Kitchen Confidential

Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

By: Anthony Bourdain

Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain

Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Recently, The New Yorker published chef Anthony Bourdain's shocking, "Don't Eat Before Reading This." Bourdain spared no one's appetite in this tell-all about what happens behind the kitchen door.

Now, the author uses the same "take-no-prisoners" attitude in his deliciously funny and shockingly delectable audiobook, sure to delight gourmands and philistines alike. From his first oyster in the Gironde, to his lowly position as a dishwasher in a honky-tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown, from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center, to drug dealers in the East Village, from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again, Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable.

Kitchen Confidential will make your mouth water while your belly aches with laughter. You'll beg the chef for more, please.

Anthony Bourdain is the author of the novels Bone in the Throat and Gone Bamboo. This is his first work of nonfiction. He is the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in New York City.

Hear an exclusive interview with Bourdain.

©51
2000 Anthony Bourdain
(P)2000 Random House, Inc.

What a Great Read!!!

Funny, insightful, irreverent, articulate...all fit this outstanding effort by Anthony Bourdain. My first read of his material and I can't wait to download his earlier works while eagerly awaiting his next effort!

If the workings of a professional kitchen intrigues you, you must read this book!!!

Foodie delight!

I loved this book. After reading it, I felt I really learned what it REALLY is like to be a chef. Anthony Bourdain's reading is fantastic. He is at times crude and vulgar, while at other times down right hilarious. What I loved about this book: Honest. If you love the food network and would truly love to get down and dirty with the "real" cooking, read this book. He does not sugar coat a thing. I loved it!

I dissent.

Everybody else loves this book -- I didn't. I've never been a fan of books in which the author -- or protagonist -- revels in his drug use, drinking, addictions and generally antisocial conduct, and that's what this is, a pride-filled account, not of Bourdain's obviously huge talent, but of his lamentable character. I'm libertarian enough to emphasize that I don't object to Bourdain's doing it -- it's just that I don't find such juvenile conduct interesting. I can't understand the mentality that takes pride in such self-destructive behavior.

For the record, I am a foodie, at least of sorts. Twice in my life I've supported myself and my kids by catering. I can cook -- not 1% of what Bourdain does, obviously. But I'm perfectly at home in the kitchen, yours or mine. All that said, it will be a long time before I'm ready to go into any restaurant again and order food, for the simple reason that while I didn't like what Bourdain was saying, I have no trouble at all believing it.

And that's the reason I gave a book that I basically didn't like four stars -- it rings true. Unfortunately, from my standpoint, Bourdain made me see what was going on there, behind the swinging doors. The book is well-written -- so much so that not only will I stay out of restaurants, but once again, I have promised myself never to darken the borders of Japan. Eating live animals is just not something I want to hear about, let alone do. I find myself hoping there is some kind of eternal punishment for those who would cause animals such suffering -- its beyond me, how anyone can enjoy such a thing.

Bourdain narrates his own book -- which is normally a good thing. Author-read books are usually among the best. In this one, however, Bourdain races through it, reading so fast, and -- in parts -- with so little inflection, it's easy to get left behind. Now that I've finished the book, it has occurred to me that maybe that's not such a bad thing.

I won't listen to this one again -- when the need for a "life with food" book strikes me, I will head for "Appetite for Life" featuring Julia Child, or "My Life in France" or any of a half-dozen other "Julia" books that I've read or listened to many times over. There's nobody shooting up in those books, nobody bleeding or barfing all over the food. Much better, as far as I'm concerned.

If you like eating out, skip this one. Or listen at your peril.

Pushed Me Over The Edge

He probably didn't mean to, but Anthony Bourdain pushed me over the edge. His raw and humorous backdoor exposure of milieu, blood spillage, and other goings-on in commercial kitchens was enough to shut me down. I was already an infrequent visitor of restaurants, now I'll go only if I can successfully sneak in my own dish. I'd request a seat near the kitchen and enjoy the show risk-free!

Amazing and gritty

Was amazing and gritty I expected no less and I'm excited for more. I highly recommend this book. Thank you

I was entertained

I don't think you have to be a foodie to enjoy this book. This is not a how to book but there are times that he will go into great detail about preparing food. The meat of this book is a gritty behind the scenes look at the restaunt biz from his start as a dishwasher in a greasy spoon to head chef in some of the finest New York establishments. Very graphic language and pervasive drug use is discussed, which for me only adds to the allure of this story. Throughout his career he has worked with many interesting people, all of whom he brought to life with a great deal of clarity and texture. I was not bored.

gone too soon

This man's ability to write and read is outstanding. His gift will be missed. This is a very easy listen.

In love

This book shows what it is really like to be in the kitchen. I also enjoy the fact he is narrator, makes you really pay attention to his story and feel what he is saying in the book. I can't wait to hear of his stories. It such a shame he is gone, he was an amazing person and such inspiration to many.

Authentic Voice

I really enjoyed having the author be the voice. Anthony Bourdain writes, and narrates, in a very straight forward style. Some of the content is shocking, but he is never flowery or overly generous in his description of kitchen life. I really enjoyed this book.

MUST read if you like food!

I've always been a foodie (yes, I know he hates that word!) and I recently got into the restaurant business. it's been a challenging experience, and sometimes I wonder what I got myself into! reading this book opened my eyes to the industry and what it really takes to make it happen. I'm inspired! absolutely loved this book...