Kitchen Confidential Paperback – 3 Feb. 2001

Mr Bourdain comes across as something of a tortured soul totally at odds with most aspects of being a regular functioning human being, this in itself is why I love this book soo much. He has a gift for story telling and self effacing behavior that I find very appealing in a writer and for that matter a person. Very true to himself.The book fires along at great pace through his life starting from a brief look at his childhood and some of his formulative inspirations, interspersed with foodie bits, all the way through his early cooking years in Provincetown and what became a very chequered career filled with full on substance fuelled misadventures. Dealing with life on the fringes he stumbles from one mad job\situation to the next as he struggles with his inner demons and various addictions. Carving up a reputation as a force to be reckoned with he crashes his way through the new york culinary scene leaving a trail of destruction in his wake think Fear And Loathing and your on the right tracks.What I find most appealing about this book is how he comes across as having a lot of depth of personality and is able throughout to be reflective, understanding on a deeper level his potential, regularly defacing his own bad behaviour showing growth and understanding of his flaws despite being hopelessly bound by them as many of us are, (speaking personally). He is great at describing time and place making this reader feel and sense the energy of the life. He meets some fascinating, darkly charming characters with lots of funny, wicked moments and tales. Even though I have no doubht he made a lot of mistakes and upset a few people on route. I didnt have him down as a bad or malicious person at any stage, he did what was necessary to survive in a difficult business and survive he did with gusto! This versatility is perhaps one of his greatest strengths, his ability to adapt and keep rolling on. I found him also to show a deeper understanding of the human condition, what makes us all tick or motivations and drives, out of this awareness comes a kindness and sense of humility that I found appealing in his character. All in all a very entertaining book!

Great book with amazing stories from the kitchen world, real world of the restaurants businesses, highly recommended indeed, enjoy it

Written by Anthony Bourdain in 2000, Kitchen Confidential was the catalyst that set Bourdain on his way to food journalism royalty.Set out in menu terms, we are taken on a journey from starter to desserts and coffee through the life of a child who discovers a love for food to a seasoned chef in the heart of New York City. There is nothing too indecent to be described by Bourdain, whether it’s why not to eat a Monday fish special in a restaurant, to the drug-addled life of a mercenary chef. This is a large part of the appeal. We are not seeing the dreamy make-believe world of TV cooking here, we are being shown a glimpse behind the curtain of what it really means to earn your stripes in a professional kitchen.The only real fault I could find is that there is a fair bit of jumping around on the ‘menu’. What starts as a fairly easy to follow chronological tale of becoming a chef suddenly and without warning starts to take detours. Now I’m not saying the detours are unwelcome but they certainly feel out of place. Things like a day in the life of a chef and the equipment that is worth buying for a home cook are spotted in the middle of otherwise fairly anecdotal parts of the book, but I can’t help but feel may have been more cleverly grouped together or served more as a palate cleanser between menu items.This is essential reading for those who love an episode of Kitchen Nightmares or who work in the profession, even just for those who love a good tale of debauchery told through neo-gonzo journalism. If you want a true, honest account of what it’s like to work in the world of professional cuisine, you really need look no further than Kitchen Confidential.

This book is well written and entertaining, I couldn't put it down! A great insight in to the world of catering / professional kitchens. After finishing this I went straight online and bought his other books. A good read, highly recommended

I haven’t read a book for years jumped back in with this one and I’ve read it in the space of a week! Fantastic!

If someone told me there was a book about the restaurant industry,my first reaction is that I would not want to read it. I have no specific interest in the restaurant industry.I chanced across this book and was fascinated from the first pages. The author doesn't just tell you things, he shows you them - a key differentior of great writing. He uses smell, texture, taste to add flavour to the writing. He makes the facts interesting by personalising the account: "it is one of the central ironies of my career that as soon as I got off heroin, things started getting really bad". And the book has a strong beginning, middle and end: with a number of different themes - childhood, cooking school, management, finance, owning a restaurant ("to want to own a restaurant can be a terrible affliction...) - woven into a cohesive story.There are lots of clever techniques in this book, it would be interesting to see them applied to other industries and professions.

Bourdain writes bluntly, to shock, but truthfully, to convey the reality he lived, observed, heard about, from his admittedly filtered and flawed perspective. He is insightful, funny and unexpectedly poignant at times and provides colour around the life of a young, fearless, drifter drawn into cooking by a love, respect and passion for food and those who craft it.

Loved the book. Easy read with outrageous and thrilling stories. Bourdain writes in a very relaxed manner as if he’s talking to you and leaves you eager to hear more.

Absolutely wicked good book. Do NOT get the original print. You want the paper back that Anthony scribbled all over when he reread it 12 years later hahaha

Good quality dfast delivery

This is a good read to understand what goes on in a real restaurant business. Being a foodie, I now have an even higher respect for those working in the restaurant business. However, while reading his honest writing, I can’t help but feel a sort of pain and empathy for him - why he had decided the end his life. It’s not an easy life but a colourful one surely. RIP Anthony B.

Grande fan d'anthony bourdain, j'ai adoré ce livreVersion avec les commentaires de l'auteurTrès drôle, interessant et divertissant

I wanted to keep this book for a later holiday read but that’s not going to happen ! I can’t put it down.