Review for Kitchen Confidential
I recently bought "Kitchen Confidential", this short-lived TV series that aired on FOX in 2001, based on Anthony Bourdain's book by the same title. I really enjoyed it (yet another example of a show that really should've stayed on air... in my mind, "Freaks and Geeks", "Arrested Development", and "Kitchen Confidential" are all in the same pile of cancelled shows). Overstock.com (where I bought it) sent me one of those reminder emails about posting a product review, I usually don't do them (cuz I always think, what could I contribute that hasn't already been said?) but today I did. Jon suggested I post it on here.
I gave it four out of five stars overall. A full five for entertainment value but only 3 stars for overall value, since it was obviously only the first half of a season that was supposed to finish.
Title: funny and quirky show
By: AsianMarthaStewart (Seattle, WA)
I bought this DVD because I am a huge fan of the book by Anthony
Bourdain. Never even heard of the show back when it first aired in
2001 - but I read up about it on the internet and thought why not,
it's being offered for a reasonable price (compared to Amazon).
The show revolves around "Jack Bourdain", who is like Anthony Bourdain
the way beef chuck resembles filet mignon. That's not to say Bradley
Cooper did a totally bad job, in fact he delivered some really funny
moments and played the character with some panache. However, the Tony
Bourdain many of us love from the book and his appearance on "No
Reservations" is darker, wittier, socially awkward. Recasting Jack is
a slick, womanizing, pretty boy took away from some of the raw humor
that made the book so memorable.
The strength in this short-lived show was definitely the ensemble
cast. Here there were hilarious characters, some of them directly
cribbed from the book. The kleptomaniac sous chef, Pino the feared
restauranteur, the newbie chef who has to the take abuse from everyone
else in the kitchen, and even Ramone the dishwasher makes an
appearance. In addition to the kitchen full of people (like any real
New York restaurant), there were also memorable characters who worked
front of the house and their interactions with the kitchen staff made
the show very funny and full of funny quips during the ensemble
scenes. Some of the solo scenes with Jack I thought were less funny...
either because he actually seemed to receive less funny dialogue
(perhaps they relied on Jack to carry much of the "plot" of the
episode too much) or because he delivered them with less sincerity, I
can't decide.
One thing is for sure, the series was terminated too early. Though
this show may not have been a prime-time hit it would have amassed at
least a small cult following, especially now that foodie culture has
totally taken off and almost everyone who has cable can tell you what
fois gras and fondant are, and most importantly, who Chef Anthony
Bourdain is.
I gave it four out of five stars overall. A full five for entertainment value but only 3 stars for overall value, since it was obviously only the first half of a season that was supposed to finish.
Title: funny and quirky show
By: AsianMarthaStewart (Seattle, WA)
I bought this DVD because I am a huge fan of the book by Anthony
Bourdain. Never even heard of the show back when it first aired in
2001 - but I read up about it on the internet and thought why not,
it's being offered for a reasonable price (compared to Amazon).
The show revolves around "Jack Bourdain", who is like Anthony Bourdain
the way beef chuck resembles filet mignon. That's not to say Bradley
Cooper did a totally bad job, in fact he delivered some really funny
moments and played the character with some panache. However, the Tony
Bourdain many of us love from the book and his appearance on "No
Reservations" is darker, wittier, socially awkward. Recasting Jack is
a slick, womanizing, pretty boy took away from some of the raw humor
that made the book so memorable.
The strength in this short-lived show was definitely the ensemble
cast. Here there were hilarious characters, some of them directly
cribbed from the book. The kleptomaniac sous chef, Pino the feared
restauranteur, the newbie chef who has to the take abuse from everyone
else in the kitchen, and even Ramone the dishwasher makes an
appearance. In addition to the kitchen full of people (like any real
New York restaurant), there were also memorable characters who worked
front of the house and their interactions with the kitchen staff made
the show very funny and full of funny quips during the ensemble
scenes. Some of the solo scenes with Jack I thought were less funny...
either because he actually seemed to receive less funny dialogue
(perhaps they relied on Jack to carry much of the "plot" of the
episode too much) or because he delivered them with less sincerity, I
can't decide.
One thing is for sure, the series was terminated too early. Though
this show may not have been a prime-time hit it would have amassed at
least a small cult following, especially now that foodie culture has
totally taken off and almost everyone who has cable can tell you what
fois gras and fondant are, and most importantly, who Chef Anthony
Bourdain is.