Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

19 reviews

sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful informative lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

5.0

Who doesn’t spend every waking hour missing Anthony Bourdain? Couldn’t be me. As a fan of his show, I figured I should go back to what may be his most famous book and see where it all started.

I had so much fun reading about Bourdain’s experiences. As someone who has worked in hospitality for a fair share of sociopaths, it was really comforting and enlightening to see someone else both experience the behavior and understand it at the same time. Bourdain clearly loves what he does and doesn’t hide behind his celebrity status as he confronts past demons. He’s just that lovable!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys celebrity memoirs, Bourdain’s shows, French cooking, or just food in general. It was fun, relaxing, and easy to read- although he definitely jumped around at times (it fits the ambience of his kitchens, though).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

These content warnings are relatively minor but frequent- he does not shy away from hypocrisy

claireh6's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

dreadspawn's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

kurtwombat's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative tense fast-paced

5.0

I’ve watched Anthony Bourdain’s food/travel show on and off for years, enjoying his long cool languid demeanor and hip, inquisitive voice. What provokes is the sense that there is a vigorously lived life idling beneath the surface. In KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL a younger than TV age Bourdain provides a florid splash of his adrenaline-fueled life as a chef. The pace is fast like his kitchens and is at turns shocking and hilarious--feeling like Jim Carroll’s BASKETBALL DIARIES meets Upton Sinclair’s THE JUNGLE delivered by Spalding Gray on speed. Because of his sad passing I had stayed clear of his shows and hesitated picking up this book. Enraptured, my concerns fell away as I realized every page celebrates his life and passion.  The book will teach you about different foods and may encourage you to learn more but you don’t have to care about food at all to enjoy KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL.  Able to pinpoint the childhood meal that ignited his interest in food, soup served cold, that love never wavers despite page after page working insane hours under grueling conditions in crazy environments for little pay. Does that sound like fun, probably not, but it certainly is.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol

The graphic warnings I gave above are definitely referenced in the book but are not condoned but rather just to describe the atmosphere of this kind of workplace.

taracloudclark's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

I noticed a friend of mine posting about Bourdain often. I knew almost nothing about him, so I decided to take in a book by him. First, Bourdain is sexy as hell. How did I never know this?! He also gives great voice to his own words. Makes me want to be in the NY restaurant culture. Second, this is such a fun read. A bit vulgar for milder tastes, but such a great insight into the biz. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

cibani's review against another edition

adventurous informative medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

hmetwade's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Classism

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

2.5

My son, a bartender, wanted me to read this.  I was not an Anthony Bourdain fan, having never read any of his books, nor watched his shows.  This book didn't make me a fan, either.  

I think I would have liked it if I'd read it in the early 2000s when it was first published.  As a forty-something person, I would have enjoyed this book's rough, vulgar, stream-of-consciousness.  But reading it in 2023 was a different experience.  I found the repeated descriptions of substance abuse, criminal activity, and swearing tiring and boring.  

The book's best parts were the detailed descriptions of what it takes to manage and run a restaurant and the incredible skill and timing of the people working on the line.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

crssmith's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail