Medium Raw, By Anthony Bourdain

Christopher Hirst
Friday 24 June 2011 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

"I'm still a cranky old fuck," declares Bourdain, at the end of this book of memoirs-cum-pensées. "And I'm still angry." Well, who'd have guessed?

We learn that after Kitchen Confidential, he suffered the "worst year of my life" due to a liaison with "a fund-less, coke-crazy schizo".

Later he lashes US restaurant critic Gael Greene for ignoring his hero Fergus Henderson on a discussion panel: "She blathered on and on about her favourite subject (herself) while ignoring the most influential chef of the last 10 years."

He savages sub-standard hamburgers: "Anyone who fucks with my hamburger is... unpatriotic." Though not exactly ego-free, Bourdain talks good sense. His eruptions are as bracing as a splat of Tabasco.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in