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)

miss u Tony....

So real and honest. Story told with so much color and flavor, only could be described as a gift for storytelling. a void has been left. 😢

Over all a good book

If you read Anthony's book, this is a good continuation of that. Some parts seemed a little long and drawn out but that's okay. I found it interesting for at least 90% of the time. It probably helps that he has a really good voice for reading. If you liked Kitchen Confidential, then you'll most likely enjoy this.

Loved it!

Read with great character and very interesting to anyone with an interest in food. Loved every minute of the book.

Lots of fun

Bourdain reads flawlessly. Provides great descriptions of food and people. I enjoyed his humor. He's a very observant and self deprecating guy. A fun read.

Pure Bourdain

Raw it is. Funny as hell, you don't have to be into food to enjoy this. Bourdain is an outstanding writer and speaker. His books pull me right out of a depression every time. Reading them is therapy, listening to them--priceless.

a good listen

What did you love best about Medium Raw?

The fact that Chef Bourdain reads his own book makes it so much more entertaining.

Bittersweet

It's both painful and exhilarating to hear Anthony Bourdain's voice and post-Kitchen Confidential stories. What's clear from Medium Raw is that neither financial nor career success could cool his anger toward himself and the people in his life. The stories in Medium Raw veer from the simply gratuitous (eating ortolans) to the simply gorgeous (the tale of Le Bernardin's fish butcher) and everything in between, including the titillating name dropping. What's also clear from the book is that Bourdain was a gifted artist who likely suffered from untreated bipolar disorder, which caused him to make numerous poor choices in his life. That he managed to make the right career choices after Kitchen Confidential was a testament to the life force that he heeded, until he could heed it no more. Read this book to better understand this amazing man's life and to help put closure to his terribly sad early demise.

Loved his performance!

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

I am a big fan of No Reservations.Tony's narration is part of what makes that show so great. I got a copy of the book when I saw him live. I read it that week. It was a great read.

I bought the audiobook because I love Tony's narration on the show. It's an even better listen than a read. I might need to get the Kitchen Confidential audiobook now. It might end up being more disgusting...

Ten years after Kitchen Confidential

Kitchen Confidential is a thrill ride ( raw, abrasive, and very funny) into the lifestyles of chefdom in the high end restaurant industry. This book is covers more of the same, but there is a maturity to Anthony's outlook. He's still abrasive and snarky, and there are lots of funny stories in these pages, but as a book, it seems a bit unfocused. The narrative jumps around, each chapter giving Anthony an opportunity to rant about something he feels passionate about. If you liked Kitchen Confidential ( I did) you'll enjoy this. And nobody could have read it as well as the author !

Anthony Bourdain who else!

Another in depth look into the world of Anthony Bourdain and the many interesting Chefs and characters in his life and in his history. I read Kitchen Confidential and this book back to back enjoying both equally!