What goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant is mostly a mystery for the average person. For something as intimate as preparing a meal for another you would expect the average consumer to know more about those preparing the food and the type of methods. Anthony Bourdain in his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly sheds light on the culinary industry and describes his own personal experiences.
Bourdain uses vivid imagery and tons of descriptive language in his anecdotes that bring his stories to life. He talks about living in New York and being a line cook. His co-workers were rough, motley crew of individuals often with troubled pasts and criminal records. Throughout his career and the careers of those he worked alongside, there was a prevalence of substance abuse. Bourdain illustrates that kitchen environment as hectic and overwhelming for those who are not prepared for what is in store.
He also walks the audience along his journey of moving up the ladder in his career. He worked at many different restaurants and spent that time honing his craft becoming the best cook he could be. Along the way he met a host of interesting characters and made a lot of long time friends.
If you want to get a first hand account of what goes in the kitchen, I highly recommend this read. As I read this book I honestly became motivated to become a cook myself. Something about how he described the job piqued my interest. It seemed like an exciting and adrenaline filled experience.
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