Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly in Around the World in 80 Books

Feb 12, 2013 Kay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, biogr-memoir, food_drink, audiobooks

This bad-boy memoir is everything you expect it to be and then some. I usually listen to audiobooks while I cook, and the subject matter here, obviously, was perfect. Liked this more than Medium Raw, which I'd listened to a few years earlier, out of sequence. Bourdain is highly entertaining as a narrator, one of the few authors I can stand to hear reading his own work. (In fact, I can't imagine anyone else doing it.) ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2018 Erica rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, memoir

I was compelled to read this after his death and watching countless hours of his awesome show. Just one of my favorite quotes:

“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria's mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want ...more

Like · see review

May 04, 2011 Sera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, library, non-fiction

This book was really fun to listen to on CD, especially since Bourdain was the narrator. Previously, my experience has been that author's who read their own work, do a horrible job, but not Bourdain. In fact, I couldn't picture anyone else reading this book.

The book has a little bit of everything - it's part memoir, cooking tips, insights into owning a restaurant, what to avoid eating at restaurants, and when and so on. Even though the book was a bit all over the place, I liked that approach, be ...more

Like · see review

Jan 06, 2019 Jen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Anthony Bourdain has a way of presenting that makes it feel like he is talking directly to you and that you understand each other. This book shows that open, honest and curious approach. He does not hold back about his own struggles and his life and reading about how he got started was interesting and funny. Man, I really miss this guy.

Like · see review

Oct 24, 2010 Erica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: food

Jason and I are reading this to each other before bed right now. Loving it!

..and we finished almost a year later. Absolutely loved it. Want more, just as we yearn for more No Reservations. Love Tony's over-indulgent, in-your-face style. So many funny scenes and one-liners, fantastic and fun read. ...more

Like · see review