Book Review- Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential

Last spring, I read Patrick Radden Keefe’s Rogues, which has a chapter about Anthony Bourdain. Of course, I have heard of Bourdain, and I’ve watched bits of his various television shows. He was brash and charismatic, also a bit mysterious. I realized that I had never read his famous memoir, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.

In Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain shares his passion for food and his early experiences working as a chef in New York. Although Bourdain was well-known for his culinary travel shows, he had very little travel experience until later in life. Reading Kitchen Confidential, it is clear that working as a chef is an all-consuming experience with very little time to rest or travel. Travel came when he made a career shift from chef to a writer and television presenter.

I’ve never worked in the restaurant industry, although I had a glimpse via my ex-husband who worked as a server at a moderately fancy Italian restaurant. I was aware of the lingo and some of the general gripes, and that people in the industry are incredibly hard working. Be kind and tip generously! That said, Bourdain provides a fascinating look at the restaurant industry, dishing out his own thoughts on things to order and what to keep an eye out for when dining. He is very anti-brunch and provides a decent reason for why one should avoid it. I was crushed when he gave advice to steer clear of my favorite food, swordfish. I have not had swordfish since reading Kitchen Confidential. I will spare you the details, but the reason is quite stomach churning.

Lewd encounters, rampant drug use, and shocking reveals aside, Kitchen Confidential is marvelous because of Bourdain’s keen writing abilities. I’ve never eaten Bourdain’s food and he may have been a fantastic chef, but I know for certain that he had a talent for writing. His flair for the dramatic and sensory storytelling plops readers into the middle of the scene. Bourdain’s direct and frank manner of writing, similar to his media persona, makes it feel like he is having a personal conversation with the reader and I suspect this aspect of his personality is what made him so magnetic. This is not a chef who is writing a memoir, but a writer sharing his life. I throughly enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, both for the insight into the chaotic restaurant industry and for a bit of time in Bourdain’s company.

Book Review- Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever's World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide

Thank you to Ecco for providing me with a copy of Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever’s World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide, in exchange for an honest review.

World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide is a compilation of Anthony Bourdain’s travel advice and reflections, including his favorite local eats and bits of tourism. It turns out that Bourdain really loved quirky museums, independent bookstores, and lavish hotels.

Tragically, Bourdain died during the early stages of planning World Traveler, in fact, his co-author, Laurie Woolever, only had one in-person meeting to plan the book prior to his passing. Naturally, this changed the tone of the book a bit, turning the focus towards collecting memories from people who knew Bourdain. The most poignant were the essays from his younger brother, Christopher. Christopher recounts their childhood travels to France and the joy he experienced from traveling with his brother as adults, including taking part in a few episodes of Bourdain’s various tv series. Christopher’s love for his brother and the way he cherished their travels together is moving.

Bourdain was passionate and outspoken. He had a unique way of expressing himself through his words, both written and spoken, that was a kick to experience through his quotes in World Traveler. His voice is irreplacable. Woolever definitely honors Bourdain’s spirit and life in this guide book. His energy oozes on every page.

That said, under different circumstances (not reading for a review) I would have enjoyed World Traveler in a different way. It is the sort of book that you have on a coffee table for perusing at leisure or perhaps keep on a shelf as a reference for planning travels, not the sort of book that you race through start to finish. I say this, because a large chunk of World Traveler is practical travel advice, such as airport information or the best way to tour a city. It was a bit tedious to read quickly and clearly not intended for that sort of reading experience.

As far as the recommendations, I was pleased to discover a few that I have experienced (St. John in London, Din Tai Fung, and Voodoo Donuts) and to add many more to my list that I hope to try on future travels. I always loved that Bourdain was game to try the range of establishments, from dive to fine dining, all of which are included in his recommendations. He was unapologetically enthusiastic about his love for food and the people who create it.

World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide is a book that I intend to purchase for my permanent collection and one that I imagine will be a great inspiration for my future travels. It is also the ideal book for this moment, when many of us are feeling a deep longing towards travel and planning our post-covid adventures.