Rating: 
Summary: A Must-Read
Review: I am in love with this book, and Anthony Bourdain's straight-up, conversational style. Since I already knew better than to order a seafood frittata, the chapter covering food safety issues did not scare me. It only served to reinforce the idea that Mr. Bourdain is really giving his readers the straight scoop. Since he is still employed at a chef in a fairly visible NYC restaurant, he must be competent in the kitchen. How amazing to find someone whose creative abilities in one area are matched, if not surpassed, by equally impressive abilities in another - writing. He is witty, frank, crass, and just plain brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: I liked this book so much I bought two!
Review: Anthony Bourdain describes life in the Seventies with the irreverence to fit the time. This may offend older folks. The action is happening in a kitchen, but it could have been a multitude of locations. The book does great justice to describing the time period. The book is funny, sad, ironic and all things good fiction should be, but it's a man's life. This book will help the uninitiated foodie to understand the what, when, where's, and how's of dinning. Since reading this book, I intend to do a few things, one, recommend this book to as many folks as I can. Two, never eat fish on a Monday! Three, avoid that Sunday brunch special (especially if there is béarnaise sauce on it!). Four, have dinner on a Tuesday at Anthony's restaurant. I may order blood sausage and brains! I hope you are ready Tony!
Rating: 
Summary: Uneven Style...Must Be The Drugs!
Review: I found this book to be interesting summer reading. The best chapters dealt with the necessary tools of the trade and the hints on when to eat out and what to order. I found that I couldn't put the book down for the first half. The last three chapters were the worst and I had to force myself to finish. Very self-absorbing...more than I wanted to know about Anthony Bourdain as a person. The writing style was very uneven throughout the book...must be the after effects of all those years on drugs. Overall....just okay.
Rating:
Summary: I love this man!
Review: This book is a scream! Tony Bourdain's sense of humor is wonderful, and to say he has a way with words would be an understatement. The man is hysterical. The "pirate" analogy is too cool (read the book to find out). One thing I don't get is his vilification of Emeril. I have never seen Emeril on TV but I have eaten his food in New Orleans, and there is no argument - the guy makes great tasting food. One question: WHO is Bigfoot?
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a cooks' book
Review: Like Bourdain, I've been cooking for more years than I care to admit. My wife gave me this as a gift, and I read it in a few days. Not an easy task when you work the hours that the culinary trade demands. I, fortunately, was never exposed to quite the degree of hedonism that Mr. Bourdain was, but I can certainly remember similar stories about the kitchens I've worked in. The language and attitude of line cooks is just how he spells out; it's not for the weak or timid. I laughed many times during reading this book, because his recollections were a lot like ones I endured. Being a chef/cook is not and never will be 'easy'. To the non-kitchen public, they'll never understand the hell or joy of the biz, they will find the book not to their liking. If you've been through it, read it - it's good therapy.
Rating:
Summary: funny guy...for a little while
Review: Chef is a very funny guy for a little while but his humor grew stale. The book started out very nicely but descended into an insiders tell all that became confusing and pointless. The chapters on how to cook and terminology we almost worth the price. But mentioning names of dishes so esoteric that few understand them much less differentiate good from bad was waaay too inside. I got the feeling that near the end that chef was naming names of friends as some sort of payback like "hey I'll mention you in my book if you come work for me again." I was glad to finish it, and also glad to know chef didn't end up dead of an overdose, which seems like a miracle. His best days in cooking and writing remain in front of him. He may run a fine two star room but his book became a one star read.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment
Review: I bought this book because I thought reading about the behind the scenes type stories of such restaurants would be insightful. The author does give some information, but the book is mostly an autobiography of someone few of us care to learn more about. I learned far more than I needed, or would ever want to know about Anthony Bourdain, and what I did learn, led me to the conclusion that he is an arrorant, self-centered, euro-trash urbanite, who can probably cook quite well, but is WAY too full of himself. I leanred very little about the inner workings of the 5 star restsurant kitchen, Save your money
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent look into a seldom scene arena
Review: Part autobiography, part a "Sixty Minutes" view of professional kitchens, and part soap opera, I have a much greater appreciation of what a professional chef and/or cook goes through. It's not always pretty, and sometimes very rough, but the book shows that many of the people who cook professionally really love it. While it is not a cookbook (there are no recipes) it does talk a little about some little tricks of the trade, like the use of butter and stock. I learned that if a kitchen in is a hurry, and a customer orders a well done steak, they may throw it in a deep fat fryer, to both save time, and to demonstrate their lack of respect of a customer who likes to "destroy" a good piece of meat (fortunately, I am a medium-rare steak eater). The section dealing with the authors opinions of vegetatians is both illuminating and very funny. All in all, a fascinating read, that is generally well written. And after reading this book, I have learned to NEVER order fish on Monday.
Rating:
Summary: This book is SPICY
Review: Short review...buy it, read it, you'll like it. The writing style is engaging and interesting, the life experiences and lessons learned are entertaining and very funny. This is a great pool-side book, great for a relaxing and enjoyable read. I particularly liked the part early in the book, where he describes his idolizing the experienced chef and assistants in the kitchen of a Provincetown seafood joint. This book is well written and I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Scrumptious Read
Review: This book is a hoot! I read it two weeks ago and I am still laughing. Adam the breadmaker and "What do you know about me?" are hilarious sections of the book. I love to cook for my family--it is therapy for me after a long day at work. Now if my kids tell me I should open a restaurant, I definately will say "NO!" Bourdain has a great sense of humor. Don't miss this book. P.S. I see Tom Hanks as Bourdain in the movie.
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