Medium Raw

A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook

By: Anthony Bourdain

Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

The long-awaited follow-up to the mega-best-seller Kitchen Confidential

In the 10 years since his classic Kitchen Confidential first alerted us to the idiosyncrasies and lurking perils of eating out - from Monday fish to the breadbasket conspiracy - much has changed for the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business and for Anthony Bourdain. Medium Raw explores those changes, moving back and forth from the author's bad old days to the present. Tracking his own strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-traveling professional eater and drinker, and even to fatherhood, Bourdain takes no prisoners as he dissects what he's seen, pausing along the way for a series of confessions, rants, investigations, and interrogations of some of the most controversial figures in food.

Beginning with a secret and highly illegal after-hours gathering of powerful chefs that he compares to a mafia summit, Bourdain pulls back the curtain, but never pulls his punches, on the modern gastronomical revolution, as only he can. Cutting right to the bone, Bourdain sets his sights on some of the biggest names in the foodie world, including David Chang, the young superstar chef who has radicalized the fine-dining landscape; the revered Alice Waters, whom he treats with unapologetic frankness; the Top Chef winners and losers; and many more.

Always he returns to the question "Why cook?" Or the more difficult "Why cook well?" Medium Raw is the deliciously funny and shockingly delectable journey to those answers, sure to delight philistines and gourmands alike.

©2010 Anthony Bourdain (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The food orbit is [Bourdain’s] element, and chapters on today’s leading figures—from chef David Chang to critic Alan Richman—display his access, outspokenness and comedic gifts....Mr. Bourdain is a vivid, bawdy and often foul-mouthed writer. He thrills in the attack, but he is also an enthusiast who writes well about things he holds dear." ( Wall Street Journal)

“Full of things everybody in the food world thinks but nobody will say...If [Bourdain’s] sharp eye and his wicked tongue have brought him acclaim, what’s kept him in the spotlight is his heart. Like Oscar Wilde, he’s a moralist in the guise of a libertine. Long may he prosper.” ( Denver Post)

“Bourdain has insight, access and good taste, and he’s a naturally engaging writer...Bourdain is a hopeless romantic when it comes to food and the people who cook. The subtitle’s real valentines are two elegantly written profiles.” ( New York Times Book Review)

Makes want to work in a kitchen

Not as good as kitchen confidential, but it was fun to listen to. RIP ANTHONY

excellent follow-up to Kitchen Confedential

A great collection of thoughts and apologies after kitchen confidential. Having Anthony Bourdain reading it makes it truly poignant.

Like talking to a friend

This book comes across as a conversation. Excellent storytelling with no punches pulled. Sit back and enjoy.

Fantastic Book!

This is a "Page-Turner" for sure!!! I love the perspective from not only inside professional kitchens, but the experience of being a chef in the midst of true struggle.

Great book. Glad Anthony narrated it.

Loved it. Started buying cookbooks tho. Lol. Glad I listened to the book. I will get more.

Bourdain should be narrating books!

If you could sum up Medium Raw in three words, what would they be?

This is a funny, touching look at the world of foodie insiders. By narrating his own book Bourdain really demonstrates his attitudes about a variety of food topics, chefs, chef sell outs, cooking shows, etc. Be warned the language gets a bit rough. If that doesn't offend you, this is a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the descriptions of odd foods and the peeks at the personalities of cooking show chefs.

Delicious!

Not only can this guy cook, he can write and narrate, as well. I did not have overly high expectations from this book, but I had just listened to 48 hours of "The Stand" and needed something from the other end of the audible spectrum. I could not have made a better choice. The writing is entertaining, witty, and informative on subjects I didn't even know I needed to know about. He comes off as very authentic, and his narration never, not even once, provided me with the opportunity to drift off and have to hit the - 30 rewind. If the word f--k offends you, you may want to pass on this one. While I found his generous smattering of profanity appropriate and funny, I do know people who would not.

dishy dishy gossip

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I definitely would and have recommended this audiobook to many of my friends. Hearing Anthony Bourdain feels like sitting around getting slowly drunk with your wacky boss, who happens to be filled with incredible stories about people you've always looked up to. You're sort of sure you're not supposed to be hearing this somehow, but you're fascinated, and egging him on to tell you more, and he just does and does.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Definitely the narrator and subject, Mr Bourdain, for his self-effacing humour and unrelenting willingness to poke fun at himself and critique himself harshly. NO, I take it back, definitely his partner who frequently uses martial arts, apparently.

What about Anthony Bourdain’s performance did you like?

The warmth in his voice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really, it was more of a 'nice way to pass the time' read than anything groundbreaking.

Any additional comments?

Read Kitchen Confidential before you read this. It's great as well, and provides a lot of the context.

Insightful, Entertaining, and Raw

It is impossible to listen to Medium Raw without drawing comparisons from his previous exposé of the cooking industry, "Kitchen Confidential". Firstly, Anthony Bourdain's performance is once again amazing. His narration adds on another layer to an already enjoyable experience. This time around this book is more of a response to certain criticisms from "Kitchen Confidential" and his opinion of current day culinary trends. A must-read for anyone who is either considering a career in culinary or has a passion for food.

A good read from an important voice.

An enjoyable read from an important voice that was taken from us all to soon.