Learn to COOK - Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
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List Price: $15.95
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Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5092
EAN: 9780060899226
ISBN: 0060899220
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2007-01-09
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: 2007-01-09
Studio: Harper Perennial
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Editorial Reviews:
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A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine—now with all-new, never-before-published material
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Fiendishly delightful
Comment: By all accounts, this should be a lousy book. The life story of a middle-aged, former substance-abusing, self-described SOB and good-but-not-great chef. In the hands of most people, this would be a rambling, uninteresting memoir that would never see the light of day. The fact that Bourdain pulls it off so brilliantly speaks to his ability as a writer and his unpretentious, anti-hero personality.
This book made Bourdain famous, but ironically I found this book because he is famous. I enjoy his TV show, and I happened to see this book in the bookstore so I picked it up. As I was paying for it, the cashier mentioned that she'd just bought it for a friend for Christmas and couldn't stop reading it herself. That added to my already-present optimism that this would be a good read.
Bourdain presents a fascinating glimpse into the world of cooking, as seen through the filter of his own experience. He is perfectly candid about the fact that the pirate ship-like working atmosphere he has experienced--full of drugs, sex, testosterone, and booze--is likely a reflection of his own personality. He goes to such pains to "keep it real" that he even provides a glimpse into the operations of chefs other than himself, whom he freely admits are more talented and successful than him. All the while, the reader has the pleasure of enjoying the ever witty, sarcastic, and brutally honest company of Bourdain as he strolls down memory lane and creates his portrayal of the culinary industry.
A wonderfully crafted, page-turning, guilty-pleasure kind of book, reading it will never allow you to look at eating in a restaurant in the same way ever again. In an age where cooking as become more glamorous and high profile, where cooking shows of all ilks appear on multiple networks, Bourdain's experiences have a bit of a feel of a nostalgic look at times gone by. Bourdain clearly appreciates the irony of becoming the very thing he made a habit of ridiculing: the celebrity chef. Yet, throughout it all, Bourdain shows a single-minded honesty, curiosity, and passion for food which makes him oddly engaging despite his vices. This, plus his quirky personality and interesting anecdotes make for a highly memorable and enjoyable read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Hyperbole or Not
Comment: Whether or not this account is 100% factual, it IS 100% entertaining, provided one has the stomach for such debauchery. Sure, there's a bit of "Hey, look at me!" but it takes a healthy share of that to even bother writing down one's memoirs. If Chef Bourdain is to be believed, it takes that same well-fed ego to become a chef, so it's hardly unexpected.
As someone who can barely scramble an egg without courting disaster, I found it fascinating. Many friends who have WORKED in the cooking industry (not just attended culinary school and aspired to Bourdain's status), have touted its accuracy, so who am I to question?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fun, but no "must read" for aspiring chefs
Comment: When I started culinary school, I was told that this book was a "must read" for anyone who wanted to be a chef. I bought it, but never read it. Finally, this year, I decided to bust through it. While it is fairly enjoyable, I hardly think it is a "must read" for any aspiring chef.
Maybe I got lucky, but my experience working in restaurants is nothing like what Bourdain described. Maybe it's because I'm not in New York City, and maybe it's because it's no longer the 1980s, but the freakish work environment he described is pretty out of date. Besides, let's keep in mind that Bourdain never worked in the finest kitchens in NYC: he's a bistro cook. Sure, restaurant kitchens may still be a bit more "crude" than the professional offices of their patrons, but they're not the oozing dens of sin that Bourdain tries to describe. Read the book for the entertainment value, but remember that this is really just him reminiscing a bygone era.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An interesting read
Comment: Anthony Bourdain is sort of a cynical character and portrays this dark, drug infested culinary life. I think he is a little jaded and not all kitchens are like the ones he worked in. Some are though. It was a good read (not for young readers due to language/adult references) and held my interest to the end. As a new professional chef, it gives you a bit of a reality check and some good advice for succeeding in the field. As with anything, though, take it with a grain of salt.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Witty, Sarcastic, and Honest
Comment: He had me at "preface".
I haven't actually finished reading it so this review may be premature. Immediately after I started the book, I began to read passages outloud to my boyfriend who gifted this book. If this tells you anything, I buy books from Amazon all the time but this is the first review I've ever written.
Anthony Bourdain is someone I picture myself hanging out with my friends over a long nice meal. Just as I had imagined from watching his show, No Reservations, the author is witty, sarcastic, and offensively-yet-refreshingly blunt. I'm loving it!
I really recommend this book for you and for your friends who pride in themselves as cooks, chefs, servers, and of course, the foodies. Enjoy!
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