Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
3.9
358
5
1
Paperback
USD
14.39
$14.39
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780061718953 |
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| Publisher: | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Publication date: | 05/03/2011 |
| Pages: | 281 |
| Sales rank: | 75,635 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.82(w) x 5.24(h) x 0.76(d) |
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Customer Reviews
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Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
3.9 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
358 reviews.
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as a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, it's hard to not want to give this book a perfect score just based on bias, but please do not be fooled; it was earned.
Tony once again gives us a provocative and insightful view of a world many of us have never, will never, and plain just do not want to experience. ranting about chefs that are friends and enemies, and giving us ample explanation as to why.
while reading this book you won't be able to help but to chortle at Bourdain's witty banter and harsh remarks, his true to being, in your face, writing style. his books are always a joy to read because they are so REAL, he doesn't tip toe around gentle topics, he pressed them into your face like so many a cream pie in the days before color television.
The most enchanting chapter, oddly enough, is the one where he writes about his love for his daughter. you'd never think this man has a warm squishy interior, but there it is, smeared across so many pages of a published novel.
this book is a quick read, not because it's short, just because it's hard to put down. even if you've yet to read Kitchen Confidential this book will still appeal- as it is the Tony of today, not the Tony of 10 years past, still slaving behind hot stoves in crowded kitchens.
it's just an honor, I feel, that Mr. Bourdain would pen out his most intimate truths for us, his fans. it's truly an eye opening book, and a sordid glimpse at the life of another human being.
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This was a great read. A lot of people trash this book in the reviews, but as a culinary student I have greatly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. He has no problem speaking his mind. He talks about why Emeril is still on TV, why Bobby Flay loses almost every throwdown, whether or not you should become a chef, about the liquor bottles behind the judges table on Top Chef, and many other interesting things that only true foodies can appreciate. If you love to cook or eat, pick this book up.
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I have read all of Anthony's books. I am a foody and just love his shows and honesty. Medium Raw is Raw. I grew up in NY and traveled a lot to the city for shows and dinner it was great to read an honest book about the behind the scenes of a chefand restaurant from Kitchen Confidential to Medium Raw. Buy this book and lend it to someone else.
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I like Anthony Bourdain, a lot. I love when he is a judge on Top Chef, and I think No Reservations is clever and insightful. "Medium Raw" did have a lot of what I have come to expect from Bourdain - wit, intelligence, ranting, and an inside look at a culinary world that I salivate over. That said, it felt at times like one of the tasting menus that Mr. Bourdain himself complains about...disjointed and overdone. I expect that most readers look forward to his anger, but I found his chapter regarding fatherhood hilarious and touching. In fact, there seems to be a kinder, gentler Bourdain eeking through...which isn't really a bad thing. On a negative side, I felt that some chapters just didn't belong...there was no real flow to the stream of consciousness. Speaking of streams...a little more editing would have protected the reader for spans of writing overkill.
However,even if I didn't completely clean my plate, there were enough delicious moments to make the meal worthwhile.
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This edition of the wit,sarcasm, insight and observations that made his prvious sojourns in to the world of chiefs and food so entertainng is present in this his latest effort. I am not sure what it is that exactly keeps me coming back to his books. The time I spend with his work can certainly be used in a more productive way to solve the problems of mankind. I guess I am drawn to his reads so I can step into a world of words where an honest interpretation of events is presented with no appology or pretense. I must admit I may not always agree with his spin on things but I do appreciate his pair bones, lay it all on the line style. Medium Raw continues to entertain and inform. I do hope there is a well done version on the way.
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Avid readers of Bourdain will appreciate the familiar wit and salty charm of the author as he sways from cultural commentary to food critic and back again, but fresh inductees beware, there are better places to begin your love affair with Tony.
Like an old friend recalling past travels, Bourdain's tone is intimate and his surly humor takes no prisoners, which may be off-putting to those who are not initiated in his ways. Try Kitchen Confidential or perhaps another collection of his essays if you're new to the under-belly; for those more familiar, jump on in, the water is fine.
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I enjoyed A Cooks Tour and Kitchen Confidential, but this one is just a conglomeration of irrelevant ramblings. His excessive use of the F word only tends to distract from his point. I assume he had a point but I must have missed it. Tony is not at his best. If you haven't read anything by Bourdain, I would suggest anything else other than this book.
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Years ago I left the restaurant industry to pursue a more "stable" career path. I loved the business and there are lots of times where I truly miss it. I miss the enthusiasm, the adrenaline rush of a busy night, I miss the interesting cast of characters, and I miss the FOOD!
If you are a fellow expat of the restaurant/hospitality industry, you will love this book. I read and related to Bourdain's book, "Kitchen Confidential", and this was a fantastic follow up. It was good to see that time has mellowed some of Tony's emotions, but it was also good to see that good, raw honesty that is still rooted in him.
This book, especially Chapter 5, should be required reading for anyone considering a career in the business.
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I preferred Nasty Bits to Medium Raw. Anthony seems to be off his game in this one. Still love his tv shows and his off the wall sense of humor. Gets a "pass".
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If you haven't read "Kitchen Confidential" this book will make you want to read it. This book is typical Bourdain. He gives you an inside look at the culinary world, without the romanticism & with a good helping of grit on the side. "Medium Raw" is filled with rants, provocative stories, food porn, promoting his buddy chefs, & so much more. I frequently found myself reading paragraphs out loud to my husband, & he was equally entertained (also a Bourdain fan). If you know you like Bourdain, you'll like the book. If you loathe him.you'll hate the book. But if you loathe him & you are debating buying this book, then your obvious masochistic side will enjoy the read..
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Anthony Bourdain has a writing style that is basically stream-of-conscience with a witty and sarcastic edge. This book was thoroughly enjoyable throughout and opened my eyes to the intensity of the behind-the-scene events in a kitchen.
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I read Kitchen Confidential a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it even though Anthony Bourdain came across as a bit of a jerk. He's still a jerk in Medium Raw, but one who has mellowed and has a little more self-awareness. With a more likeable narrator, Medium Raw was a much more likable book. The book is best if you know and follow celebrity chefs and other personalities as many of the essays are commentaries about people in the restaurant industry, but Bourdain's smooth writing style and sense of humor make this a good read regardless. Definitely recommended - especially paired with Kitchen Confidential, as it is interesting to compare the two works.
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Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain (New York: Harper Collins Books, 2010. 281 pp)Anthony Bourdain, born in 1956, attended Vassar College and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. He has worked as a cook and chef in many institutions strewn across the New York City map. Bourdain contributes articles to the Times, New York Times, Observer, the Face, Scotland on Sunday, and Food Arts Magazine. An addition to Kitchen Confidential, he has written two crime novels ¿ Gone Bamboo and Bone in Throat. Bourdain was the executive chef at Brassiere Les Halles and is currently the host of the Travel Channel program: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Bourdain resides in New York City.Honesty is the Best PolicyThe last time the literary world saw Anthony Bourdain was in his memoir, Kitchen Confidential. It was filled with stories of him at his most crass, whilst revealing the shady world of the culinary underbelly. However, with Medium Raw, Bourdain becomes more vulnerable and honestly explores his own sordid past as well as his recent acclaim in this hilarious autobiographical work.Much like his previous book, Bourdain discusses the ins and outs of the culinary world. But, what made this book stand out isn¿t that he talked about food¿which is the reason I picked up this book¿it¿s that he talks about his own life. He is incredibly honest, and the tale of his surprise as to how he got to where his is, as well as the extreme obstacles on the way make it a compelling read.Bourdain, simply put, possesses a magnetic personality. If you¿ve ever watched his television show, No Reservations, you know exactly how this book reads ¿ with hilarious and intricate verbiage.The PresentBourdain was once plagued with some serious life problems. Recognizing this fact, he tells the tale of his past juxtaposed with his present in Medium Raw. He opens the book by describing a private sit-down with the most respected chefs in America during which they eat a bird that is illegal in America ¿ Ortolan. He concludes this chapter, and begins the rest of the book, by reflecting in the shock of his current position,¿What could my memoir of an undistinguished¿even disgraceful¿career have said to people of such achievements? And who are these people, anyway?¿ (xviii).Bourdain then proceeds to admit his naïveté about much of the culinary industry when he wrote Kitchen Confidential, and even apologizes to some of the many friends he has come to know since writing the novel.The PastBourdain also takes time to lament on his sordid past. ¿I was holed up in the Caribbean about midway through a really bad time...my daily routine began with me waking up around ten, smoking a joint, and going to the beach¿where I¿d drink myself stupid on beer, smoke a few more joints, and pass out until mid-afternoon. This to be followed by an early-evening rise, another joint, and then off to the bars, followed by the brothels. By then, usually very late at night, I¿d invariably find myself staggeringly drunk¿the kind of drunk where you¿ve got to put a hand over one eye to see straight¿ (25).This kind of amazingly non-narcissistic and honest tale, the kind I wouldn¿t expect from Bourdain, is thought provoking and moving. He meanders between past and present, offering new tales and new critiques, as well as new praises. This book is far superior to Kitchen Confidential, a book I particularly enjoyed. This autobiographical work is compelling, honest, and raw (thus, the title). Though he talks about a myriad of topics, they all center around what he has experienced as an individual. If you enjoy humor, honest stories about a life, or just food, I suggest you start reading Medium Raw now.
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Book DescriptionFocusing primarily on food and restaurant related topics¿ranging from tasting menus to chef David Chang to Bourdain¿s list of culinary heroes and villains¿Medium Raw is a collection of essays that meanders far and wide. Although primarily focused on the restaurant/chef business, Bourdain also includes personal essays dealing with the break-up of his first marriage, a psychotic weekend with a crazed heiress, and fatherhood.My ThoughtsI very much enjoyed listening to this book. Bourdain lives up to his reputation as a no-nonsense straight-talker. Most importantly, his criticism of others is balanced by self-depreciation. I actually found him to be relatively reasonable and likable. Despite mellowing since Kitchen Confidential (by his own admission), Bourdain still isn¿t afraid to call out people for being pretentious, fake or unskilled. He owns his opinions (the essay dealing with his dislike of vegans bristles with anger and passion) and has an eloquent way of cursing that is amusing and almost artistic.My favorite essay dealt with his efforts to keep his young daughter from liking McDonalds¿with Bourdain waging a war of misinformation and outright lies (¿I heard Ronald has cooties!¿). This essay was very humanizing; there is nothing quite like parenthood to soften even the most debauched and self-centered person. (And, by his own accounts, Bourdain was this kind of person for years.)Despite his feuds with various celebrity chefs and disdain for the Food Network, Bourdain genuinely loves and enjoys food. This passion is apparent throughout the book. Whether describing an illegal dinner or various meals he¿s eaten in almost pornographic terms, Bourdain made me think differently about food and cooking. One essay outlined the cooking skills that Bourdain believes should be required for all citizens¿including simple knife skills and knowing such basics as making an omelet, roasting a chicken, cooking vegetables, selecting produce, steaming a lobster or crab, preparing potatoes, and cooking. After listening to this essay, I was inspired to roast a chicken¿a process that turned out to be rather easy!I plan on reading/listening to more of Bourdain¿s books. Although I¿m not a foodie, Bourdain¿s writing held my attention and inspired me to care more about what I put into my mouth and how I prepare it.About the Narration: Bourdain narrated his own book, which is very fitting for a collection of personal essays. He has a pleasant voice and knows his way around a curse word. The book was a fun and easy listen, and the short essay format made it perfect for listening to in short bursts.Recommended for: Bourdain fans, foodies, and readers who enjoy essays with a strong point of view
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Summary: Medium Raw is a hybrid, something that's not quite memoir and not quite regular non-fiction. It bounces all over the place, but is mostly a look back on the past years since Bourdain published his behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant world, Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain addresses not only the changes in his own life, but also the changes in the food and restaurant industry writ large, and also provides some portraits of other figures in that world, from an up-and-coming neurotic young chef, to a phenom of fish preparation who has never actually eaten in the restaurant for which he works, to the emergence of some of the newer TV celebrity chefs. And, of course, there are random bits and anecdotes chapters thrown in for good measure: Bourdain's efforts to immunize his daughter against the lure of fast food chains, a behind-the-scenes view of the TV show "Top Chef", and a chapter that is nothing more than a collection of drool-worthy food descriptions.Review: I can't quite describe why Anthony Bourdain's writing and I get along so well, but we really, really do. He's articulate and funny and he writes like he talks, and even though it's certainly not the most beautiful prose I've ever read, it's clear and accessible and quick-reading, and I always have a blast reading his books. Medium Raw is much more a collection of essays than a book proper, but I tore through it anyways. The pacing is great; Bourdain gives you just enough on each topic to get you interested without harping on any one topic so long as to lose the attention of the audience, so I never really minded its scattershot nature.There is a difference in audience between Medium Raw and Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain claims he wrote the latter only expecting food industry professionals to read it, but it's accessible to a much wider audience - anyone who's ever been to a restaurant, really. Medium Raw, on the other hand, assumes a much higher level of foodie knowledge - if not strictly for insiders, then not for complete novices, either. For example, there are several chapters that spend their time dishing on other chefs and food critics. a I knew who some of them were from casual viewing of Food Network and other cooking-based TV shows, but many of the names were completely unfamiliar to me. That meant that a fair amount of this book went over my head, or at least that I had to take Bourdain's word for the personality and accomplishments of these various people. But hey, at least his word is constantly entertaining. 4 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: If you haven't read Bourdain's work before but either like him on TV or want a behind-the-scenes take on the food industry, I'd recommend starting with Kitchen Confidential; this book is certainly still an enjoyable read, but a little less cohesive, and a little more geared towards people who are bigger foodies than I am.
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In this collection of essays, Bourdain gives his point of view on current culinary events. His style and "potty mouth" vocabulary are definitely not for everyone, but I enjoy his frankness, his over-the-top emotions and his willingness to tell it like he sees it. Each chapter looks at something different; my favourites: his memories of cuisines from around the world; his homage to Justo Thomas, the fish guy; his defense of foie gras. I less enjoyed the rehashes of his past, his list of heroes and duds and his concluding sappy chapter about his friends.Not all passages are created equal, but there are some that are worth reading.
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Anthony Bourdain's latest book is more of what you would expect from him-brash, opinionated pieces about the current state of food and the world of restaurants. The book reads like a collection of magazine pieces, I was surprised that these had not been printed previously. As such, the chapters are wildly uneven. Some, like "I'm Dancing" are self-important twaddle. Others, like "It's Not You, it's Me", are intelligent ruminations about fine dining. The best of them, "My Aim Is True", the story of the fish cutter at Le Bernadin, is a marvel. It is a piece of non-fiction that rivals anything written in the New Yorker. I was left wanting more of this kind of writing. Bourdain needs to turn his attention outward to the world of food and away from his own character of Anthony Bourdain, bad-ass chef. That is where his true talent lies.
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With this long awaited true follow-up to Kitchen Confidential Anthony Bourdain has shown himself to be older, wiser, snarkier and unafraid to call out by name those he considers villains or heros. He is obviously confidently secure in his place in popular culture, yet humble and genuinely in awe of the skills of those he considers far beyond his own talents- of whom there are many. His heros are not just recognizable names in the foodie world but the unsung, such as the amazing fish butcher at Le Bernardin, Justo Thomas to which there is an entire chapter dedicated. Tony gets a little raunchy in some chapters , but if you are a fan, you expect this and would be disappointed by anything less. I love that even though he has a newly found tenderness since becoming a father, he hasn't lost his sharp hard edge. Like the food that he loves, he is a perfect combination of luscious decadence and shocking guilty pleasure.
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Because Mr. Bourdain loves food, and I love food, and he is a decent writer who looks at life from a less precious angle, I have rated this Bo as five stars. It is exactly what i want from a book in this non-fiction category, the authors's feelings on what he likes and dislikes. I may not always agree with his views and politics, but it is healthy for all of us to read and listen to others from all walks and viewpoints from life.
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Warning: Bad language appears in the following review. Blame the author.Anthony Bourdain made a splash with Kitchen Confidential, which has allowed him to become the very person he so eloquently criticized in that book. With Medium Raw he explains everything, exhibiting the same lack of filter that made the earlier book so much fun. Except that now he's defending some of the people he previously hated. Don't worry, though; he still has enough anger and vitriol to keep things interesting.On the other hand, his life now is much less interesting. He's a media personality instead of a chef and drug addict, which gives him less to work with. Oh, he does his best to be shocking, opening the book with a lavish description of eating an endangered animal and dropping the f-bomb like a pro. It's just that if you aren't passionately interested in how chefs are innovating, if Momofuku and WD50 don't ring any bells or if you don't have an opinion on foie gras, then this book will be a little boring for long stretches. And even if you're a huge Top Chef fan, this book is a far lesser book than Kitchen Confidential, although I can only be happy that Bourdain has managed to do so well for himself. He's an asshole, but one you wouldn't mind sharing a meal with.
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Tony Bourdain returns to the realm of memoir with his signature writing style and tough-guy attitude that his readers would, predictably, expect from the veteran chef. Medium Raw continues his entertaining blend of memoir scattered amidst his views on everything cooking; however, while this structure worked for Kitchen Confidential, it causes this piece to falter a bit. (If you haven¿t read the forerunner, do not pick this up until you do. You¿ll probably find it falters significantly if you do not know the backdrop.)Don¿t get me wrong, Medium Raw is a highly entertaining book and if you enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, by all means, seek out this book and read it (preferably just after reading his first book). That being said, while I found myself ripping through two-thirds of the book, barely taking the time to catch my breath, I hit a wall when I approached the last leg of it, and trudged my way to its conclusionThis was bound to happen. Ten years ago, Bourdain presented us with just about everything there was about his life as a chef. In Medium Raw, he wraps up what happened between then and now fairly quickly, and seems to be left with half a book to go, so he stuffed it with randomness (views on cooking, views on celebrity chefs, views on various culinary dishes, views on vegetarians and vegans, etc.), which worked at times, but bored me to tears at other times. One of the things that worked was the bridge between Kitchen Confidential and present day. While Kitchen Confidential ended on a somewhat positive note, it left me thinking, ¿How the hell can Tony keep this (a chef¿s life) up?¿ Bourdain¿s descriptions of working for his restaurant on a literal 24/7 basis were exhausting enough to read, I couldn¿t imagine what it would actually be like to ¿live the life.¿Medium Raw explains all of this. After a failed marriage, Bourdain moves to an island to live by himself in a depressive haze that is furthered by alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. Bourdain is honest, ashamed, and eventually inspiring in his transformation. We see him at rock bottom, clawing his way back to the top, after he finds a ticket out in the world of television.These random scraps of memoir were, for me, the greatest thing this book offers. After we¿re caught up to present day, we are told of something that might have been hard to foresee 10 years ago: Bourdain has become a father. His views on parenting are moving, as well as hysterical. While humor is shot throughout all of his writing, his strategies on how to demonize (literally) Ronald McDonald in the eyes of his 2-year-old had me rolling. If this seems cruel, Bourdain redeems himself by explaining the reasons why he came to parenthood in the first place, and what type of daughter he plans to raise. His writing takes on a completely new style for Bourdain: beauty.One of the other entertaining aspects of Medium Raw is a remarkable piece on ¿food porn¿ that seems to have been included just to cover more pages, but is nevertheless entertaining. In this particular chapter, Bourdain tries his best to sexualize some of his more remarkable eating experiences (sort of a ¿director¿s cut¿ of some segments of No Reservations). He takes some ¿fringe¿ dishes that ordinarily would disgust most casual readers and creates such a vivid description that I wanted to eat every one of them.In terms of what doesn¿t work in Medium Raw, Bourdain¿s journalistic studies of top chefs shifts from being entertaining, to being a complete snooze-fest. He is entertaining when he quickly reviews the best and the worst personalities in the cooking world; however, he is monotonous when he interviews current big-wigs in the industry and digs into their past inspirations. While entertaining to an extent, this is what takes up nearly a third of the book.Don¿t get me wrong, even though this bored me, anyone who is works in the industry would most likely find this to be a good read. Give it a shot, but know that you might be skimming a bit by
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I hadn't read kitchen confidential before reading this book, and I probably should have. Nonetheless, I loved it. I wanted to eat every page (haha). All the food in this book is amazing, everything looked good, everything looked fantastic. You can really relate to the love of food that Bourdain feels. In the same time, even if I didn't know every cook that was talked about, I still like knowing about them in the views of Bourdain.
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He sure does love to talk about low-hanging ball sacks. I've no idea what this book was about, except that I think he thinks he's the stuff, and I don't think he's the stuff. He's kinda funny, sometimes, though.
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Anthony Bourdain is one of those polarizing personalities whom one either loves or hates. The same can be said for his latest book, "Medium Raw". Personally, I enjoy Bourdain's bristly sarcasm, dry as a bone humor, scathing cynicism, and vulgar language. Not surprisingly then, I found this book to be thoroughly entertaining. Chapters swing between impassioned raves and rants about various chefs, restaurants, ingredients, cuisines, and regions of the world. Some of these chapters are a bit tough to get into if you are not an extraordinarily well-versed foodie. But, even if you have no idea about what or whom he is talking, you can't help but admire the voracity with which he attacks his subjects.
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Dear Anthony Bourdain,I get that you have been lucky. I get that you like your new life a whole lot better than your old one, even though you miss cooking. I get that you have a lot of opinions. What I would like *you* to get is that your writing is great to read when you talk about cooking, food, traveling to taste delicious food, the act of eating delicious food, the act of making delicious food... what I don't like is when you tell us all the things you hate, liberally sprinkled with name dropping and swear words. It totally ruins the flow of your work.Sincerely,Stephanie
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