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meganbomberger's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
written while filiming his show, so i'd seen most of the content already. def reads like it was written by a man in 2001, a bit outdated. but his writing is good!
doddles14's review against another edition
3.75
Idk - I think bc I watched the documentary of this food tour (and his life) first, this book now seems to have this foreboding energy that I can’t shake.
The book itself is, ofc, well written and has fun stories etc., but, I suppose, I’m missing that initial excitement I first experienced with Kitchen Confidential bc I was blissfully unaware of the intricacies of his untimely downfall. It’s sort of been tainted in a way now.
The book itself is, ofc, well written and has fun stories etc., but, I suppose, I’m missing that initial excitement I first experienced with Kitchen Confidential bc I was blissfully unaware of the intricacies of his untimely downfall. It’s sort of been tainted in a way now.
alilbitofreading's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book, obviously not enough to finish asap but I did enjoy it, especially every part that involved Vietnam. Yeah, I’m being bias but despite the money hungry Vietnamese nail salon stereotypes, Vietnam has great food and I really appreciate that a culinary expert has the stomach to try and actually enjoy what Vietnam, and Asia has to offer. Kudos to you, man. I only know a handful of people, not including my family, that like durian.
The book is centers on one question, “What is the perfect meal?” How would you even approach this question? Doesn’t it depend on what you are in the mood to eat? Bourdain goes to different countries, recalling his experiences trying new things. Spoiler alert, there isn’t a perfect meal, but there are many meals that are perfect. Food is an adventure in its own, and it should be enjoyed. Reading this book actually made me think back on how picky many people are now about food and how I was when I was younger. Stop wasting your lives, picky eaters! This books makes me want to drop everything and then eat everything, but its not that convincing.
Overall rating: 3/5 I enjoyed it. Didn’t love it.
The book is centers on one question, “What is the perfect meal?” How would you even approach this question? Doesn’t it depend on what you are in the mood to eat? Bourdain goes to different countries, recalling his experiences trying new things. Spoiler alert, there isn’t a perfect meal, but there are many meals that are perfect. Food is an adventure in its own, and it should be enjoyed. Reading this book actually made me think back on how picky many people are now about food and how I was when I was younger. Stop wasting your lives, picky eaters! This books makes me want to drop everything and then eat everything, but its not that convincing.
Overall rating: 3/5 I enjoyed it. Didn’t love it.
mturner1334's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
spaghettification's review against another edition
As much as I liked Anthony Bourdain, his style of narration worked better for TV than for a book. I found it too convoluted and fast-paced to enjoy, not to mention if you've seen the show then you've also read this book! In fact, this book would probably be best if you're brand new to Bourdain's content and even then, I would 100% recommend the show instead so you could actually see the locations, the people, the food and his reactions.
misterjay's review against another edition
5.0
Strange to think that only six months ago I had never heard of Anthony Bourdain, yet now count him among my favorite writers. But the reasons are simple enough: a friend introduced me to Bourdain's first book - [b:Kitchen Confidential|33313|Kitchen Confidential Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (updated edition)|Anthony Bourdain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168422043s/33313.jpg|4219], while my father told me about Bourdain's show "No Reservations". This two hit combo resulted in my tracking down the book and the dvds and in this way getting to know Chef Bourdain.
"A Cook's Tour," Bourdain's second book, and more a collection of essays than structured travelogue, was written as a companion piece to his first t.v. show of the same name.
The stories in the book detail exotic lands, endearing people, and the best and worst food the chef experienced on his travels. Bourdain writes with a quick, if acerbic, wit and a good ear for spoken language. His real gift, however, is the way he describes things: from locations to meals to politics, Bourdain's words bring them easily and clearly to the mind's eye.
Among the highlights, for me, of this volume were the chef's stays in Mexico and Vietnam. Never have I so wanted to drop tools and take myself off to somewhere I had never before given much thought.
This kind of writing should be treasured and re-read often.
"A Cook's Tour," Bourdain's second book, and more a collection of essays than structured travelogue, was written as a companion piece to his first t.v. show of the same name.
The stories in the book detail exotic lands, endearing people, and the best and worst food the chef experienced on his travels. Bourdain writes with a quick, if acerbic, wit and a good ear for spoken language. His real gift, however, is the way he describes things: from locations to meals to politics, Bourdain's words bring them easily and clearly to the mind's eye.
Among the highlights, for me, of this volume were the chef's stays in Mexico and Vietnam. Never have I so wanted to drop tools and take myself off to somewhere I had never before given much thought.
This kind of writing should be treasured and re-read often.
akenny614's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed [b:Kitchen Confidential|33313|Kitchen Confidential Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (updated edition)|Anthony Bourdain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168422043s/33313.jpg|4219] more, but this is still a great read. I never realized how badly I need to go to Vietnam!
always_booked's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t adequately explain the joy this book has brought me, much like most of the other Bourdain novels I’ve read. It’s the perfect combination of poetry and harsh reality, with no punches pulled. Not to mention, it’s a dream for a travel addict and foodie to read about his adventures, meals, and potentially misplaced, but well intentioned, desire to search for the “perfect” meal.