read: culinary intelligence by peter kaminsky

"There is a thing I call Kaminsky's Constant: namely if a man lives long enough, eats long enough, and drinks long enough, there comes a time, usually in his early forties, when his age, waistline, and IQ are the same number."

-- Peter Kaminsky

Just read this book a few days ago. Though not really ground-breaking in its contents, its nice (and reassuring) to know that food critics gain weight too, and that by eating better, and tastier you can take it off!

The advice in this book is pretty standard - don't load up on empty carbs, make sure you cook for yourself so you know what goes into your food, pick the best ingredients you can afford etc. The question is: is Kaminsky more convincing because he's saying all this from his lofty perch as a food critic, whilst quoting his contacts in the food industry? (Denny Meyer, Thomas Keller etc.)

Maybe the answer is yes, because we're too caught up in thinking that "healthy food" will taste bland, and that we have to deprive ourselves to lose weight. The book tells us that all of us are human, and are completely fallible to our stomachs, so rather than denying ourselves gastronomic pleasures, we should go ahead and indulge... in moderation. 

Want a condensed version of the book? Read Kaminsky's interview with PBS on Kitchen Careers.

read: kitchen confidential

Fans of Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour or No Reservations will find the same sardonic wit in Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain's book is written in the self-deprecating, irreverent tone. While readers who have watched the series might actually find it a bit tiresome, Bourdain at least manages to inject a sense of down-to-earthiness (screw that, more like dirt slinging and dragging in the mud) into cooking. Recommended for anyone who has had enough of happy-crappy TV shows and books.

To be fair, he also approaches food very openly and without preconceptions. Despite seemingly years of chain-smoking he still manages to convey tastes to his audience. Plus, he likes durian. Anyone who likes durian has my vote.

Note: for those of you who wouldn't touch a book with a ten foot pole, there's a lite version. Check out Kitchen Confidential, the TV series with a Bradley Cooper who provides a bit more eye candy than Bourdain's smoke-and-alcohol dehydrated frame.