on the Internet), nor read any of his books other than Confidential Kitchen. My impressons after reading Confidential Kitchen? An interesting read, no-nonsense contents, very bold and with a choice of spicy expressions. Needles to say, his writing loudly describes his personality; a typical "Bourdain" style. Having enjoyed reading that book, I eagerly took The Nasty Bits off its shelf at Waterstone's not so lon...more
I've never watched any of his TV shows (save a glimpse of an interview clip on the Internet), nor read any of his books other than Confidential Kitchen. My impressons after reading Confidential Kitchen? An interesting read, no-nonsense contents, very bold and with a choice of spicy expressions. Needles to say, his writing loudly describes his personality; a typical "Bourdain" style. Having enjoyed reading that book, I eagerly took The Nasty Bits off its shelf at Waterstone's not so long ago and rightaway devoured the pages.
The Nasty Bits contains a collection of articles and essays by Bourdain, which were published in various publications. The contents, divided into Salty, Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Umami, are a variation of stories and thoughts, ranging from the kinds of music in the kitchen to restaurant etiquette, from a pampered lifestyle on a luxury ship to the harsh environment of an Inuit tribe, from a delicate US$ 350,-/head sushi dinner and an exclusive food-lab to daring experiences of eating virtually any part of any breathing creature. The collection is followed by a short fiction: A Chef's Christmas, which (I quote from Bourdain himself) is exactly "...a children's Christmas fable - but with language that children probably shouldn't read". The book ends with a Commentary section, where Bourdain made remarks about each article.
Having joined Jalansutra mailing list for a couple of years, I admit, have increased my consciousness towards food and travel, more than ever. But it still does not make me an expert. I have yet to learn many gastronomical terms that Bourdain threw into his writing. However, aside from occassional unfamiliarities of terms, particular points and the overall story are comprehensible. Mainly because this book covers beyond food business: it explores people's passion towards food (something that I share with most of my friends)! I like it how Bourdain tirelessly express and proves, in many ways, that good food doesn't always come with night gowns, hushed atmosphere and silver cutlery, but sincere affection, pleasant (can be either relaxing or lively) surroundings and good companions.
I like it also how Bourdain gives graphic descriptions of his adventures, with brutal honesty. He doesn't hesitate to mention and comment on well-known names (given his expertise, I can see he's entitled to do so). And, being seemingly straight-forward in all aspects as he is, in the commentary section he admits a change of viewpoints. Well, I can imagine it's just like myself looking at my own works from years ago - I must be embarrassed or proud by some - but it's all a process towards maturity, isn't it. Best of all, I find myself very much amused by the harshness of his jokes and the liveliness of his stories. I recommend this book as an entertaining reading material (although not for those who are easily offended by obscene words), a mind-opener, but not as a food guide (I just exchanged words with a friend, "Well, we don't have to eat up to Bourdain's standards" :D)....less
bookshelves:
delicious-reads,
travel
Read in January, 2006
I was not going to write my own review after commenting on Tita's review on the same subject. But my big mouth wouldn't let me as it has not had its fair share of yapping. So here it is.
I started reading with feeling of boredom. The bad boy is here again, rambling on about how chefs are like. Didn't he do that already in Kitchen Confidential? However, his poking and prodding on each chosen topics are so ruthlessly albeit comically done that I had to swallow my grudge and read on.
I could ...more
I was not going to write my own review after commenting on Tita's review on the same subject. But my big mouth wouldn't let me as it has not had its fair share of yapping. So here it is.
I started reading with feeling of boredom. The bad boy is here again, rambling on about how chefs are like. Didn't he do that already in Kitchen Confidential? However, his poking and prodding on each chosen topics are so ruthlessly albeit comically done that I had to swallow my grudge and read on.
I could eventually enjoy this book albeit the occasional gritty feeling akin to scratching blackboards when he mentions the comradeship of chefs yet again. This book is a collection of his essays on various topics: from fat Americans to Singaporean foodies. I guess that alone requires my forgiveness. Columns are not always consistent: some topics can be repeated depending on the circumstances.
Reading his book is a rare pleasure for me. It combines two things that I am passionate about in life: food and writing. His style is unique: brutally honest and descriptive. He doesn't shy from using expletives but he stays on the subjects. Moreover, I often agree with him. I catch myself nodding to the book acknowledging some points that I cannot stand either (his "fine dining fatigue" in The Old, Good Stuff. To people who think that excellent lobster comes only in the form of mousse placed in a shot glass placed on top of a big expanse of whiteness drizzled with a few black balsamic dots and streaks of green puree of peas, this piece is for you!).
One failure which costs one star is his attempt at fiction. It was simply mushy and tasteless. There is no bite to the story and the ending is too sweet. I think he should stick to describing his experiences.
As a closing, let me quote for you his opinion about food lovers of Singapore. He describes the true singaporeans, singaporeans whom I grow up with. To me, this shows the amount of understanding he has on places of his travel. He doesn't just skim the surface, he dives in and paints what he sees with words for all of us to see.
"Because Singapore is probably the most food-crazed, lunatic eater's paradise on the planet. We're not talking about "gourmets" here. Singapore's "foodies" are nothing like the annoying, nerdy, status-conscious variety one finds in New York, chattering about Jean-Georges' new place, or how such and such a restaurant lost a star. Singaporeans do not collect dining experiences like stamps, to be discussed or bragged about later. Singaporean are not gastronomes. They simply eat. And living in a country where Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines are equally (and proudly) represented, they are accustomed to eating well. When they talk about food they tend to know what they're talking about. They are not snobs and are far more likely to gush about a bowl of noodles at a Mom-and-Pop hawker stand than to be concerned with the new "hot" place. " ...less
Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
NO ONE
Oh, ugh. At least I got this for free. A series of "essays" by Bourdain, many recycled from various magazines where he'd published them. Actually, I started to be grateful for those, because some of those were at least readable. I liked his previous book Kitchen Confidential a lot, although I thought that his portrayal of chefs as heroes engaged in a noble war perhaps only slightly less difficult and dangerous than being in Iraq was perhaps slightly overblown. I liked the way he wrote ...more
Oh, ugh. At least I got this for free. A series of "essays" by Bourdain, many recycled from various magazines where he'd published them. Actually, I started to be grateful for those, because some of those were at least readable. I liked his previous book Kitchen Confidential a lot, although I thought that his portrayal of chefs as heroes engaged in a noble war perhaps only slightly less difficult and dangerous than being in Iraq was perhaps slightly overblown. I liked the way he wrote about food and various meals -- which is very difficult to do -- and I thought he was good at explaining how things in a kitchen worked. It's hard to find people who can write clearly and compellingly about food and also about work, and I enjoyed KC for that.
Here, there are a few articles about meals that I liked, but I found a lot of what he wrote either boring or just appalling (there was a speech that he gave at some event that he clearly intended to be Speaking Truth to Power, confronting the restaurant industry about why there are so many people of color working in kitchens but so few restauranteurs and celebrity chefs of color. In this speech, he basically says, in almost so many words, that he likes to hire certain minorities in his kitchen instead of white kids out of culinary school because the white kids demand reasonable pay and will quit if you yell at them too much or make them do things they don't want or if they get offered a better opportunity, which they will b/c of their education. So in his big I'm So Progressive speech, Bourdain basically says he likes to hire people in his kitchen who are quite skilled but have little power, few options and few connections, so they basically have to eat whatever shit he dishes out. Good job!) There's also a horrifying piece of "fiction" too.
Then at the end there's an enraging author's note where he basically says, "Hey, looking back on these essays, I realize there's a lot of rants I don't really agree with anymore and a lot of self-indulgence, etc." Which, I guess I'm glad he gets it, but did someone hold a gun to his head to put those essays in the book? Or to put out a book at all? If you realize it's shitty, early enough that you can insert an author's note to that effect, why not fix it? Or at least put the author's note in the beginning so we can be warned off....less
Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
Foodies, anyone interested in behind-the-scenes of the cooking industry and travel/cuisine shows
I had read Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential some time ago and really enjoyed his passion for cooking as well as his pulling back the covers to have a look at the seedy side of the industry. Although I really enjoy cooking for people I care about and have fun entertaining guests, this book helped to reaffirm my gut feeling years ago that having to cook for a living wouldn't be the right path for me...
Anyway, I was happy to see...more
I had read Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential some time ago and really enjoyed his passion for cooking as well as his pulling back the covers to have a look at the seedy side of the industry. Although I really enjoy cooking for people I care about and have fun entertaining guests, this book helped to reaffirm my gut feeling years ago that having to cook for a living wouldn't be the right path for me...
Anyway, I was happy to see Nasty Bits on the shelf. The title implied to me that this would be a book about gross-out cuisine from around the world, pulled most likely from his experiences in his travel show. There is even a second-level lure for the browsers who do crack the book for a quick glance as the first chapter indeed goes into some detail about an indigenous family ceremoniouisly ripping apart a seal on the kitchen floor and feasting on its blubber and assorted organs.
From there, however, the tone of the book quickly reveals the true meaning behind the entendre. The structure of the book is basically a loose collection of rantings, antecdotes, and insider information imparts the unmistakeable flavor of leftovers. And, much like leftovers, some things do taste better the next day- it's not a completely negative comparison...
Sometimes the Cosa Nostra metaphors are annoying, and sometimes the author comes across as gloating as he describes his surroundings, and the fact that it's all more than a free ride- he's getting paid. There were also a few noticeably repetitive kitchen and situational references that may have been more special and effective only read once in the book (again, the "collection" structure of the book that underscores how each chapter is a seperate piece of work) This repetitive quality was a bit distracting- reminded me of that friend who likes to tell the same story a few times and borrow details from one to the other because they worked so well the first time he told it.
All in all, I enjoyed Nasty Bits, although not as much as Kitchen Confidential. It was a page turner and broken into easy sections to read on the bus or in the can...
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Read in December, 2007
Sitting home on a Saturday night reading a book has become a rather preferable way for me to spend my time lately. Perhaps I’m just getting old. So this Saturday it has come to pass that I finished the book I was reading. I just closed the back cover on “The Nasty Bits” by Anthony Bourdain. You all know who Bourdain is from his show “No Reservations” on the Travel Channel or his autobiographical “Kitchen Confidential” that I reviewed in an earlier blog. Bourdain is kind o...more
Sitting home on a Saturday night reading a book has become a rather preferable way for me to spend my time lately. Perhaps I’m just getting old. So this Saturday it has come to pass that I finished the book I was reading. I just closed the back cover on “The Nasty Bits” by Anthony Bourdain. You all know who Bourdain is from his show “No Reservations” on the Travel Channel or his autobiographical “Kitchen Confidential” that I reviewed in an earlier blog. Bourdain is kind of like the punk rocker of celeb-chefs…the Joey Ramone of his occupational milieu.
In “The Nasty Bits” he collects a bunch of his magazine articles and diaries and blogs from assorted places and gathers them beneath a single cover. I guess for a wider range of readers than just those who read “Gourmet” or “Food Arts”. If you liked anything else to do with Bourdain you’ll enjoy this collection. He’s the same brash, opinionated asshole (in a sense) that he is everywhere else. He goes on about how he hated Singapore and now he loves it. How he’s always had a love affair with Vietnam. He’s been hard on Emeril but in truth he loves him. And that some ridiculous sounding food craze called raw eating that is seemingly being espoused by Woody Harrelson (Why, oh why, would anyone ever take life cues from the schmuck from “Cheers” is beyond me.) is akin to the devil incarnate. There’s even a fictional cooking Christmas story to finish things off. After everything he includes comments at the end for each piece included. Just a basic explanation as to where his head was at when he wrote each piece. It gives a new insight to some of the stuff you just read.
For anyone that’s already a Bourdain fan read this book. If you’re not a fan yet, read “Kitchen Confidential” and watch a couple of episodes of “No Reservations” then read this book. Either way, get around to it. You’ll get a few new reasons to appreciate the people that cook your food and a few new reasons to appreciate the food itself.
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Read in August, 2007
In this rather far-reaching collection of articles Bourdain has had published, mostly in magazines, nary a topic is taboo. He lashes out at obese people, rude diners, legislation against foie gras...even Woody Harrelson.
But on the other side of that coin, we get to see a different version of Tony Bourdain, that is to say someone other than the highly opinionated and routinely snarky persona he usually portrays. He provides ample evidence not only that he is a good writer, but a chef who trul...more
In this rather far-reaching collection of articles Bourdain has had published, mostly in magazines, nary a topic is taboo. He lashes out at obese people, rude diners, legislation against foie gras...even Woody Harrelson.
But on the other side of that coin, we get to see a different version of Tony Bourdain, that is to say someone other than the highly opinionated and routinely snarky persona he usually portrays. He provides ample evidence not only that he is a good writer, but a chef who truly enjoys food. Yes, he ate a still beating cobra's heart, blah, blah, blah...
But he exhibits a true passion and dedication to food and also to the process of food service. He's not really a "celebrity" chef, though certainly it plays to his ego. He does what he does because it affords him the opportunity to experience things he would otherwise not.
While I didn't find this book as enthralling as Kitchen Confidential, it held me. Sure by its very nature, there is little cohesion between the articles...it bounces all over the map. But love him or hate him, much of what Bourdain is saying is true.
As a bonus, he added a section of notes/commentary for each article at the end of the book. This was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Within these notes we are able to see Bourdain looking in the mirror and saying essentially: "Man, what was I thinking?" He goes so far as to offer an apology to his oft-maligned "Ewok-like" nemesis and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.
If you enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, you will enjoy this compilation as well. It is more of Tony Bourdain being Tony Bourdain. ...less
Read in June, 2007
Anthony Bourdain would not like me. I'm a Billy Joel-listening vegetarian. He expresses deep disdain for vegetarians (and for Billy Joel!). Were Bourdain and I to visit a restaurant together, he'd roll his eyes in disbelief at how I choose to miss out on the dining experiences he describes in beautiful detail.
Maybe it's living vicariously, then, or perhaps it's a streak of masochism in my personality, but I love reading Bourdain's stuff. Read Kitchen Confidential first. Get to know Bo...more
Anthony Bourdain would not like me. I'm a Billy Joel-listening vegetarian. He expresses deep disdain for vegetarians (and for Billy Joel!). Were Bourdain and I to visit a restaurant together, he'd roll his eyes in disbelief at how I choose to miss out on the dining experiences he describes in beautiful detail.
Maybe it's living vicariously, then, or perhaps it's a streak of masochism in my personality, but I love reading Bourdain's stuff. Read Kitchen Confidential first. Get to know Bourdain through the arc of his career up to that point. Then get your hands on The Nasty Bits and gobble up these smaller pieces that he has written throughout the years.
Here you will find rants against all manner of clods, both in the kitchen and in the dining room. You'll find some of the best food porn ever written (veg*ns who do not want to read about eating meat should stay far away from this book). You will learn about celebrity chefs and the dining possibilities all over the place, from Vegas to Sao Paolo.
Bourdain is a writer with personality and wit, and even when he occasionally offends, you have to admire him for staking out his position, wearing his love of being a chef on his sleeve, and sharing it all with his readers.
I recommend visiting the back of the book after each chapter. There, he briefly reflects on each piece (as some were written years ago), and adds interesting thoughts or the occasional retraction.
Highly recommended!...less
Read in September, 2007
This is a collection of essays directly and tangentially related to Bourdain's exploits as the chef of a fabulous restaurant in New York, and his travels around the world eating at Michelin rated venues and off-the-beaten path jewels. Bourdain's relentless rantings are often hilarious, sometimes exhausting, but always (in my opinion) entertaining. I loved his first book Kitchen Confidential, though I've never seen his television show on the Travel Network called No Reservations. I can see people...more
This is a collection of essays directly and tangentially related to Bourdain's exploits as the chef of a fabulous restaurant in New York, and his travels around the world eating at Michelin rated venues and off-the-beaten path jewels. Bourdain's relentless rantings are often hilarious, sometimes exhausting, but always (in my opinion) entertaining. I loved his first book Kitchen Confidential, though I've never seen his television show on the Travel Network called No Reservations. I can see people hating Bourdain. He has an opinion about EVERYTHING and he's an arrogant unapologetic drunk. But, I just love the way he describes and enjoys food - from the dirtiest dives in Vietnam to the fanciest dining rooms in France. I wish his books had an index in the back with his favorite restaurants and dishes listed by city. My favorite parts of his book are when he gives "advice" to diners - there's lots of this in Kitchen Confidential - from when and how to order the right dishes on a menu, to how to treat your waiters, to how to send food back to the kitchen, to when to take appropriate smoking and bathroom breaks during the service of a meal. He's the modern day Emily Post of how correctly to eat out in a restaurant. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the magic of having other people prepare your food for you....less
recommends it for:
cooks,fun people,girls that just want to have fun
Any book that is dedicated to Johnny,Joey and Dee Dee, and is not about the Ramones or music in anyway is off to a good start.Next page-seal hunting. What next? More classic Bourdain. I love reading his stuff because it brings up a lot of memories. When he talks about restaurants I've eaten in, I think of times I was there,from California to New Orleans.When he mentions a bunch of Emeril's cooks drinking after work,I remember shooting pool with probably those same cooks,and making fun of them fo...more
Any book that is dedicated to Johnny,Joey and Dee Dee, and is not about the Ramones or music in anyway is off to a good start.Next page-seal hunting. What next? More classic Bourdain. I love reading his stuff because it brings up a lot of memories. When he talks about restaurants I've eaten in, I think of times I was there,from California to New Orleans.When he mentions a bunch of Emeril's cooks drinking after work,I remember shooting pool with probably those same cooks,and making fun of them for wearing chef pants to a bar.When he talks about how anyone who plays the Grateful Dead in his kitchen gets fired,more memories.The time I took a Dead tape out of the boom box,lined a pan with foil, and threw it in the oven.I made some comment to the hippie the next day managing to work Auschwitz,final solution and the Grateful Dead into one sentence.
I've found his books great,but may be hard for people who aren't professional cooks or know French terms.My Mom has read some of his stuff and has asked what certain things mean.
It does start to sound the same after a while,but it all makes sense.Usually in books like these,you find something you disagree with,but I've yet to find that in his writings.Fuck hippies,vegetarians and Jamie Oliver.Fuck Yeah! Ramones,foie gras and New Orleans at 4:00 am.
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bookshelves:
non-fiction
Read in June, 2008
This book is a collection of previously published articles, written for a variety of magazines, from Gourmet to some (unnamed) British travel mag. If you've watched any of Bourdain's TV series, or read any of his previous books, you already have a sense of what this is like. Bourdain has a consistent voice and attitude (sarcastic working-class New Yorker), and as expected, brings it here to bear, for the most part, on food, travel, and the restaurant trade.
The collection is a bit uneven, bu...more
This book is a collection of previously published articles, written for a variety of magazines, from Gourmet to some (unnamed) British travel mag. If you've watched any of Bourdain's TV series, or read any of his previous books, you already have a sense of what this is like. Bourdain has a consistent voice and attitude (sarcastic working-class New Yorker), and as expected, brings it here to bear, for the most part, on food, travel, and the restaurant trade.
The collection is a bit uneven, but nothing's really bad, and some of the articles are just wonderful. My favorite might be the homage to Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas that describes the filming, with Michael Ruhlmann, of his _No Reservations_ episode in Las Vegas. Another treat is the final item in the book, a short piece of Christmas fiction that is uncharacteristically sweet, hopeful, unsarcastic, and utterly sincere. It's the first piece of his fiction that I've read, but I liked it enough that I want to dig up his novels. ...less
bookshelves:
food
If you’ve ever seen him on TV, read one of his seven books, or eaten at his restaurant, you know that he really loves food. At least as much as me. Maybe even more?
In fact, the guy is a little bit nuts. And probably not particularly nice. But, he is clearly in touch with his passion and I love him for that.
I just finished his latest book, “The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones,” which is a collection of short stories, published and unpublished es...more
If you’ve ever seen him on TV, read one of his seven books, or eaten at his restaurant, you know that he really loves food. At least as much as me. Maybe even more?
In fact, the guy is a little bit nuts. And probably not particularly nice. But, he is clearly in touch with his passion and I love him for that.
I just finished his latest book, “The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones,” which is a collection of short stories, published and unpublished essays, diatribes, and even a few choice email messages. If you recognize the power of food in terms of understanding history, relating to unknown cultures, or satisfying desire, you’ll love this book!
It made me laugh out loud (especially his rage when it comes to vegetarians, raw food advocates, and Woody Harrelson—you’ll have to read that chapter!).
It made me angry. It made me sad. And it really made me hungry!
Get this book, read it, and let’s share a meal . . . soon!...less
bookshelves:
food-writing,
nonfiction
for reasons i would be hard pressed to explain, i adore anthony bourdain. he's bossy, crass and kind of hypocritical...but he's an excellent writer, astute and frequently hilarious.
this book lost a star because i suspect that his publishers told him to stop being such a bitch about other celebrity chefs--so there's a lot of placating asides in there (along the lines of "emeril is a gibbon, but his staff really love him!" etc) which feel sort of out of character.
this does not, h...more
for reasons i would be hard pressed to explain, i adore anthony bourdain. he's bossy, crass and kind of hypocritical...but he's an excellent writer, astute and frequently hilarious.
this book lost a star because i suspect that his publishers told him to stop being such a bitch about other celebrity chefs--so there's a lot of placating asides in there (along the lines of "emeril is a gibbon, but his staff really love him!" etc) which feel sort of out of character.
this does not, however, change the fact that i want this job. i think i might be able to swallow a little hypocrisy of that stripe in order to earn my living having other people pay me to travel and eat the best (and craziest) food in the world. i would certainly retrain myself to swallow beef, that's for damn sure.
but i digress.
fun! lovely! not as good as kitchen confidential, but less likely to make your soul ache with jealousy than a cook's tour!...less
bookshelves:
2008-reads
Read in March, 2008
I basically like this jackass against my will, because he's good at describing what it's like to eat gross stuff so that I shall never have to. But I draw the line at the last entry, which is fiction called "A Chef's Christmas." Really, Tony? What happens, he shoots up and then canes Santa Singapore-style because he eats cookies instead of tete de veau? So if "A Chef's Christmas" is the unifying pinnacle of this "I already wrote it so why not publish it again?" ...more
I basically like this jackass against my will, because he's good at describing what it's like to eat gross stuff so that I shall never have to. But I draw the line at the last entry, which is fiction called "A Chef's Christmas." Really, Tony? What happens, he shoots up and then canes Santa Singapore-style because he eats cookies instead of tete de veau? So if "A Chef's Christmas" is the unifying pinnacle of this "I already wrote it so why not publish it again?" mish-mash, I am officially missing out.
Also, writers take note: the appropriate adverb to make the word "fresh" super superlative is, apparently, "screamingly." This is enough to drive one to consider the vegan lifestyle, which would be a supreme pisser for Mr. Bourdain, who thinks that vegetarianism should be a capital offense (and that he is Hemingway, despite his promiscuous use of adjectives and a pretty lame earring)....less
Read in March, 2008
Devoured it over a weekend! Anthony Bourdain's compilation of his musings is titled "The Nasty Bits," but I think these tidbits give you a wonderful taste of his writing style. He admits that his ruminations are sometimes overly testosteroned and hostile, but I respect his candor and frankness regardless. If you can stand a generous peppering of less-than-couth words and phrases, then you'll love this book.
It's a super fast read (most chapters are only a few pages), and like a nic...more
Devoured it over a weekend! Anthony Bourdain's compilation of his musings is titled "The Nasty Bits," but I think these tidbits give you a wonderful taste of his writing style. He admits that his ruminations are sometimes overly testosteroned and hostile, but I respect his candor and frankness regardless. If you can stand a generous peppering of less-than-couth words and phrases, then you'll love this book.
It's a super fast read (most chapters are only a few pages), and like a nice dinner, you'll want it to last and last. But unfortunately all good things come to an end. Luckily, Bourdain gives his reader a final treat: a look back at his own reflections. He offers poignant commentary -- insights that come with age and experience -- and even calls his own bullshit. Brilliant writer, great shows, and always a chef first. Be still my heart....less
bookshelves:
libraryread
Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone interested in food and/or travel.
The Nasty Bits is collection of essays written over the past several years - mostly dealing with food & traveling, but Bourdain also takes a swipe at "celebrity chefs", reminisces about the Good Old Bad New York and writes a rather charming Christmas story. The essays are gathered into 5 sections - Salty, Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Umami - with the short story at the end.
Bourdain pulls no punches & is still rather rough around the edges, tho part of me wonders how much of it ...more
The Nasty Bits is collection of essays written over the past several years - mostly dealing with food & traveling, but Bourdain also takes a swipe at "celebrity chefs", reminisces about the Good Old Bad New York and writes a rather charming Christmas story. The essays are gathered into 5 sections - Salty, Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Umami - with the short story at the end.
Bourdain pulls no punches & is still rather rough around the edges, tho part of me wonders how much of it is his "image". When he discussed kitchen techniques, I found myself making comparisons with the recent Pixar movie Ratatouillle (don't tell Tony!)
Bourdain's writing is vivid and entertaining - even as a non-foodie, I found myself salivating over his descriptions of meals eaten around the world, tho I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to try them by myself.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
foodies, cooks, and writers
As a writer and a person who loves to cook, I found this collection of essays wonderful. Sure, it didn't have the flow to it that Kitchen Confidential did, but these are essays, written at different points of his career for very different publications (and he explains the context of each piece in the back of the book). I think one measure of a good writer in the newspaper and magazine medium is being able to adapt your writing to the audience. And I believe he does this very well. Sure, the Fea...more
As a writer and a person who loves to cook, I found this collection of essays wonderful. Sure, it didn't have the flow to it that Kitchen Confidential did, but these are essays, written at different points of his career for very different publications (and he explains the context of each piece in the back of the book). I think one measure of a good writer in the newspaper and magazine medium is being able to adapt your writing to the audience. And I believe he does this very well. Sure, the Fear In Loathing tribute piece was a bit cheesy, but as he points out, who wouldn't want to recreate Thompson's vision of Sin City, only replacing the drug binges for top-notch cuisine? If you take this book for what it is, and have a passion for traveling the world and trying new foods, you'll enjoy his perspective on it all....less
bookshelves:
contemporary,
cooking,
non-fiction
Read in May, 2008
I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain. I'm incredibly jealous of the life he gets to lead. This book is a prime example of why. First off, it is nothing more than a collection of previously published articles. Way to cash in. Second, and probably more importantly, is that in these articles he chronicles amazing meals, exotic locations and drunken adventures. This is a quick read, good for the bus or the bathroom, as it is split into easily digestable "bits" that don't have to be read in or...more
I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain. I'm incredibly jealous of the life he gets to lead. This book is a prime example of why. First off, it is nothing more than a collection of previously published articles. Way to cash in. Second, and probably more importantly, is that in these articles he chronicles amazing meals, exotic locations and drunken adventures. This is a quick read, good for the bus or the bathroom, as it is split into easily digestable "bits" that don't have to be read in order and have no bearing on the next. He loses one star, because honestly his writing isn't THAT good (it never was) and one for recycling his material. Still, it's Bourdain at his best (some of the pieces anyways) and if you like him you'll like this....less
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who loves food - and a goodhearted smartass
Anthony Bourdain is what he is. He's smart (though mostly just a smart ass), funny, self-assured, and a damn good writer. Half the foods he describes aren't foods I'd ever want to eat, but it's not the food so much as the experience that makes the food what it is. It's not that you are eating blubber from a freshly killed seal, it's that you are sitting on the floor with an Inuit family and Grandma is letting you have some of the best parts. It's not that you're eating a $300 dinner and have n...more
Anthony Bourdain is what he is. He's smart (though mostly just a smart ass), funny, self-assured, and a damn good writer. Half the foods he describes aren't foods I'd ever want to eat, but it's not the food so much as the experience that makes the food what it is. It's not that you are eating blubber from a freshly killed seal, it's that you are sitting on the floor with an Inuit family and Grandma is letting you have some of the best parts. It's not that you're eating a $300 dinner and have no choice as to what is handed to you, it's that you are eating sushi so good, so fresh, so perfect that you almost forget everything around you. It is so much more than the food.
To Review it in 5 Words: Food porn at it's finest....less
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recommended to Briana by:
Molly
Ok, so I started out not really knowing if I was going to enjoy this book or not. I thought Bourdain was an opinionated snob. Then it grew on me. I started to laugh out loud. I started to associate w/ the experiences from my years working in a restaurant. I began to really like him and the stories. My mouth watered; my mind wandered to exotic places. Now I can’t put it down. It’s great for anyone who is passionate about food, travel or both. It it a constant reminder to me to practice mindf...more
Ok, so I started out not really knowing if I was going to enjoy this book or not. I thought Bourdain was an opinionated snob. Then it grew on me. I started to laugh out loud. I started to associate w/ the experiences from my years working in a restaurant. I began to really like him and the stories. My mouth watered; my mind wandered to exotic places. Now I can’t put it down. It’s great for anyone who is passionate about food, travel or both. It it a constant reminder to me to practice mindful eating and be aware of what you consume. It’s mixed w/ often hilarious commentary and interesting facts. I would def. recommend this book and I might even give his show another chance now too. ...less
Read in August, 2008
I picked this up after seeing someone on my newsfeed was reading it; Bourdain is one of my favorite celebrity chefs, and I've always loved his point of view of the entire industry, from dishwashing to celebrity chefs to the food itself.
This book is a collection of articles Bourdain has written, and a fictional story to top it off. The articles are educational, darkly hilarious, insightful, and fascinating. The fictional story, however, falls short--he does not do happy endings well; his fort...more
I picked this up after seeing someone on my newsfeed was reading it; Bourdain is one of my favorite celebrity chefs, and I've always loved his point of view of the entire industry, from dishwashing to celebrity chefs to the food itself.
This book is a collection of articles Bourdain has written, and a fictional story to top it off. The articles are educational, darkly hilarious, insightful, and fascinating. The fictional story, however, falls short--he does not do happy endings well; his forte is bitter exposes and sarcastic commentary, which the rest of the book highlights.
This is not a cooking book, there are no recipes or tips here, only glimpses of the industry and fame....less
book data (includes all editions)
avg rating
(all editions):
3.69 (1239 ratings)
avg rating
(this edition): 4.02
(41 ratings)
number of reviews: 242
other editions
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The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Useable Trim, Scraps, and Bones (Hardcover)
isbn: 1582344515
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The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones (Paperback)
isbn: 1596913606
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Nasty Bits (Paperback)
isbn: 0747579814
