lilianvh's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I enjoyed and feared reading this book. Having followed a fair amount of Bourdain’s work on shows and interviews, I thought this book might be very outdated, maybe misogynistic and a bit too much on the cool side. However, it was very interesting to learn about kitchens in his day, the dynamic in teams, the attitude towards working in kitchens and more. 

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sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition

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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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thursdd4y's review against another edition

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adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.0


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claireh6's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative fast-paced

4.0


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etbishop's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

4.0


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dreadspawn's review against another edition

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funny informative medium-paced

5.0


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abeplaut's review against another edition

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funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Revealing look at what the life was like for the Chef. The audiobook (read by the author) felt deeply personal. And somewhat sad as Bourdaine describes suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. 

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kurtwombat's review against another edition

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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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_gelatinouscute's review against another edition

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4.0


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samchase112's review against another edition

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funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I’ll be right here. Until they drag me off the line, I’m not going anywhere. I hope.

Hell yeah, this book was freaking fantastic. Narrated by Anthony Bourdain himself, it's an utterly engrossing (and gross) recount of his restaurant and kitchen experiences, complete with more blood, sex, drugs, and alcohol than you could ever imagine. A truly fascinating glimpse into a world I've never been interested in — food is… let's say, not my thing — and isn't that truly Bourdain's gift? One reviewer said reading this memoir was like meeting a ghost, and I wholeheartedly agree. I'll be recommending this (now decades old) book to anyone who will listen.

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