Medium Raw marks the return of the inimitable Anthony Bourdain, author of the blockbuster bestseller Kitchen Confidential and three-time Emmy Award-nominated host of No Reservations on TV’s Travel Channel. Bourdain calls his book, “A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook,” and he is at his entertaining best as he takes aim at some of the biggest names in the foodie world, … biggest names in the foodie world, including David Chang, Alice Waters, the Top Chef winners and losers, and many more. If Hunter S. Thompson had written a book about the restaurant business, it could have been Medium Raw.
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I miss Tony so much! Not only one of the best chefs around, he was one hell of a writer! He could make you laugh, make you cry and everything in between. Bless you Tony wherever you are…we miss you!
Anthony Bourdain was probably one of my favorite chefs/authors of all time. He said what he felt didn’t really care if you liked it or not. He did so in this book. He will be missed.
Bourdain is (I can’t bring myself to use the past-tense) a wonderful, witty writer, as well as an astute observer of the culture and the world of food/travel. What makes it haunting, of course, is that, as you read it, your first reaction is that the author LOVES life, is totally curious, loves discovery and food and people, and worshipped his …
Hated it
Bourdain’s take on the restaurant and celebrity chef industry is comical. This book talks a lot about the food industry and his life, and is captivating. He’s a great author, and I highly recommend this book.
He was an artist – could spin tales with flavor and spice. He is sorely missed.
As usual, Bourdain does not go gently with his opinions (his take on Alice Waters comes to mind), but this book, which takes him to far-flung countries and cuisines, is endlessly entertaining. In Bourdain’s blunt, rollicking prose, he takes you the world over and allows you to taste All The Things.
Too preachy.
He was given talent and drugged it away, putting the blame on his very normal parents. Very sick man. Sorry I spent time on it because I liked his program.
Anthony Bourdain is an author unlikoany other! He is funny and holds nothing back. He also a noted accomplished CIA chef and has the bona fides to critique other t.v. “Chefs” and others, as well as to discuss the big food industry. This is a book not to miss, although it is profoundly sad to read it now thyhe is gone…
I add tragic to this review because the loss of this funny, insightful man is very poignant. Reading this it is easy to hear his voice, picture that lift of the eyebrow as he describe his culinary adventure. Spot on commentary on modern cuisine trends – good and bad. His unrelentingly precise and caustic evaluations of the current food frenzy …
Not as good as Kitchen Confidential, but still worthwhile.
The world of food as only he can see it and tell it. He pulls no punches, about himself or anything else. What a loss to the world.
I don’t understand the need for the profanity throughout the book.
For all of Anthony’s fans, this is a delicious read and gives some insight into the man himself. Unfortunately, I read this after his suicide. His humor and humanity will be missed.
NOT as good as his first book about cooking, “Kitchen Confidential”, but still in the same vein, lifting the lid on the lives of restaurant cooks (NOT chefs!) in a witty and memorable way!
I did not really enjoy the book, while I did like the persona.
Hard to read. Bad language. Dark and depressing tone makes it easier to understand his suicide.
Reading this after Anthony Bourdain’s death is an insightful eye-opener to his tragic demise. Well written and extremely interesting.
Bitter and negative