Not kitchen confidential

Nick and I listened to this audiobook as we drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Over dinner that night we talked about the book, and both of us were very reluctant to say the truth: we didn't really like it. We danced around it a bit, but in the end it had to be said. Both of us had a big problem with the narrative - it jumped all over the place with no notable pattern to keep it together. Judging from some of the reviews, it's actually a collection of essays rather than a narrative book, which I did not realize. Perhaps this would have been obvious if I was reading it instead of listening, but in the audio format the essay style just comes off as messy. My other criticism is that it was so negative and complainy (is that a word?). Yes, I know this is Anthony Bourdain. I loved "No Reservations", "Kitchen Confidential", and he's one of my favorite guest judges on Top Chef - I am very aware that snide and complainy is what he does. But this was just so over the top, it felt like someone doing a caricature of Anthony Bourdain. It was exhausting and annoying, which isn't good for a 6 hour drive. The good: there is one part where he goes into food porn mode, giving sizzling glimpses of food encounters that are great individually but layer together to make something magical (like eating figs, then eating them with prosciutto). Far and away the best part of the book. Be careful though, because hearing this section when you are surrounded by Wendy's and Subways and Pizza Hut To-Gos might just make you crazy.

Chapter 18, “My Aim Is True”, has been my favorite 20 pages from a book for over 7 years now. Was great to revisit this one again.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Enjoyable and shit-disturbing with a couple apologies thrown in. 3.5 stars.

I didn't love Medium Raw as much as Kitchen Confidential, but Anthony Bourdain definitely has some great stories to tell. I really love his descriptions of food that I would never, never eat! And I just loved the chapter about the guy who cuts fish at Le Bernardin. He drops a lot of references to Top Chef and Eric Ripert, which can get annoying, but his new experiences of being a dad are pretty sweet. I listened to this audio book and Tony's reading on this is much better than on KC.

Bourdain is an excellent narrator, so if you have a chance to listen to any of his work I highly recommend it. I did struggle with sadness while listening as I'm still feeling rather raw over his suicide, and there are some passages here that hurt all the more now that he is gone. My husband and I laughed until we cried during the chapter on Disney movies and Old Yeller.