* Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain passed away on June 8th
* The foodie-turned-TV star was known for his unique worldview and sense of adventure
* Remember the life of one of the world’s greatest culinary personalities with these books
To think of Anthony Bourdain is to think of an individual who broke the rules. Someone who was not afraid to experiment and experience. Someone who opened the doors to different cuisines while opening our minds to different cultures. More than a chef or a travel host, Bourdain was, above it all, a storyteller. Celebrate the legacy of this beloved human by reading some of his best work.
1. Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
Poignant, upbeat and incredibly funny, Bourdain’s iconic book offers an inside look at what goes on behind the plates. Sprinkled with his own unique experiences and insights, Kitchen Confidential is the result of some 30 years of Bourdain’s rock and roll lifestyle.
2. Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook (P.S.)
As a great follow-up to Kitchen Confidential and an instant New York Times bestseller, this book is a must for Bourdain fans. Described as “a bloody Valentine to the world of food and the people who cook”, this book offers a no-holds-barred look into the food industry, and, inevitably, the people who make it great.
3. Appetites: A Cookbook
As his first cookbook in more than 10 years, Appetites is less an introspective novel than it is a collection of everyday recipes. In fact, Bourdain’s inspiration for the book is said to be about finding recipes that everyone–regardless of their culinary skill or background–should be able to cook. The result is a great collection of family-friendly recipes that anyone can (and should) try.
Related Stories
4. Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook
Before he wrote his breakout novel Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain was toiling away at an upscale French restaurant in New York. His Les Halles Cookbook brings those dishes to live in the most vibrant, audacious and upbeat way that only Bourdain can seem to manage. It’s a great book to have for fans of Bourdain or for foodies in general.
5. A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines
Aiming to answer the age-old question “What would be the perfect meal?” Bourdain’s novel takes the reader across foreign lands as the No Reservations host looks to try (and record) some the world’s best and most bizarre meals. From California to Cambodia, this book examines the world through the lens of food.
6. No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach
Sure, it’s a great companion piece to Bourdain’s Travel Channel show, but it’s also a great read in its own right. No Reservations chronicles Bourdain’s trips around the world as he records some of the world’s greatest recipes. With never-before-seen photos, new insights and Bourdain’s iconic tongue-in-cheek writing style, it makes one hell of a great coffee table book.
7. Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts
As a collaboration between Bourdain and novelist Joel Rose, this book not only looks at the special recipes Bourdain holds close to his heart but also at the meanings behind them. It’s a veritable horror anthology that’s able to make you laugh, gasp and smile all at once. For Bourdain fans, this one’s often cited as a favorite.
8. The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones
This book may sound like it’s all about the scraps, but the contents inside are anything but. Bourdain recounts some of his most epic and engrossing misadventures around the world, resulting in a great read that’s both insightful and entertaining from start to finish.
9. Get Jiro!
With the focus taking place in a dystopian Los Angeles, Bourdain teams up with novelist Joel Rose to create this stylized look at food culture and where the industry may inevitably be headed. A bit off the beaten path for Bourdain’s usual culinary writing style, this book offers a satirical view at just how insane chef culture can be.
10. Bone in the Throat
A thrilling mafia caper set in Manhattan’s Little Italy neighborhood, Bourdain’s Bone in the Throat is not only his first fiction novel, it’s his first published book. With the writing style of someone who was already supremely comfortable in their own skin, this book offers a comical look at life as a New York chef.