A Cook's Tour

Reading this work, it would come as no surprise that Bourdain subsequently committed suicide. Abundantly evident is both his talent – as an author and a chef – but also his manifest insecurity. Bourdain always seems to want more, to crave the next adventure and to live a life of excess, irrespective of the consequences. Regardless, A Cook's Tour does make for compelling reading. Bourdain's quest – and no spoiler to suggest that there are regular disappointments – is to find the perfect meal, a journey that takes him across continents and involves a lot of extreme eating. The Proustian remembrance of things past (or lost) seems to inform some of Bourdain's journey. He writes well, is emotionally intelligent and can be very funny, if only he could just 'be'; Bourdain seems happier enjoying the simple things in life and does also acknowledge the pressures attached to being a high-profile chef. N/R.

By Anthony Bourdain