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Kitchen Confidential: 21 Great Bloomsbury Reads for the 21st Century (21st Birthday Celebratory Edn)
 
 
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Kitchen Confidential: 21 Great Bloomsbury Reads for the 21st Century (21st Birthday Celebratory Edn) [Kindle Edition]

Anthony Bourdain (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
Print List Price: £8.99
Kindle Price: £3.64 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save: £5.35 (60%)
* Unlike print books, digital books are subject to VAT.

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Kitchen Confidential is for diners who believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. The truth is more brutal. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain, that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. Such is the muscular view of the culinary trenches from one who's been groveling in them, with obvious sadomasochistic pleasure, for more than 20 years.

Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. He is obscenely eloquent, unapologetically opinionated, and a damn fine storyteller--a Jack Kerouac of the kitchen. Those without the stomach for this kind of joyride should note his opening caveat: "There will be horror stories. Heavy drinking, drugs, screwing in the dry-goods area, unappetizing industry-wide practices. Talking about why you probably shouldn't order fish on a Monday, why those who favour well-done get the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel, and why seafood frittata is not a wise brunch selection.... But I'm simply not going to deceive anybody about the life as I've seen it." --Sumi Hahn

Amazon Review

Kitchen Confidential is for diners who believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. The truth is more brutal. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain, that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. Such is the muscular view of the culinary trenches from one who's been groveling in them, with obvious sadomasochistic pleasure, for more than 20 years.

Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. He is obscenely eloquent, unapologetically opinionated, and a damn fine storyteller--a Jack Kerouac of the kitchen. Those without the stomach for this kind of joyride should note his opening caveat: "There will be horror stories. Heavy drinking, drugs, screwing in the dry-goods area, unappetizing industry-wide practices. Talking about why you probably shouldn't order fish on a Monday, why those who favour well-done get the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel, and why seafood frittata is not a wise brunch selection.... But I'm simply not going to deceive anybody about the life as I've seen it." --Sumi Hahn

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Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 514 KB
  • Print Length: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing; 21st Birthday Celebratory ed edition (20 Dec 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B004U9J9GS
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #12,865 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Confessions From A Dark Kitchen 21 Nov 2000
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Anthony Bourdain, Executive Chef at Les Halles, New York, has written far more than yet another memoir. Within these pages you will find humour, tragedy, pathos, engaging wit and attention gripping story telling ability. Oh yes, and horror! Never before has the lid been fully lifted from the bubbling cauldron of a professional kitchen to reveal to a hitherto unsuspecting public the full contents therein. Drugs, sex, rock'n'roll and much worse in the sort of excesses which put Fellini and Ken Russell to shame! Gasp at the incredulous characters who appear, sometimes occasionally, in Mr Bourdain's kitchens. Be afraid - be very afraid - as Mr Bourdain tells us all those little tricks of the trade which go on behind closed - or swinging - doors. Having attended catering college and started a career as Sous Chef many years ago I admit that some of these tricks are fairly common knowledge. But there are still tales here which grabbed my attention and made me vow never to go near certain restaurants again! Being based in America gives this book a certain distance - the sort of 'it couldn't happen over here' attitude which predated the arrival of McDonalds - and eccentricity which may deter many from buying it. Their loss. They will be missing out on one of this year's surprise successes, one of the most entertaining food books on the market and the sort of brutal reality that seems to have been lost in this country. Quite possibly, though, it is not lost but just hidden under a glutinous sauce of celebrity chef and Deliaism!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book - but the Kindle version leaves a lot to be desired 20 Oct 2010
By Mr. Bradley T. Abrahams
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
First off, let me just say that this is a fantastic book. I had a lot of fun reading it, which is why I'm giving the book itself 4 stars.

However, I feel that I should warn people about the Kindle version. They seem to have used OCR or something, as there are LOTS of typos and mistakes. "I" (referring to Bourdain) often becomes "J", words are pushed together ("I did notthink that..."), and punctuation is often missed out entirely. It's very frustrating and often makes sentences hard to understand. I found myself having to re-read sections in order to make sense of them.

If you can look past these faults then go for it, but be warned. I hope that all Kindle books haven't been reproduced as poorly as this (this is my first Kindle purchase).
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Rich pickings from a full table 13 May 2003
By Michael Ambjorn VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
As fast and furious as a prep-cook working his way through a pound carrots needing dicing and only a butchers knife at hand and a minute to go. Bourdain lets it all hang out and confirms that cooks are one special breed indeed - when solemnly exercising their creative talents let alone when they're inebriated and/or intoxicated. Both happens a lot in the book but it all helps convey the gristy salty experience it must be to stand with a kitchen akin a bedlam and roomful of people waiting for the soufflé that just collapsed.

It also makes one wonder why we enjoy eating out - even the most unimaginative person can guess what shenanigans go on in the kitchen (and if not, read this book and you won't need any imaginative powers at all). They get up to all sorts and yet, we continually put our palates, stomachs and ultimately lives in the hands of cooks, chefs and kitchen porters.
- Why? Well, Anthony Bourdain has quite clearly survived 25 years in the trade with both tastebuds and narrative powers intact so why shouldn't we - when there is so much to gain. OK, so he does have some sensible advice, which he says he follows himself, including the no-seafood-on-Mondays rule.
Read the book and I think you'll find it as wholesome and satisfactory as four course meal with the one lingering thought it might just have been that one notch closer to perfection had there just been three.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Deliciously Funny With a Dose of Salty Spice 16 Aug 2006
By Debra Morse
Format:Paperback
Having been long mesmerized by the earthy charms of Anthony Bourdain, as he appears in his hit Travel Channel show "No Reservations", I felt it high time I read the book that arguably started it all in 2000. And, too, having once been in relationship with a European hotelier and restaurateur, I thought I knew the biz. Hell no. Apparently I had been sheltered from the truly seamy side of the kitchen and knew nothing. I love this book.

Want to sit in the store room of a restaurant and spy on the egos? The horseplay? The social pathology? Oh the humanity! The humanity!

Bourdain's use of language is brilliant. At once memoir and muck rake, the reader is treated to an intimate peek over the shoulder into Bourdain's life. The rapturous epiphany of a fourth grader's first taste of vichyssoise. The realization that "food is power". Apprentice misadventures: "they'd let us practice our knifework on whole legs of beef... we were the culinary version of the Manson family...". Industry advisements: avoid buffets. Eat out on Wednesday or Thursday. Forget about Saturday night (Well, unless you know the chef or maitre`d, I would add).

Now that Mr. Bourdain has catapulted into a whole other sphere of influence, these early words are fascinating. (As I tap this out he has just returned from Beirut where he was caught up in the recent war. We should eagerly anticipate his first hand - and hopefully unreined-in - experiential comments on the absolute heartbreaking tragedy of the destruction of this beautiful and vibrant city; one devoted particularly to hospitality and dining).

If you are a foodie, or anyway close to that, you'll devour the book in one sitting. Get it. Don't hesitate.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read!
Anyone who knows Anthony Bourdain, will enjoy reading this book. His life really amazes me every time I see him on telly or read about him in the paper. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Wolkentraeumer
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
If you want to retain the image of a top chef being a patient, polite, perfect person who works in a zen-like environment dispensing small plates of culinary goodness, this book is... Read more
Published 1 month ago by I. Darren
5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive book about life in the restaurant business in modern...
What can I say about this book that hasn't been said already a million times over? Not much, really. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Johnny
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed with delivered version compared with original hardback...
Did not realise it would be small-print paper back. Had hoped for original published version. Antony
bourdain would be disappointed too.
Published 2 months ago by Kate Patten
4.0 out of 5 stars brilliant book
I borrowed this book from a friend, but liked it so much bought my own copy. Arrived promptly and the book is in good condition. Bargain!
Published 2 months ago by LeaB
5.0 out of 5 stars fab read
this book arrived in good time , much earlier then expected.
As for the book, what an excellent read, laugh out loud in places;
Bourdain knows how to keep the pace short... Read more
Published 2 months ago by B
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant account
I had been watching his TV programs. At the beginning, I did not like him but after a while I started to understand and love him. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kimoki Istanbul
5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting.
Good books, quite interesting about what life can be like for a chef. These are the seven more words I require.
Published 3 months ago by B. Waymark
5.0 out of 5 stars Great bookseller
Lost this book on the train, desperately needed to finish it, was extremely happy with the service and price to replace it!
Published 3 months ago by B. Metelerkamp
5.0 out of 5 stars Kitchen Confidential
I bought this for my son after I read it from the library. It inspired him to buy me a great chef's knife for my birthday which was an ace present. Brill.
Published 3 months ago by Angela Trotter
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