Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (Updated Edition) by Anthony Bourdain

36 reviews

megnut's review against another edition

emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

I think I've found some of my favorite lines in this book... and definitely had a hard time not profusely swearing after listening to it for a while. 

RIP, Chef. This was a delight. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

kurtwombat's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative tense fast-paced

5.0

I’ve watched Anthony Bourdain’s food/travel show on and off for years, enjoying his long cool languid demeanor and hip, inquisitive voice. What provokes is the sense that there is a vigorously lived life idling beneath the surface. In KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL a younger than TV age Bourdain provides a florid splash of his adrenaline-fueled life as a chef. The pace is fast like his kitchens and is at turns shocking and hilarious--feeling like Jim Carroll’s BASKETBALL DIARIES meets Upton Sinclair’s THE JUNGLE delivered by Spalding Gray on speed. Because of his sad passing I had stayed clear of his shows and hesitated picking up this book. Enraptured, my concerns fell away as I realized every page celebrates his life and passion.  The book will teach you about different foods and may encourage you to learn more but you don’t have to care about food at all to enjoy KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL.  Able to pinpoint the childhood meal that ignited his interest in food, soup served cold, that love never wavers despite page after page working insane hours under grueling conditions in crazy environments for little pay. Does that sound like fun, probably not, but it certainly is.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Vomit, Bullying, Body shaming, Infidelity, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship

The graphic warnings I gave above are definitely referenced in the book but are not condoned but rather just to describe the atmosphere of this kind of workplace.

anna_luvs_cheez's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Vomit, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Addiction

Great book, audio book is great, can get a little graphic at times with kitchen injuries

samchase112's review against another edition

funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I’ll be right here. Until they drag me off the line, I’m not going anywhere. I hope.

Hell yeah, this book was freaking fantastic. Narrated by Anthony Bourdain himself, it's an utterly engrossing (and gross) recount of his restaurant and kitchen experiences, complete with more blood, sex, drugs, and alcohol than you could ever imagine. A truly fascinating glimpse into a world I've never been interested in — food is… let's say, not my thing — and isn't that truly Bourdain's gift? One reviewer said reading this memoir was like meeting a ghost, and I wholeheartedly agree. I'll be recommending this (now decades old) book to anyone who will listen.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Blood, Cursing, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcoholism

Minor: Transphobia, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

chewiesayrelax's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, and Alcoholism

emotionalsupportsandwiches's review

funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Drug use, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism and Drug abuse

taracloudclark's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

I noticed a friend of mine posting about Bourdain often. I knew almost nothing about him, so I decided to take in a book by him. First, Bourdain is sexy as hell. How did I never know this?! He also gives great voice to his own words. Makes me want to be in the NY restaurant culture. Second, this is such a fun read. A bit vulgar for milder tastes, but such a great insight into the biz. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Bullying, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Blood, Body shaming, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Cursing, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

cibani's review against another edition

adventurous informative medium-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Deportation, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Alcohol, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, and Drug use

nicolebobby's review

adventurous dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

“I wallow in it. Just like all the other sounds in my life: the hiss and clatter and spray of the dishwasher, the sizzle as a fillet of fish hits a hot pan, the loud, yelping noise — almost a shriek — as a glowing sizzle-platter is dropped into a full pot sink, the pounding of the meat mallet on a cote du boeuf, the smack as finished plates hit the 'window'. The goads, curses, insults and taunts of my wildly profane crew are like poetry to me…”

Incredibly intimate, atmospheric, profane, and completely Anthony Bourdain. All about food. All about life. Then again, the two are inextricably linked, after all. It took me a bit to get through this, but I’m glad and better off that I did.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Drug use

jackierothmeier's review

dark inspiring tense fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Sexual content, Addiction, Body horror, and Alcoholism