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Kitchen Confidential

25th Anniversary Edition

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Kitchen Confidential

By: Anthony Bourdain
Narrated by: Anthony Bourdain, Irvine Welsh
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About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Kitchen Confidential, written and read by Anthony Bourdain.

The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction written and read by Irvine Welsh.

BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN.

‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ A.A. Gill
‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ Daily Telegraph

After twenty-five years of sex, drugs, bad behaviour and haute cuisine, chef and novelist Anthony Bourdain decided to tell all – and he meant all.

From his first oyster in the Gironde as a child, to his lowly position as a dishwasher in a honky-tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown; from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop the Rockefeller Center to drug dealers in the East Village, from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again, Bourdain’s tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable, as shocking as they are funny.

Kitchen Confidential will make your mouth water and your belly ache with laughter and leave you wanting more.

‘Compelling … with its intriguing mix of clever writing and kitchen patois … more horrifically gripping than a Stephen King novel’ Sunday Times

‘Extraordinary … written with a clarity and a clear-eyed wit to put the professional food-writing fraternity to shame’ Observer©2000 Anthony Bourdain (P)2000 Penguin Random House Audio Culinary Professionals & Academics Funny Inspiring Thought-Provoking Witty Suspenseful Chef

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All stars
Most relevant  
Whether you are new to Bourdain or not, this is one heck of a ride through the fine dining kitchens through his eyes. The contrast between the polished platter and the rough diamonds who made it is fascinating.

Gritty gourmet grand tour

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Great audiobook. written and narrated by a true legend!!
coming from a chef I can relate to much of his mémoires 😛

legendary

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Great book and performance, shows us why we miss him so much. Very enjoyable listen.

Simply brilliant

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Written and narrated by somebody bashing everything you can think of. While envisioning unrelenting passion.

Truly a masterpiece

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It's tragic that Anthony Bourdain took his own life. Having listened to this book I wonder how much his history of drug taking may have contributed to this. Drug use is eluded to through out the book but not in detail, including a lot of self criticism, long shifts and poor pay and working conditions. It's clearly a tough life working in kitchens. The book is eye opening and in places informative. It would certainly make me think more when I eat out about what might be happening behind the scenes and also what not to order on certain days or, indeed, any day. I must tell my brother to stop asking for his steak to be cooked well done, almost burnt!

Enlightening insight into an industry

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Terrific writing by Bourdain and performance by the man himself. Descriptions of food wonderfully vivid.

Outstanding food and bio

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A very well written and well narrated account of goings on in the unseen engine room of restaurants. It is structured around episodes of his career and the many characters with whom he has worked. The stories and characters make it a compelling listen from start to finish.

Absorbing and fascinating

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Listening to him read this hits different. All the cursing, yelling, and raw emotion. Thank goodness the production company didn't find somebody else to read it

I miss him

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Isn’t wonderful that Bourdain’s drawling tones and bestial imagery can be listened to at any time? A wonderfully bleak insight in to the culinary world told by a born storyteller. Loved it.

Engrossing, hilarious, completely Bourdain

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I read this 20 odd years ago- so when I saw it again I had to have it. It’s written so well. I just want to spend more time with him. Such a shame he died.

Solid gold

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