Anthony Bourdain Unloaded: The uncommon wisdom of a legendary provocateur

by Juliana Sharaf

To quote the man himself, Anthony Bourdain once bragged he could “unload my opinion on anybody at any time." And that he did. His entire life seemed like a compendium of insightful (sometimes inflammatory) quotes, witty observations and touching moments he shared openly with the world. As prodigious as his quips and quotes have become, they all have two things in 1. They grab your attention. 2. The man was never at a loss for words or an opinion. Bourdain’s unusual perspective was born out of decades of listening, tasting, writing and adventuring, allowing him to opine on everything from food to politics - with the same high level of enthusiasm.

Regardless of the success he achieved, Bourdain’s stance was always that of a perpetual outsider who made it a point to embrace underrepresented voices, cultures, ideas and, yes, food. He found fame as a cook, a tv host and writer all while he circled the globe in search of more - encouraging his fans to take chances, step out of their comfort zones, and not just accept differences, but celebrate them.

This handsome book collects the edgiest, wittiest, most revealing of Bourdain’s quotes in one highly desirable package. He once said “Essentially, I treated the world as my ashtray.” Just eight words. But he somehow painted a picture more detailed than others could in a novel. This collection, filled with hundreds of similarly compelling quotes, is a celebration of the man’s wit, intelligence and soul.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeping it real with the chef who exposed the high end restaurant industry to the light of day and introduced us to the world’s ‘salt of the earth cooking’. Having watched Anthony Bourdain’s cable shows now and then, loving his style and enjoying how he made even the most exotic foods seem like an experience not to be missed, I was eager to pick up Juliana Sharaf’s latest book that fans, foodies, and those who want a fascinating biography will be interested to pick up.

Anthony Bourdain Unloaded is a little bit of everything. Bourdain quotes, Bourdain thoughts on life and food in that order, and Bourdain’s life and career told slice of life-style. The small, slim giftable volume is formatted to be a new adventure with the flip of the page. Readers will find colorful, glossy pictures paired with long quotes or anecdotes to match. Short quotes with the author’s biography segments giving a fuller picture of the man behind those best-selling books and award-winning shows.

I enjoyed meeting something of the person of Anthony Bourdain while appreciating career and colorful way of pulling together words. I think this will have broader appeal than just fans or foodies to those who want to read about life’s adventurers and exotic places.

I rec'd a finished hardback copy from Media Lab books to read in exchange for an honest review.


My full review will post at Books of My Heart on Mar. 9, 2025.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only saw a few episodes of Anthony Bourdain's show but was intrigued by it. He was a very interesting character. Knowing a little about him makes you want to know more.

This book is a pretty decent and short compilation of his quotes and career.