Anthony Bourdain and Philosophy

If you love Anthony Bourdain, there is something for you in this collection of essays edited by Calef Scott. //Anthony Bourdain and Philosophy// hits all the right notes about food, culture, loneliness, and finding connection in an increasingly isolating world, but it can be esoteric and obscure–as all philosophy can–in a way that is a bit inaccessible to those who don’t dream about Descartes.

Split into four books, the essays about food and travel (section one) are really the best fit for those who know Bourdain through his own writing (the book Kitchen Confidential should be required reading) and his documentary series for CNN Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. In this section, the pieces cover the kinds of things Bourdain loved: what makes food disgusting? Who gets to decide what “good” food is? The other sections examine Bourdain’s life, his struggle with addiction and eventual suicide, and the last section is best read as an overview of topics that mattered to Bourdain though there isn’t a true unifying idea.

At the heart of the book is a clear love of Bourdain–a reverence for the man, his beliefs, and his influence on the world he so lovingly and forthrightly brought to millions of people throughout his career. The failure of //Anthony Bourdain and Philosophy// comes in the moments when the desire to get deep on Plato or Aristotle muddles the magic of Bourdain himself. Sometimes, less is more, and in this case half of the essays could be removed and a stronger, more cohesive work would be left behind. Still, if philosophical thought and Bourdain are in your wheelhouse, this will certainly scratch an itch.