Ephemeris of the Mind (Book Review) Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
Time to read: 2 min read
Book Cover
And I’ve long believed that good food, good eating is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime ‘associates’, food, for me, has always been an adventure.
Review
Growing up I’ve always looked up to Anthony Bourdain because I used to watch his travel series No Reservations with my mother. I’ve picked up his book that serves both as an autobiography and an exposé of the culinary industry.
Bourdain, in his usual comedic and sardonic tone, describes his journey with food, of how he first fell in love with food in France, of working part-time in the kitchens of Ptown, and of him finally studying at the CIA and becoming a professional chef.
This book is packed with practical food advice, both for budding culinary professionals as well as diners. Bourdain offers advice on different kitchen equipment such as knives and mandolins; he also offers advice for budding restaurateurs (don’t do it). The advice he offers to diners, such as not ordering discount fish on Mondays (most likely leftovers from the weekend) and avoiding mussels and brunch, are immediately applicable to one’s dining habits.
My favourite aspect of the book is the atmosphere he paints of the various kitchens he worked at as well as the various personalities he has encountered along the way. The almost poetic descriptions of the griminess and degeneracy in the kitchens is very entertaining to read. The caricatures of people in the industry, such as BigFoot, are vivid and filled with interesting anecdotes.
Bourdain also offers solid life advice on everything from running an organization to living a fulfilling life. BigFoot is one of the best managers Bourdain has encountered because he is extremely knowledgeable and keeps track of every detail of the restaurant business and he motivates people by knowing everything about them, driving them to work harder, and trusting them. Being a chef can be a brutal business, especially due to the high failure rate of restaurants, thus having a good sense of humour and not taking things too personally is crucial to be adaptive and helps with easing the tension.
Conclusion
A thoughtful book by a legendary figure (RIP).