The year's may have passed and he's turned into a TV personality since Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.), which revealed the behind-the-scenes world of a chef in the NY city restaurant scene, but Tony despite his own self-analysis in this one hasn't changed all that much.
He's still as potty mouthed, contrarian, anti-establishment and provocative as ever. He's also as much or more of a clever, creative good writer with an unquestionable passion for food and the restauraunt biz that entertains and fascinates even someone like me who only eats at restaurants.
Like the first book, the chapters each act as more of an essay than as a story - covering the evolution of the restaurant/food industry and what's happened to him since his first book.
There's a lot of angry diabtribes interlaced with his dry humor. The topics include the inability to find a good decent hamburger, overpretentious/priced restaurant habits, the evils of the James Beard foundation, Alice Waters and sustainability, vegetarianism, the CIA and the Food Network. Some of these are better executed than others. During the hamburger one, in particular - I was ready for him to get off his soapbox long before he actually did.
Still, Tony doesn't shy away from naming names and dishing dirt that anyone who watches those "evil" food shows like Iron Chef, Top Chef, and Rachel Ray will recognize and find entertaining. In fact, a whole chapter is dedicated to who he believes are the heroes and villians of the restaurant biz today, and why. (Basically, non-restaurant "warriors" and anything that mildly reeks of establishment isn't going to hit the heroes list.)
Where the book, for me, truly shined was when it became about the food he loves and people he admires. A food porn chapter in which he highlights many of his best foodie experiences was a delight. He and his wife's attempts to convince their daughter that Ronald McDonald is an evil guy w/ cooties left me in stitches. And, a chapter about a man who just cleans and cuts fish everyday for a fine dining restaurant and his incredible mastery of it moved me.
Finally, there's a chapter that serves up an update to what's happened to the people he featured in Kitchen Confidential, that anyone who read that one won't want to miss.
BOTTOM LINE: If you've read Kitchen Confidential and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy this one - written by a slightly older and wiser man who hasn't lost any of his edge, writing ability or passion for food.
