Journal Entry 1 by gumshoe007 from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Friday, October 03, 2003

This book was absolutely great!! I read it last year while travelling in Europe. Against my best wishes, I read it very slowly (one chapter per night) as I didn't have any other English books with me aside from my travel book. I reallyloved it. Bourdain's writing is funny and keeps you wanting to know what's going to happen next. But for me, it spoke to me because I work in the restaurant industry. Now I don't work in the kitchen, though I did have a job in high school as a dishwasher in a local Chinese restaurant in my hometown. I'm a waitress and bartender, but that doesn't mean I don't know what goes on in kitchens. I think this book helped me have a better understanding of how a kitchen actually runs and what it takes to run it well. As for the idiotic shenanigans that continue to occur in kitchens world-wide, well, it's all true. Kitchen staff are a different breed, I assure you. (As are frontof-the-house staff). Just read this book and you'll know. 

Journal Entry 2 by gumshoe007 from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Thursday, October 09, 2003

Hooray!!! Finally time to send this out in a bookray....a dual "restuarant" bookray with Waiting:The True Confessions of a Waitress. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!

The usual rules apply:

1. read the book
2. make a journal entry
3. PM the next person on the list for their address
4. mail the book

**This is a bookray, so the book will either continue on to more interested BC'ing readers not on the list or may be released by the last person in the ray (hopefully theme released!).

I'd love it if each of you would share ideas about "the restaurant" when you journal. For example:

What's your favourite restaurant?

Why? Good food, wine, atmosphere, staff?

What's your favourite cuisine or particular dish?


At the present moment, in the city of Ottawa where I live, my favourite restaurant is called Don Alfonso's. It's an authentic Spanish restaurant owned by non other than, Alfonso. He's there every day working in the kitchen and the menu is some of the best food I've ever tasted!! My favourite dish there is the oven-roasted rabbit. The house salad is amazing as well. There's always fresh, warm bread to go with your meal and yummy sangrias (especially in the summer when bluberries, strawberries, and raspberries are local and fresh). It's one of those restaurants where you'd walk by and wouldn't take a second glance at it. But once you step inside, it's so small and quaint. It's got live flamenco guitar on Thursday nights too! The staff has been there since its opening...23 years ago. It's fantastic!


Here's the bookray reader list:

1. Katrina77 - NZ
2. TramGirl - Australia
3. starbytes - Malaysia
4. hathyia - Malaysia
5. RaftQueen - USA
6. Tamugrad02 - USA
7. Jas330 - USA
8. Kymberlie - USA
9. MsBook - USA
10. brideofmessiah - USA
11. schmetterling - USA
12. WarEagle78 - USA
13. geniedances - USA
14. suzen - France
15. tho - Portugal

 

Journal Entry 3 by gumshoe007 from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Sunday, October 12, 2003

Here's a tidbit of information I thought some (or all) of you might find interesting! It came to me in a PM from MsBook. Thanks MsBook!!!! Too bad we can't all get together for movie night when it eventually comes out (if ever)!!

"I thought you might be interested about a movie being planned for one of your books. I joined hsx.com which is Holywood Stock Exchange. You get fake money to invest in movies, actors/singers. What I like is it has a list of movies that are in different stages of development, and many are based on books. That is how I found out about a book I just read Replay. It is going to be a movie with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. The other day I was looking up the other movies Brad Pitt is scheduled for
and one is Seared. Here is what is says about it : David Fincher directing Brad Pitt as a New York celebrity chef? The duo who worked previuosly on Seven and Fight Club are looking to reteam for a third collaboration. Seared is a loose adaptation of the book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Chef Anthony Bourdain. In the memoir, the CIA-trained chef confessed to what really goes on behind the kitchen doors at New York's most elegant restaurants. He exposed cooks and restauranteurs as 'wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths'. David Fincher is developing the script by Jesse Wigutow at New Line."  

Journal Entry 4 by gumshoe007 at -- Controlled Release in Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Monday, October 13, 2003

Release planned for Tuesday, October 14, 2003 at Mailed to Bookcrosser in Ottawa, Ontario Canada.

This is being sent to Katrina77 in New Zealand as part of the bookray. 

Journal Entry 5 by katrina77 from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Friday, October 31, 2003

arrived late last week looking forward to reading it this week. I have been watching anthony bourdain on the box and picked up the book and figured out ahh this is the guy on the tv! - the penny dropped! katrina;>)

20th november
this is a great book. his writing is realistic and candid. some of the characters he has worked with and for would freak the hell out of me! but Mr bourdain has a matter of fact attitude towards these people. which is probably needed in this business. i hope you all enjoy this as much as me, cheers kat.
I hope to have this sent out by the end of the month. 

Journal Entry 6 by katrina77 from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, December 03, 2003

i have managed to track down a copy of this cool book so I am sending this bookring on its merry way. cheers tram girl i hope you enjoy it. katrina. 

Journal Entry 7 by TramGirl from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Recieved this in the post yesterday (10/12)...I look forward to reading it, and thanks Katrina77 for the Christmas wishes. May you, and everyone else, have a safe and happy holiday season! 

Journal Entry 8 by TramGirl from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Sunday, January 04, 2004

I quite enjoyed reading this book and getting an inside perspective about how the kitchens are operated in New York...definatly an eye opener! I found it a little slow at times but overall an interesting read!

My favourite restaurant at the moment is a little place in Lygon St Carlton called 'Trotters'...it is a tiny Italian place that does yummy food in a cosy and friendly atmosphere!

This book is off to Starbytes when I get her address...

7/1/04 - off to Starbytes today! Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 9 by starbytes from Calgary, Alberta Canada on Thursday, March 18, 2004

Received this book today! Thanks, TramGirl! Will read and journal again soon!

Update 30th March 2004: My father was an assistant chef in Switzerland years ago, and he told me some stories about his experience, but it's nothing at all like what I read in this book! LOL! Maybe because my dad worked in an informal Chinese restaurant, and Bourdain works in high class European-style restaurants? Anyway, my father's interest was piqued when he saw me reading the book, but because this is a bookray and has to be passed on to the next reader, I've gotten another copy for my dad. I wonder what he'd think of the book! LOL!

Anyway, while the book was highly entertaining and enjoyable to read, I can't help being disgusted by some of the accounts. All the blood spurting everywhere in the kitchen, and some of the staff not being sanitary and showing off boils and coming to work with sperm on theirselves... ;P I wish I didn't know that...

A great read nevertheless! It's really interesting to know what goes on 'behind the scenes'. Will pass on to hathyia by the end of the week! 

Journal Entry 10 by starbytes at on Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Released on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 at To another bookcrosser in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor Controlled Releases.

Mailed to hathyia yesterday, 5th of April! Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 11 by hathyia on Sunday, November 21, 2004

Sorry it took sooooo long to get it registered. Well, i have finished the book (in total 5 books during the weekend) and this book will go to the next person....RaftQueen.....Thanks again........It's a totally good book though i feld quesy at certain parts of it.... 

Journal Entry 12 by RaftQueen from Mosinee, Wisconsin USA on Thursday, March 31, 2005

Just got this in the mail from Malaysia!! I don't think I've ever received a book from there before!! So neat! (Love the stamps!) Will read and re-release as soon as the professors let up a bit! ha ha

Thank you! 

Journal Entry 13 by gumshoe007 from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Sunday, January 15, 2006

Just a post to catch the attention of whomever is in possession of this book. This ray seems to have stalled and I am hoping to get it moving again so the other readers on the list can read it as well.

PLease PM me as to this book's whereabouts. Thank you so much!!!

gumshoe007