Rating: 
Summary: Dangerous Read While Driving
Review: While commuting I was listening to the Tape of this book. The description of the Russian Sauna and his dip in the cold lake made me laugh so hard I almost drove off the road! I liked Kitchen Confidential, I loved this book! Bourdain is funny, not PC, thoughtful, raunchy, wistful and very articulate. From his first book I understand he's been married to his wife for years. She's got to be a hearty, tolerant soul!
Rating: 
Summary: Drop the Attitude
Review: After reading Kitchen Confidential and not being overly impressed, but somewhat entertained, I thought I'd give Bourdain another chance. Well, that was the last one. Sure, he can write, and vividly too, but that's not enough. The bitching, the drugs and the booze get tiring after the tenth "adventure". He spends way too much energy cultivating his renegade and rebellious stance, trying to convince the reader, it seems, that he's different, he's unconventional, he's not your average chef, and people who wear Lands' End clothes are morons. This wears thin and, ultimately, it's not about the food anymore, but about Anthony and his attitude. Grow up Anthony (or go back to the kitchen and forget about the Food Network).
Rating: 
Summary: Wanted to Enjoy This Book,
Review: for a number of reasons: not only had I read Kitchen Confidential, but I have several friends among the wait staff at Les Halles in NY, eat there often, and I'm married to a chef.At more than a few junctures in this book, I wished that Tony would stop writing about his genitals. Or genitals in general (although I've had lamb balls prepared Moroccan-style and I agree with him wholeheartedly - they're great!). The juxtaposition of the state of the author's equipment and meal descriptions proved disturbing at best. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the Vietnam experiences should have been placed together rather than spaced throughout the book. There was such an emphasis on the Asian parts of the world tour that other chapters were given shorter shrift. Also, too, Tony's self-described lack of preparation before traveling to a country grated on my nerves - at the very least the TV production company could have loaded him with up with minimal basic background information prior to a trip. I also didn't think his immature reactions to filming were clever inclusions to the book at all - if TV sent him all over the world to basically eat whatever he wanted, I felt it churlish on his part to insist upon biting the hand that was feeding him. Tony's hasty, seat-of-the-pants writing style did not lend itself to each of the meal experiences he wrote about, and at times was distracting. His ability to describe awful food was much more vivid than the descriptions of the truly sublime dishes. As a plus, he has incredible enthusiasm and appreciation for so many different meals and manages (most of the time) to convey his wild admiration to the reader.
Rating:
Summary: A Brave Person!
Review: I first read Kitchen Confidental, which I found was
a wonderful book, sooo I was looking forward to a Cooks
Tour. I found it wonderful as well. He tried food
that I would not touch if it was living, much less
dead. The fact that he tried blow fish, which in his
book mentions that fact you could die if not cooked
right. It was very brave on his part. I have to say
that at times I was reading this book while I was
eating lunch and at times had to put it down. The snake
wine, no thank you. If you want to read a book about
food and how many food there is out there, you will
be amazed. Some places over seas, the do not waste one
part of the meat, example was pig. Tony's writing is
fun and you will enjoy this book. Also watch his new
show on the Food Network called a Cooks Tour. You will
be hooked as I am. Enjoy! Let me know if you have
ever tried Goats Rectum!
Rating:
Summary: A Salute to the Inedible
Review: Mr. Bourdain takes a tour through different parts of the world, mostly Asia, and lives on food most Westerners wouldn't want to look at. Yet many of the dishes and condiments he describes in loving and precise detail do make sense. Others he swallowed, I am sure, more or less on a dare. He gives us excellent chapters on the places he visits. But mainly it is the food, the hero of this book, that you can almost smell and taste. Some of the well-reasoned asides hit hard on vegetarians, on all the places where you can no longer smoke, and today's pasteurized, sanitized and emasculated mass food production. If you are curious about unusual food, then this low-calory, high-intensity book is for you. Bon appetit.
Rating:
Summary: re: a reader from NY
Review: .... While yes the "Naked Chef" guy's recipes are delicious, where is he cooking for a living? Besides on TV? Being a chef myself I appreciate and respect the hours Chef Bourdain has ACTUALLY put "on-line" cooking his [butt] off. And his love AND respect for the food he prepares comes through not only on the plates at Les Halles but also in his words. This guy has truly represented the chef, not as some untouchable man-god genius but as we really are, smart-... hardworking, hard-drinking can-do-anything-because-we-say-we-can people. We are not "artists" we're con men, we sell illusion. And as such, I couldn't think of a better, more honest spokesman the Mr. Bourdain. The Naked Chef? Emril? All I can say is thanks for making my paycheck bigger now that the average person knows what foie gras is. I'll just add some garlic and "BAM" boost the price.......
Rating:
Summary: A rollicking journey through food, culture and politics
Review: This book didn't only make me want to eat, it made me want to learn more about Henry Kissenger. Bourdain weaves the historical and political into his narrative to explain the whys and hows of the food (and, importantly, its quality and lack thereof) in the countries he visits. Compare and contrast his visits to Vietnam and Cambodia, both countries devastated by American geopolitical interests, whose histories have had definite impacts on their cuisine. He's a funny, scathing, moving writer - his love of food and travel enfuse his writing with a power rarely found in either cookbooks or travelogues.
Rating:
Summary: Fear and Loathing on the Kitchen Trail
Review: Parts of this book are very funny; some of Bourdain's adventures make you wish you were on the road with him (but using an assumed name to protect yourself afterwards). Unfortunately, the tale of the tour is awkwardly constructed. There are several chapters about his experience in Viet Nam throughout the book. He should have kept them together and made a more coherent view of his point of view. If Bourdain had wanted to use it as a touchstone against which to measure other places, he should have done that more clearly. Instead, his approach comes off as clumsy. Certain portions of the tour are really well described; notably Morocco and the Basque country. Sadly, the discussions of his trip to Cambodia and Mexico are rather ..., even though it's apparent that these were two really exciting places. Too bad he didn't have Hunter Thompson as his editor. While dining on exotic and sometimes disgusting things is the theme of the book, Bourdain tells us only that some meal is "the best [insert type of food here.. sushi, taco etc.] ever," or that it was really awful. The descriptions of the bad meals are more skillful than the good ones. Bourdain is never able to tell you why something is good, even though he's a master at letting you what a bad meal tastes like. Bottom line... quite a few laughs; no real point; wait for the paperback.
Rating: 
Summary: Not worth the money, the guy can't cook!! What a let down!
Review: Not only can our buddy tony here NOT cook, he's also a real ass. He has a terrible attitude, his recipes are a disaster and the sad part is, he thinks he's the greatest thing out there right now. Poor, pathetic man...
Don't bother wasteing your time OR money on this piece of garbage. If you want a real chef, check out Jamie Oliver's books. The Naked Chef takes off. The guy is incredible. Delicious food, basic, natural herbs and ingredients, every recipe is a smash hit. Jamie Oliver's book's are by far superior, check them out if you want to actualy learn somehting from someone with talent. Unlike Tony.
Rating:
Summary: Oh my
Review: An account of a world tour of binge drinking and sampling from the international food freak show and porn galleries. I was very entertained by this book and I enjoyed it nearly as much as I did Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain's adventures were remarkable and his writing captures the experiences perfectly. I felt like I was there experiencing the fresh seafood, raunchy hotels, gut-wrenching food poisoning. I laughed out loud all throughout the book. His appreciation for food and adventure is infectious.
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