Anthony Bourdain - Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly Books

Pros: Wild, rollicking stories of life on the edge -- with knives.
Cons: Not for the timid. Never view the daily special in the same way again.

I and this book have been sizing each other up for a while. I'd heard a lot of scary stories, things that made me shudder just to contemplate, never mind actually reading about. But -- well, those of you who know me, also know that I am a food junkie....

Pros: funny, witty, amazing story material
Cons: a bit depressing; language may be too much for some; a little disorganized; egotistical

Kitchen Confidential is the memoir of a chef, Anthony Bourdain, and it'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the life of a chef and the restaurant business... and then some.


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Pros: Well crafted prose by a skilled, insightful journeyman chef
Cons: Book occasionally loses focus. One suspects more than a little exaggeration

Anthony Bourdain, the author of Kitchen Confidential, Adventures in The Culinary Underbelly, reminds me of nobody so much as ... well, me.

Arrogant and underachieving, Bourdain thinks he’s a bigger bad-ass than he is. He’s...

Pros: An entertaining and insightful look behind the swinging doors.....
Cons: Sometimes, his "Gonzo journalism" gets away from him

I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the underworld of the restaurant business with Anthony Bourdain. The book is insightful, if nothing else. You may be canceling those reservations for Sunday brunch after reading the book.....

Anthony...

Pros: Very entertaining and informative.
Cons: Some French or Spanish terms/words aren't explained. See my disclaimer.

Hey KelAmandasmom, you requested this review, so this one is dedicated to you. I was raving about the book, so she asked if I could write a review about it. Here you go Kelly:

I couldn't help it! The people in the subway must think I'm...

Pros: Humorous storyline mixed with some useful pointers and tips
Cons: Vulgar language and questionable situations may turn off some

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly was penned by Anthony Bourdain, the executive chef at Les Halles restaurant in New York City. Bourdain has also been the host of a few travel shows, A Cook's Tour which ran on ...

Pros: fast, easy and pleasurable read. good story. great advice
Cons: not always the most appetizing information. some is hard to stomach

For about a year, I trained to be a professional cook. The school was clean and everything was very well organized. Then came the day I began my internship in a real professional kitchen. What had happened at school was nothing like what went on in the...

Pros: Much kitchen insider information
Cons: Sometimes disjointed

Anthony Bourdain has had quite a journey leading him to his current position as a successful chef at a legendary restaurant in New York City, Brasserie Les Halles. Kitchen Confidential tells the story of how he got to where he is. I had never ...

Pros: Funny, incisive, refreshingly honest
Cons: Could put you off eating out for good

A couple of years ago we were told that cooking was the new rock'n'roll. If Anthony Bourdain is to be believed, it's the new punk - it's in your face, sharp as a Sabatier knife and it makes no apologies. "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary ...

Pros: lurid detail that keeps you reading despite your better judgement
Cons: lurid detail that may keep you from ever dining out again, crude language that may offend

Maybe you enjoy eating out at fine restaurants. If so, you may wish to forgo the dubious pleasure of reading this book, which tells you all you feared to know about what goes on in the kitchen. Author Anthony Bourdain is the Executive Chef at Brasserie...

Pros: Breezy, bawdy, fun book about a life behind the steam table.
Cons: Bourdain loves vulgarity and other cuts of meat.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underground is a bawdy, breezy, boastful memoir, full of chef Anthony Bourdain’s rapid fire wit and sarcasm, not to mention some unpleasant revelations about the origins of the daily special, ...

Pros: Strong narrative voice; raw insight into the urban culinary culture.
Cons: Raunchy tone; non-fiction/fiction issue; he beats reader over head with his point/s.

Are you one of those people (like myself) who find voyeuristic pleasure in learning the down and dirty about different subcultures of the world, in this case the world of professional cooking? If so, then this is certainly a book you would enjoy. However ...

Pros: Nicely nuanced writing; humorous anecdotes
Cons: A little machismo goes a long way

Growing up in a Greek family (at least on my father's side), I've known many a person who owned or ran a restaurant. Later in life, I went on a two year excursion into the food industry, including a six month stint as the store manager at McDonald's....

Pros: Great insight to the mind and life of a chef. A must read.
Cons: Jumps around a bit, but makes for more adventurous reading.

I sling some pretty good slop around the house and many of my culinary victims.. er. I mean, guests have been amazed at some of my creations. "Why don't you go to the Culinary Academy", they all say. "Not a bad idea", I would retort back at them -- ...

Pros: Hilarious, fascinating, gritty and detailed
Cons: Some details can be revolting, some tangents go on too long

Anthony Bourdain, executive chef of Brasserie Les Halles in New York, has written a hilarious, revolting, fascinating, exhausting look at what goes on behind the scenes at a big restaurant, a must-read for foodies or anyone who has ever eaten out or will...