No Reservations

Anthony Bourdain is a hero of mine.  Ever since reading his books Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour, I've come to the conclusion that the guy is my kind of guy.  Before reading his books, I was under the very misguided opinion that the professional kitchen was a clean, disciplined, fastidious place, where everyone worked in perfect, mystical harmony.  

Boy, was I wrong. 

Kitchen Confidential showed me an image of a kitchen that was right up there with my own personal sensibilities.  I honestly never thought about the intense pressure of the professional kitchen, and I felt a little stupid about it after reading the book.  After all, banging out hundreds of meals a service, let alone a day, in a very tight deadline, with specific standards to meet, is daunting, to say the least.  I came out from that book with a very different view of the restaurant business, and a much higher regard for those half-crazy souls who choose to work in the kitchen.   And I realized that I had more in common with these "fringe elements" (Bourdain's words, not mine) than I do with more "normal" people.

What made me such an admirer of Bourdain was his sarcasm.  He was funny, but he was also pointed and even mean about it.  I loved it.  He wrote and said things I wished I did, and perhaps it even gave me the guts to actually open up and be more honest, not only to others, but, more importantly, to myself.  He says it like it is, no matter what.  I also love the fact that he sees himself as someone along for the ride, and so he never takes himself too seriously.  We could all learn to be so relaxed about things.  

If you've never done so, look in YouTube and watch an episode of No Reservations and I think you'll get what I mean.  At the very least, here's an American who is genuinely interested in learning about his world, at times to his embarrassment.   

Better yet, pick up a copy of Kitchen Confidential and read about a real guy, who's dealt with real problems, and who has kept his sense of humor throughout.  At the very least, you'll come away with a wry grin.  

Cheers, Tony!  If we ever meet, I'm buying lunch.