Ephemeris of the Mind (Book Review) Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
Time to read: 2 min read
Book Cover
Order the fucking fish on Monday.
Past Anthony Bourdain book review:
- A Cook's Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal
- Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
Review
In a sort of companion book to Kitchen Confidential, Medium Raw is a collection of essays on his perspectives of certain characters and facets of the food industry. Bourdain writes about the various heroes and villains of the cooking world, such as airing his grief with the hypocrisy of Alice Waters and praising the success of David Chang (who has recently seen himself become a villain by trying to trade mark chili crunch). The writings feel like a compilation of his various thoughts and ideas with no central theme.
I really enjoyed Bourdain’s sardonic and cynical insider views on various heroes and villains of the food industry. Unlike the relatively unhinged Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain feels much older and more mature in Medium Raw. Bourdain still has the often witty and sarcastic tone but his views have mellowed out since the first book. After attaining success, Bourdain now has a much more nuanced view of the food entertainment complex, as well as many more anecdotes associated with being a celebrity chef, such as his stint judging Top Chef. In a way, the book also feels much more self-aware, as Bourdain often dives into his philosophy of food and entertainment and how his views have changed since Kitchen Confidential.
The writings are really all over the place. Sections of the book are mouthwatering vignettes of different Bourdain food experiences, while other are a follow up of the characters featured in Kitchen Confidential. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read that features more insider views on the food industry.
Conclusion
I will never get tired of reading Bourdain; would recommend reading Kitchen Confidential first to get the context.