Anthony Bourdain Read This 'Perfect' Book Once Every Year

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As an established chef fully rooted in the New York culinary scene, the multi-talented Anthony Bourdain took on the mantle of writer with the publication of his famous book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly," as well as becoming a travel documentarian and TV host. Naturally, Bourdain's work involved appreciating others' creative ventures, but one particular novel resonated deeply with his passion for food and travel.

In a 2006 interview with Christian Barker titled "Anthony Bourdain: No Abbreviations." and published on Journeys in Artistry, Bourdain revealed his fondness for Asia, and discussed "The Quiet American," which he described as the perfect book, one which he read once a year. The novel, written by English author Graham Greene, features a fictional relationship between a British war correspondent and an American idealist/undercover CIA agent that takes place in Saigon during the buildup to the Vietnam War. The book is based on Greene's experiences as a journalist in Vietnam. Part of the story's appeal to the late chef was its location, which is actually the origin of one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite dishes of all time, a hot noodle soup called bún bò Huế.

Bourdain's affinity for spending time in interesting places and among everyday people may be at the root of his fascination with Graham Greene and his novels. "I very much wanted that kind of a life, travelling around to really interesting places and writing sad, romantic books. His life, Greene himself, seems always fascinating to me," he said. While "The Quiet American" revolves around Vietnam specifically, Greene's novels are set in various locations, from Tabasco, Mexico, to Havana, Cuba. Bourdain explained, "The places that he loved, it always struck a cord. It always looked to me like the kind of life that would appeal to me."

Perhaps Anthony Bourdain did actually live a similar life to Graham Greene. His writing brought him to locales all around the world in which the experience of everyday foods and people lit his passions. The everyday old school restaurants that Anthony Bourdain loved relate to this passion. The enjoyment of ordinary experiences even made their way into Bourdain's love for coffee, down to the unconventional flavor he deemed crucial to his coffee-drinking experience, namely the taste of the cardboard from the cup he bought from his local donut vendor.

Anthony Bourdain's interview with Christian Barker took place in Singapore, which is reputed to have an incredible street food scene, as does much of Asia. In it, Bourdain discussed his enjoyment of ordinary fare in Asia and its food culture generally. "If I'm passionate about anything, it's the everyday food of countries. It's simple, pretense-free, authentic and good," he said. "I'm happiest in Asia, so it's always the highlight for me, anytime I get to go out to Asia. In fact, the whole television thing, it's frankly a scam on my part. I've gotten the television network to enable me to spend lots of time in Asia, and that's really a passion," Bourdain said.

In the interview, Barker asked about Bourdain's dual talents, namely being both a respected chef and a skilled writer. "I have a good work ethic. I mean, I tell stories. A lot of chefs tell stories. I sit down and actually write them down. Frankly, honestly, it comes easy to me," Anthony Bourdain said.