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

Jun 10, 2018 Ginger rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: food, memoir-biography

I've had this sitting on my shelf for too many years, recommended by people with great taste, and after the recent tragic death of Anthony Bourdain, picked it up this weekend. I'm only sorry it took me so long to read. I knew he was a fantastic writer, but sheesh is he a fantastic writer. I've never tasted a Bourdain dish, but if he was half as good a chef, I'm sorry I never did.

The theme of this book could be 'total depravity," but I'm so so glad I read it. I've read a few foodie memoirs in my ...more

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Mar 25, 2008 Rebekah rated it liked it

Shelves: genre-biography, genre-book-club, college, genre-non-fiction, genre-autobiography-memoir, genre-biography-autobiography, genre-biography-memoir, genre-humor, genre-food-and-drink-food, genre-food-and-drink-cooking

I was assigned this book in a Country Music & Lit college seminar for some strange reason. It was an enjoyable enough read, providing insight into a world that I know NOTHING about. The glimpses into the restaurant scene were interesting, and it was intriguing for me personally because my father worked a short while as a cook. But overall, the subject matter just couldn't hold my attention that well. I'm not a "foodie." But while I was reading it, I kept coming up with friends I knew who I thoug ...more

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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

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