Kitchen Confidential

Before Anthony Bourdain was on TV, he was a chef and later an author. 'Kitchen Confidential' was the book that catapulted Bourdain into celebrity chefdom. I love his television show, 'No Reservations,' and had been meaning to read his nonfiction for a while.

The book begins with how the author first became interested in food. A sailing trip to France introduced the future chef to something he had never experienced: cold soup. This was to be the first of many revelations on young Bourdain's trip abroad. He also experiences oysters for the first time on this trip, solidifying a love for food.

The chef also takes the reader into the bowels of the kitchen. Bourdain explains what types of knives home cooks should buy, why you shouldn't order fish on a Monday, and shares the secret of the plastic squeeze bottle. Tales of naughty brides and cocaine fueled shifts shed light on the dark side of the industry.

'Kitchen Confidential' shows the underbelly of the food industry. The shifts are endless and filled with sweat, stress and a constant sense of urgency. The life of a chef, I learned, is a hard one. It's not an easy world in which to establish yourself because of how fast the industry can change.

Bourdain has a great voice that makes his writing very easy to read. He writes as if speaking and those familiar with his television show will quickly see this. As a whole, I really enjoyed the book. Having worked in restaurants, it was nice to read an insider's perspective on a world with which many are not familiar. Bourdain's work will definitely make you think about the people preparing your food next time you eat out.