The Ladies Book Club: April

Book Read:

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

Ladies in Attendance:

4 regular members plus 2 new faces

Treats shared:

One of the ladies was lovely enough to keep our book club meeting on her birthday so the many treats shared were in the cheese variety, her favorite.

Bread & cheeses ~ Guyere & a smoked apple cheddar, Bread & baked ricotta, crackers & a cream cheese/pineapple chipotle salsa dip

Wine ~ purple moon (shiraz) & Charles Shaw (white zin)

To Read or Not to Read:

2 didn't get a chance to read any of it
1 read 50 pages & stopped
3 read about 1/2

(I could not attend but I read all but the last 2 chapters)

My Reaction:

Let's just first say that I love Anthony Bourdain. I have for many, many years. He is tough, bad ass and knows food and knows how to write about it. Many moons ago I worked in the restaurant biz, from a barista to a prep cook to a dishwasher to soda jerk. I was typically the "chick in the kitchen" at the many jobs I held. Because of this I always had wicked crushes on the male cooks I worked with. For many years, let's just say, I did not find it hard to get a date.

Anyhoo, at the age of 21 or something close to it, I was dating an older man who happened to be a chef and had been at several fine dining establishments throughout town. He was tough, bad ass and knew how to cook! He introduced me to Kitchen Confidential, Bourdan's first memoir, and in turn, introduced me to the world of awesome that Anthony Bourdain lives in.

Immediately I was drawn to the dead on description of life behind the lines. My boyfriend and his friends acted just like him. They were rough, opinionated, smart and they worked and played hard. At that time, I loved being a part of that "rock and roll" chef lifestyle. I could easily stumble in at 11:00pm and get treated with roasted garlic and mango chutney on flatbread, no charge with a wink and cocktail. I'd kick up my feet and wait patiently with my book while my "man" finished up business in the back.

Are you a little shocked by this point of my post?

I know. You are seeing a different side of me, right? Well, this is pre-bookstore career, post high school and smack dab in the middle of "I'm young. Who knows? and Let's go!" time in my life. Silly restaurant jobs, lots of cigarettes, lots of friends, cute boys and sleeping until noon.

I am surprised I remember it all. :)

Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential was easily readable and relatable to me at that time in my life. I have since followed his career to Food Network on A Cook's Tour and then to the Travel Channel on No Reservations. I even sneaked into a Minneapolis Culinary school event and met him. He signed my books, was just as awesome in person and made me the

forever fan I am today. Maybe I'll share that story in a different post some day.

Long story short, I was excited when we picked Medium Raw to read for our pick this month. I knew it would be a different one for most considering his very opinionated take on most things.

It was raw and in your face but there were moments that were touching. Since Kitchen Confidential he has remarried and is now a father of a little girl. The chapters he writes about her and only wanting to feed her the best were sweet and unexpected.

I liked how he and his wife would concoct these horrible stories about Ronald McDonald to instill a fear of all things Golden Arches in their daughter. I got a good laugh about that! I feel the same way with my son.

The moments that were raw were once again his blunt take on the state of food these days; his opinion on certain chefs, certain restaurants, the business of Food Network, etc. If I had not known anything about Anthony Bourdain and read this, I would think, most likely, he is a bit full of himself. But I am familiar and appreciate his candid take on things. In most cases, I feel the same way about certain...ahem, celebrity chefs and other things.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I had to read a few chapters at a time and digest, so to speak but got exactly what I figured I would get from it. A ball busting take on life in the food lane, Bourdain style.

The Ladies' Reaction:

Because I could not make it to this month's book club night, I asked Kari, the official hostess of our book club to take notes for me. These are her words and the opinion of the group.

Thanks Kari!

All thought it would be more of a cooking, food book ~ disappointed that it was more about him.

Thoughts & quotes from the ladies ~

"He's an arrogant prick" talks about himself & not a lot about cooking. It was frustrating.

"In Kitchen Confidential he was a pompus chef, in this he just comes off as a pompous sell out & he is ok with that."

"The reviews talked about how it didn't turn out to be a foodie book and how it was all about him and it didn't get very good reviews so I didn't waste my time reading it since it didn't sound like something I was going to read or enjoy."

"Lots about career management - what to do & not to do if you want to become a chef. Good insight if that is something you are interested in."

"Lots of ego trips, swearing & drug use - didn't like the bragging about driving high and cutting down lots of other chefs who are still actually in the business. He speaks somewhat proudly about those bad choices he made and really cuts down other famous chefs ... in an effort to make himself look like less of a sell out?"

"In his book he comes off a lot like his tv personality ~ very pompous. If you don't like him on tv you probably won't like his book."

Well, that was about it ~ it sparked a discussion on food prep for colleges and how that is a job he cuts down but is one that lets you cook & create with decent hours, pay & benefits. Also came around to school lunches we see, etc. "teacher talk" from a few of us... news about a school in chicago(?) that is banning lunches from home unless it is for a documented allergy reason due to less healthy sack lunches.

Good Book Club Pick?

For me, I wish I could have been there to participate in this conversation. It sounded like they all felt very strongly against it. I would have liked to have given a positive take.

It generated hearty conversation and that to me is a good pick.

Kari says...

Interesting conversation, the book didn't get rave reviews though.

Author Website:

Anthony Bourdain

Next Book Up:

We are currently taking suggestions from the group.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child