[shroomgirl]

The world isn't always a friendly place to the out of the box thinker.

Wow, this is probably the best message board related to food/chefs/restaurants I've ever seen! Where has it been hiding? Anyway, glad I found it...Regarding Kitchen Confidential...I just finished it last week and couldn't put it down. It is the book all of us in the restaurant biz say we're gonna write after each day in the trenches (FOH or BOH). I still think, though, that someone in the FOH could write something with more attention paid to the strange creatures known as "customers" (or "guests", in corporate-speak). Debra Ginsberg gave it a good attempt in "Waiting" but I think someone (here, maybe?) could do better.

In any case, it was great recognizing a lot of the bizarre goings-on as portrayed in Bourdain's book.

[chef from va]

i would like to start my addition to this thread by thankng Mr. Bourdain for writing this book. my favorite line in the book is "As a cook tastes and smells are my memories." i feel the same way! personaly i must apload Anthony for sheding a BRIGHT light on the restaraunt industry. i unfortunately am fairly young compared to alot of folks in the buisness (i am 22) and i am still in culinary school. i have however been pretty much raised into the position i hope to one day hold. i have pulled alot of insparation from this book. kitchen confidential has helped me to realize the importance of staying in class and realy hitting the books hard. thanks to this i have had the oportunity to work with several executive chefs, the virginia chefs association and the ACF. thanks again Mr. Bourdain and keep up the GREAT work. please keep us updated on future work as well. THANKS!

[riverrun]

Being a chef and working with many other chefs who have colorful backgrounds, I've worked with some pretty scary people.
I believe your boozing and drug abuse start early in your career. For example quick, pair this wine with this food, and everyone you deal with (custumers) are all done for the day and out to have a good time so hey, have a glass of wine with them. Now we do this day in and day out for about 5 years and you have what they would call a drinking problem. It continues because you start feeling good and it's leagal.
The drug abuse starts before the booze. I'm sure most of us have smoked pot and some of us just didn't stop. That starts as early as highschool.
Lets face it how many drug tests have you taken in order to go to work for a resturant.
How many people hire or have worked with convicted felons who still haven't lost there drug habit. An easy job for an inmate is the kitchen so they come out with experience already and for most it's the only job they've ever done.
Finally most of us get to a point where we need to do it to go to sleep at night ,just to calm down or to get rid of the pain throbbing in your legs from standing on a hard floor for 15 hours. Gets to the point where you want your brain to just stop so you can sleep to get up and start a new refreshing day.

Let's face it We are land pirates!!

[Frizbee]

Just my two cents although late I admit....I just found the thread.
Yes drug and alcohol abuse go on in the kitchens of today.
I work with several who stink of alcohol so bad you can't get too close at 530 am, and those who disappear into the rest room frequently during a shift's downtime. I personally came up in the biz thru the late 80's- and the 90's and I think the only difference is it's more hidden now whereas before we have gotten high right on the back dock, I have seen them snort off the line counter and we have had beers in the cooler, or in a cup filled with a mixed drink. It wasn't hidden, where now I think it is. But our society has gone there too, don't smoke in public, drinking and catching a buzz are no longer en vogue. So naturally most professions would follow suit. I am sure that nurses and doctors could shock us with stories from the 70's and 80 of the abuse rampant in their fields too. Less and less chefs and managers are choosing to accept or tolerate the behavior, and some while not outright accepting it won't fire a stellar cook who smells of alcohol at 530am.
Our business attracts the most out-there personalities imaginable. People have gotten into fights on the line or in the walk in, death threats have been communicated (and some I thought would certainly be carried out). I like most of you had my, up-for-days- party stretch, and since I am a mother now, and older, my body like yours cannot take the abuse anymore either. Besides it gets old after about 5-10 years. I do shake my head at the young ones, but do not begrudge them because we all have to learn and we all have different paths to enlightenment. I am not their mother but I do try and share with them the health effects I see personally, from that type of lifestyle in my youth. As long as they show up, and bust their humps while there at work, do what you like outside work. Just be sure to give me the details Monday morning (guilty pleasure), I would hate to miss out on how they made perfect fools of themselves.

[chefboy2160]

I enjoyed Bourdains book but remember something, this is one mans experience in this industry.If we were to ask any other professional chef who has woked as long as Bourdain has about there experiences than you would get a completely different story. The bottom line is Bourdain is a talented writer and he wrote the book first , and yes , there are many things in it that bring back a lot of memories (Good & Bad) for us chefs who are similar in age to the man. My concern is that young and aspiring chefs will feel that this is some kind of blueprint for our profession. Well its not! Remember it is just one mans story of his journey in this biz.
I think thats 3 cents this time, Doug...........................

[Headless Chicken]

Just got it and only read the first few chapters. I agree that its a good book, a bit unorthidox for a culinary literary book but a good read for someone like me who wants to enter the field.

[Lovesherfood]

I enjoyed the book but must admit that it was a bit typically machoistic. We don't all need to be hardened physicos in this industry. But it was all to familiar all the same. A genuine look into the real world of the chef. Some good work ethics to loive by aswell. He also writes some great works of fiction.

[pumpkingrl]

I probably won't repeat anything that has already been said about this book. It is a thing of beauty. I also enjoyed his other book, A Cook's Tour. Easy read and as charming and vulgar. I loved it!

[lifer]

a friend lent me the book i read it. then went out and bought it and read it again. i think it should be mandatory reading for anybody working in this biz.
over 20 years in it and i'm still blown away daily by some of the s*** that i see. it's a crazy life and KC is a crazy book by a crazy guy. i can see why anyone not in the biz would not "get" it but i do and all the lifers i know do as well. Bourdain hit the nail on the head.he could be a guest in my kitchen anytime....bet we'd have a blast............ my 2 cents

[chef from va]

in one of my classes at school we are required to read this book now... it will be read #3 for me and i still have a hard time putting it down! lots of the other students who havent been in a professional kitchen for very long take offence to some of the material and even whine about it. i dont think they fully understand what they are getting themselves into.. but KUDOS to J. Seargent Reynolds CC. good choice for our class!!!

[Chef Heather]

I think Tony's terrific...don't get me wrong. However, some of the stories he relates in his books (Cooks Tour and KC) are just a little too "over the top" to be totally believeable...100%. So knowing he's a fiction writer, we can assume he's padding his "real life" books up a little with embellished fillers. For example, does anyone think that a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL chef will be standing in his kitching "hurling gouts of blood" at co-workers from a recent cut? I guess health inspectors, AIDS, sanitation procedure etc. etc. just flew out the window that day for a bit of "fun." I wonder also if diners at Les Halles would be thrilled to hear Tony partakes, or partook of such adolescent behavior.