Book Review: "Medium Raw" by Anthony Bourdain

I decided to purchase Medium Raw for my new Kindle because I loved Kitchen Confidential. Reading Kitchen Confidential after watching "No Reservations"was really enjoyable - you get to see OG Bourdain. The angry, drug addicted, raw, pre-television Bourdain.

I wanted to read Medium Raw because I thought it would be a continuation of Kitchen Confidential. Obviously it would be a bit different - he's now a household name (mostly), travels the world for 2 television shows, and never has to worry about backed rent or a lack of health insurance. I had high expectations of Medium Raw, although I now realize that was unfair.

Medium Raw is it's own book; mostly a collection of essays, without a running narrative. Some chapters are just ramblings about how all Americans should be learning to cook in high school. Some chapters are dedicated to either people he hates or loves. He even has an entire chapter where he lists "heroes" and "villains" in the restaurant and food industry, with paragraphs on each.

The most outstanding essay/chapter is about his day long shadowing of the man who butchers 700-1000 pounds of fish every day for Le Bernardin, and Bourdain's lunch with him afterwards.

Overall, I found it more difficult to read than Kitchen Confidential, and it didn't have the same page-turning, gotta read the next chapter RIGHT NOW feeling that I like to have while reading. If you're into Bourdain, it's worth a read.

7/10