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The Fixer and The Chef: My Adventures With and Without Anthony Bourdain
I met Tony Bourdain in 2001, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, filming an episode of “A Cook’s Tour.” From that day on, we were comrades in search of new emotions and experiences greater than ourselves. In 2011, he told me to write my story. It took me 14 years to look back, to filter my life through the lens of our 17-year friendship. Tony showed me the way out of my cage, from the weight of being Soviet-born to becoming a citizen of the world. I had the honor of being his travel companion for 10 TV episodes - across time zones, across different tables, riding trains, dilapidated cars, and horse carts, from cold to heat, sunshine to rain and back again.
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It wasn’t about the screen time. It was about the ride. This is my the highs, the lows, the unknown uncovered. Even now, when the book is written, I feel I’m still searching for meaning, for forgiveness, maybe even redemption. But the show must go on. Tony’s light is still out there, and I carry a flicker of it.
.
It wasn’t about the screen time. It was about the ride. This is my the highs, the lows, the unknown uncovered. Even now, when the book is written, I feel I’m still searching for meaning, for forgiveness, maybe even redemption. But the show must go on. Tony’s light is still out there, and I carry a flicker of it.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2025
9 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 10, 2025
A lifetime both Anthony Bourdain fan, and Zamir Gotta fan, this book is absolutely incredible.
It starts out with life growing up in Moscow for young Zamir (completely shocked me, even beyond my thoughts of Russia in the 60's and 70's), and I learned a lot about "The Fixer".
Learning how Zamir got into being a fixer was incredible... and how he did what he did was very interesting.
His talk, and love of Anthony were touching, but we all saw that on TV. They were complete friends, brothers and comrades. Both of their looks on life were important, and were lessons we all should learn.
The book was written perfectly, and was easy to read, and kept you entranced by Zamir's words and ideas.
I've met Zamir in person, and it's exactly how he is in real life. I call him my friend and hope to see him again soon.
Highly recommended book!
It starts out with life growing up in Moscow for young Zamir (completely shocked me, even beyond my thoughts of Russia in the 60's and 70's), and I learned a lot about "The Fixer".
Learning how Zamir got into being a fixer was incredible... and how he did what he did was very interesting.
His talk, and love of Anthony were touching, but we all saw that on TV. They were complete friends, brothers and comrades. Both of their looks on life were important, and were lessons we all should learn.
The book was written perfectly, and was easy to read, and kept you entranced by Zamir's words and ideas.
I've met Zamir in person, and it's exactly how he is in real life. I call him my friend and hope to see him again soon.
Highly recommended book!
Displaying 1 of 1 review