Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

20 reviews

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative inspiring tense medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book - it's interesting, while I was very aware OF Anthony Bourdain, I don't think I knew much about him, and this is very much him unfiltered (or feels that way) - which both makes you like him more, and less, and feel very sad for what eventually happened to him. It's both a great book for people who love food and restaurants and a terrible one, as it's very honest (and often gross) but the man just loves food.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Addiction, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Drug use

Minor: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

mandaraffe's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Racism, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Blood, Cursing, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Animal death and Racial slurs

Minor: Suicide

melissac0320's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Racism, Sexual harassment, and Homophobia

lindsayerin's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

justacurse's review against another edition

dark funny informative medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Racism

surefinewhatever_'s review against another edition

challenging informative fast-paced

4.0

Oh man, me and Shane listened to this audiobook hours at a time in the car during our spring break road-trip to Baltimore (coincidentally, we drove out of Baltimore just as a chapter began with the line “Baltimore sucks.”) 

This book affirmed much of what I already knew, and appreciated, about Bourdain. He was a complex, messy, imperfect, charming, and charismatic man. A take-no-bullshit straight shooter who certainly held what was likely some “leftist” viewpoints at the time that aged really poorly in a modern reading of this text. Being that this was published by a white middle aged rough & rowdy man in 2000, & as a longtime fan of Anthony’s, not much of this shocked me. He’s a man who has done immense good and how shown immense amounts of kindness & empathy, and that outweighed the old school thinking for me, here. (But I recognize that wont work for everybody, & that’s okay). An interesting, endearing, and at times disgusting portrayal of kitchen life. Anthony’s signature voice and narration were as compelling as ever.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Sexual content

Minor: Fatphobia

spaghettireads's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Racism, Alcohol, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Sexism

Moderate: Medical trauma, Blood, and Suicide

mlewis's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, and Suicide

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Racism, Mental illness, and Homophobia

lorinew1's review against another edition

adventurous informative fast-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

ebmaher's review against another edition

emotional funny fast-paced

4.0

This book is hard to reckon with because it really does glorify some of the toxic aspects of restaurant culture, but it's so damn engaging. I can't deny that I had a great time reading, and felt so much recognition (and also pride at how some things in some places have progressed) as a food service worker myself. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook, which is narrated by Bourdain, for the full experience.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Sexism and Racism

Food, contaminated food