I was watching The Bear, so I thought this would be a good book to read as a companion piece, and it really did enhance both experiences. I was able to catch easter eggs and understand more of the nuances of the show by learning more about the grunt work of the restaurant business. Yes, chef! Unfortunately, by the middle of season two, I was done with the show. It devolved into a purely depressing melodrama, in my opinion. But this book was the real highlight of that culinary diversion. 

I recommend listening to the audiobook because Bourdain has a really distinct voice that properly delivers his own brand of narcissistic sarcasm. While the pacing is not flawless, the writing maintains a consistently engaging tone. I do wish there had been more descriptions of food and cooking techniques. But I understood that this was focusing more on the job of being a chef, the pitfalls of running a restaurant, and the types of characters you can find in the industry. The latter of which was my main source of fascination.