On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 17:14:18 -0600, "jmcquown"
> wrote:

>Margaret Suran wrote:
>> Fudge wrote:
>>>
>>> I just ordered the book "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain
>>> as a Christmas present to myself. Anybody read the book?
>>>
>>> F.J.
>>
>> Yes and you may never want to eat out again. (
>
>I find his writing to be trifling and overstated. Having worked in
>restaurants over the years, granted, not 4 star establishments, I think his
>assessment of all the chefs being coked up or heroin addicted is a bit over
>the top. Maybe he was, but I wouldn't say that would be true of everyone.
>
Could be a difference between New York and Memphis? Or not.

It wasn't his writing that I found wanting -- he's a very good writer,
to my way of thinking. It was the all-devouring ego that left me
happy I'd never met the man. Happy I never will.

>Some of the best chefs I've worked with were dedicated family people. And
>the kitchen workers weren't out boinking the bride behind the kitchen at her
>reception.

Yeah, but it made a heluva story, and an impressive motivation for the
main character's career decision.
>
>"A Cooks Tour" was a much better book and seemed to be more grounded in
>reality. With "Kitchen Confidential", Bourdain tends to want to shock,
>rather than tell the truth, or perhaps tell a "truth" that existed in his
>mind. I suppose this is why he's now an author.
>
I'll have to pick up "Tour" sometime.

modom