Celebrating The Voice Of A Food Lover And Writer…
Every Wednesday, I take my Bookmobile on the road to look at new fiction, classic literature, travel guides, candid memoirs and more…today, I want to share the words of a gifted Chef, Writer and TV Host, Anthony Bourdain.
Bourdain’s suicide last year stunned his fans all around the world.
At the time, the news coverage focused on his various TV shows, all of which are terrific, but I want now to focus on his other legacy: Bourdain was also the Author of a variety of non-fiction AND fiction books, as well as two cookbooks…and it all began with his candid memoir that was also an eye-opening look at restaurant life
Kitchen Confidential
The non-fiction book that started it all, an expansion of his hilariously profane and investigative piece for The New Yorker.
As Vox reported:
“Bourdain’s writing career truly began to take off with a 1999 essay for the New Yorker. Titled “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” the piece forms the basis of what would later become Kitchen Confidential — and in its pages, you can see all the elements of Bourdain’s distinctive, charismatic persona already in place.
The essay is framed as advice to a restaurant-goer from someone who knows: Order fish on Tuesday, when it’s fresh and the chef is well-rested from his day off. Never order your food well done, because that’s where kitchen staffs get rid of the worst of their meat. (“The philistine who orders his food well-done is not likely to notice the difference between food and flotsam,” Bourdain explains.) Chicken is for people who can’t make up their minds, but pork is fantastic. At a good restaurant, there will be a stick of butter in every meal.”
He followed with more memoirs and inside stories about the restaurant business, food and travel, as well as anything else that inspired his mind or tempted his palate:
Each one of these books was filled with great travel stories, food adventures, and candid details of his own life.
He even published a slender volume telling the true story of the infamous “Typhoid Mary” –
In 1995, Bourdain got into fiction when he published “Bone in the Throat”, a crime novel set in the restaurant world, and in 1997 his follow-up was called “Gone Bamboo”.
Of course he also published cookbooks, including one from his stint at Les Halles, the New York restaurant he was working in when he wrote “Kitchen Confidential”…
The gifted Writer even had time to publish two graphic novels about food:
Bourdain loved food, and wrote about it so well…you can read more about his graphic novel “Get Jiro” by clicking here:
I hope this Wednesday’s Bookmobile offers tasty proof that Anthony Bourdain’s writing was as vibrant and invigorating as his TV persona…
Categories: Art, Books / Media, cookbooks, Exotic Travel, Food, Food Review, Memoirs, Pop Culture, Recipes, Restaurants, Talent/Celebrities, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir, TV Show, Uncategorized, Wacky Food
I’ve not read his writing but it’s good to know his passion for food shone through in that as well as his TV appearances. This post also serves as a lovely tribute, John.x
Thank you for the note…people seem to forget he was an accomplished Author as well as TV Host and Chef!
I remember reading about the death of this man, John. I think it was on your blog. You mentioned his books then too. They really do sound interesting. I must look them up.
His first book, “Kitchen Confidential” is a funny, insightful look at the world of restaurants…terrific book
Thanks, John. I will look for it.
John, that’s the perfect choice for an accomplished gourmet like you! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
He was remembered mostly for his TV work, but his writing is as rich and complex as anything he did on TV…thanks for the comment Pete!