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A Chef's Christmas  By  cover art

A Chef's Christmas

By: Anthony Bourdain
Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain
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Publisher's summary

The author of Kitchen Confidential returns with an exclusive short story available only from Random House Audible!

Holidays aren't always happy for everyone, especially for the crew at Restaurant Saint Germain. The empty dining room has more waiters than customers, the staff is grumbling about the absence of this year's Christmas bonus, and they may soon have to file a missing persons report for "America's Sexiest Chef." Determined to go down kicking and screaming, two employees come up with a last ditch plan of action with a truly unexpected result. While it's not exactly a White Christmas, the crew of the Saint Germain find out that miracles can happen - even if they are accompanied by the sound of French lounge music.

Anthony Bourdain once again brings to light the inner workings of the "culinary underbelly" in his bold reinvention of the traditional Christmas story. At once risqué and charming, A Chef's Christmas is sure to bring holiday cheer to those who make dinner and those who only make reservations.

©2002 Anthony Bourdain
(P)2002 Random House, Inc.

Featured Article: 30+ Anthony Bourdain Quotes That Capture His Zest for Food, Travel, and Life


Few chefs have impacted the world quite like the late Anthony Bourdain. Champion of all things food, an ally to many in disadvantaged communities, and an uncommonly honest, fiercely beloved personality, Bourdain left an indelible mark on the culinary landscape and the world before his tragic death in 2018. The late Anthony Bourdain was one of the greatest minds in the culinary world. Here are some quotes that best embody the legendary chef.

What listeners say about A Chef's Christmas

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Typically gritty & fun

In typical Anthony Bourdain fashion, this is a story told from the gritty perspective of the professional restaurant trade. It's not really new material but a fun adaptation of many of his previous themes and centers around the tricky restaurant season of Christmas. His characters triumph over adversity and rediscover the joy of cooking. This is less of a seasonal Christmas tale and more of an anytime story. It's short and fun and recommended for anyone who is a fan of Bourdain's storytelling talents.

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Chef might be an a**hole but he doesn't own one.

A short antidote to saccharin sweet Christmas stories from the viewpoint of those on the other side of the food fest: those making the meals in the restaurants. With his usual ascerbic and irreverent wit, Mr.Bourdain tells a story of a once busy restaurant without customers just one week before Christmas, focusing on the staff and their feelings at this 'festive' time.
I enjoyed everything about it, from the tale itself to the fast paced warmth of narration. Great fun (but be prepared for bad language). As always, I am glad not to be in the commercial food preparation business and that Anthony Bourdain has been there, done it and can tell it so well.
Recommended.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

God, I miss Anthony Bourdain

Bourdain was an awesome man plagued by a lot of demons, but his writing and tv shows were second to none. Although this dark little Christmas story is only an hour long, it had my wife and I laughing from beginning to end and reminded us just how much we miss him. I’d see him whenever he was in DC and that just won’t happen anymore. Thanks to audible I can listen to his best works over and over again.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Bourdain Christmas Special

For those unfamiliar with Bourdain's previous works and status as a Food TV network star, where have you been? (Just kidding.) Bourdain is a master chef who has branched out into writing and acting because he's got some talent, a cynical sense of humor, and a high energy style that would burn him out in the kitchen if he didn't do something else for awhile. Bourdain's works (including this one) take place in the restaurant world, and when discoursing in the kitchen scenes, they have an enormous depth and believability due to the author's familiarity with that environment and his willingness to tell it all like he sees it without pulling his punches (much). Outside the restaurant, Bourdain's characters lack any depth whatsoever, but hey, the author would tell you that's how it is in real life. This short work (which fits on one CD and thus is great for commuters) is another opportunity to live in the author's home territory for an hour and come out feeling like you've lost some of your innocence. From previous works, you may know that the author doesn't shy away from unhappy endings, but in the spirit of Christmas this story finishes well.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

JUST WHAT I NEEDED - -

OMG, how I miss this man. I needed to hear something gritty, funny, but mostly REAL. Something that might be fictional but had all the elements of Truth to it. Something that seemed desperately ill-fated, doomed, disaster looming - and sad, but I needed to have a happy ending. That part, a Must. . . Happy Ending. So, that meant I had to listen to Tony. And with this story, he gave me every bit of all that I needed and beyond what I thought I wanted. Oh Lord, how I truly miss this man and the Truth about life on this planet that he shared. I don't know if I can ever forgive him for leaving us all alone out here.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Living Vicariously

I will always be grateful for the beautiful way that Anthony Bourdain has shown me the world.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Merry Christmas A. Bourdain's Style

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I love Anthony Bourdain's writing and his narrating styles. This is no doubt a book I wanted to listen to all in one sitting. Unfortunately, this is a short story. I wished it was longer.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Nice and Short

Really good story, not for kids and typical Bourdain. I am glad I listened to it but I don't think it was worth a credit.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Kitchen Carol

Fun look back to the chef and writer Tony Bourdain was before he lost all perspective.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Miss this guy!

I’m glad I listened, good to hear AB’s voice again. Miss watching him on TV.

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