Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain -- 302 pages

I knew Anthony Bourdain first from television, as the host of one of my favorite shows, No Reservations. Kitchen Confidential is quite different than the television show -- not much of it is dedicated to traveling to the far reaches of the globe to investigate the eccentricities of a particular culture, mostly through their food. Instead, it is about the culture of a restaurant, especially what goes on in the back of the house. I found this book enjoyable since having worked as a waiter, bartender, prep cook, fry cook, salad / dessert guy, dishwasher, as well other stations in a restaurant, I was familiar with the types of people and situations he describes.

Aside from being familar with the setting, this book was great for me because of Bourdain's writing style which while casual and colloquial, is as fluid and graceful as others who are more recognized for their style. I would certainly recommend this, especially to someone who has spent some time working in a restaurant.