Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

4 reviews

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

mandaraffe's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death and Racial slurs

Minor: Suicide

mlewis's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, and Sexual harassment