Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain
Not so much a life changer, more of an eye opener.

I've always been interested in cooking, and at 13 or 14, had been seriously considering going in that direction. While that dream drifted away, several shelves of cookery books, recipe scrap books, and a knack for leftovers-improvisation remain my path to culinary greatness.

Read this book and then throw away any notion you might have had about commercial cooking. There might be some creativity involved somewhere, but when the orders are flying, it's 50 degrees in the kitchen, and your mis en place is a mess, don't come crying to me. You're on a production line, the steaks are ready for table 5 and WHERE'S MY FUCKING FISH!

Gordon Fecking Ramsay - wouldn't stand a chance against Tony "Flacko" Bourdain.
( Fireflier La la la la, not listening on, Wed 21 May 2008, 9:49, 3 replies)

...
My mother used to be in the catering industry in the '70s. I gave her a copy of Kitchen Confidential. She barely blinked at it...
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 21 May 2008, 9:50, closed)

Saved my savings!
I often wondered if I had taken the right path in life. When I was young I was a rather talented cook (still am) but in the end I took the filthy lucre route and went into IT.

I had been recently toying with the idea of early retirement to open a nice little bistro somewhere.

Then I read Kitchen Confidential!

Tony Bourdain saved my life savings and my career by opening my eyes to what its REALLY like in the resturant trade.

Anybody who after watching masterchef or great british menu type programs and thinks about switching careers or opening resturants should be FORCED to read this book first. It may save them
( RadG Drinking Mojitos in the sun, Wed 21 May 2008, 10:17, closed)

Loved that book,
His other 'Cooks Tour' books are great too.
(Errorist, Wed 21 May 2008, 10:38, closed)