Anthony Bourdain: Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook

Somehow Louie and I were lucky enough to fall into two tickets to his late appearance (the 8:00 show—21 +older show) at the Bagdad Theatre. In the price of admission, we scored a book—an AUTOGRAPHED book. One of the 1400 he told us he signed that day for us. He also talked about how he loved Portland and mainly recounted some of the anecdotes (truncated) from this book and took questions from the audience. I wish I could have just gone and had a beer with him. He is that cool. Being a dad has really changed him—he is much more mellow and less pompous than I know he would like to think he is. I am glad I got to see him speak and interact (he accepted two shots from two different audience members during his talk) with the “common man,” and even more glad I read the book that started his claim to fame.

I enjoyed Kitchen Confidential—even as a non-industry person. All the horrible and disgusting habits and trends in the industry were fascinating to even contemplate, and the more I become involved in the “foodie” culture, the more I understand the camaraderie within those who have experienced this culture. Even though Bourdain, as he states it, “neither…brilliant [or] talented” (55), the respect he has garnered within the industry is beyond evident (and enviable).

I loved this book. Really, really, REALLY loved it.

Medium Raw showcases how much Bourdain has grown up and changed—for the better. I love how he is unapologetic about his mistakes, but doesn’t want others to make the same mistakes he did—but he knows that mistakes are inevitable and isn’t judgey.

Each chapter easily can stand alone—there are actually two chapters that would be brilliant pairings with Fast Food Nation and Food Inc. (if I were to teach them again)—but Bourdain does drop the F-bomb many times! The anecdotes and descriptions and topics are EXTREMELY fun to read. One chapter he “hero-izes” and “villain-izes” different personalities in the industry, and I wish I could have seen some of the targets’ faces as they read what he wrote about them.

The best chapter by far is “My Aim is True.”

Bourdain writes of Justo Thomas’ skill in portioning and preparing fish for Le Bernardin as an awed and respectful reverie. Bourdain includes details of Thomas’ technique and persona that humanizes and incites equal worshipfulness for Thomas’ craft. Bourdaini is so moved by Thomas, he pulls strings with his friend (part-owner of Le Bernardin Eric Ripert) to break the “industry-wide policy” (248) and takes Thomas to lunch. Bourdain then melds descriptions of the courses presented in the tasting menu they selected, with the wine pairings and contrasts with Thomas’ reactions and Bourdain’s observations of this genius’s reactions to eating the food he is so skilled at readying.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Read it. Read it now. But you can’t have my signed copy. It won’t leave my shelf. Except maybe for a re-read.