a document of days

Not long after Ryan and I met he handed me a book and told me to read it. Having won me over with his cooking, Ryan intended to share with me the allure that the food-industry held for him. Though he ultimately pursued a career in education, Ryan is a chef at heart. He worked in restaurants for many years and was even accepted into culinary school. The book he handed me was Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

The publication of Kitchen Confidential was a life-changer for Bourdain and had a significant impact on food writing. It was one of the first books to delve into the under-world of cuisine (though George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London long-preceded it. Published in 1933, it exposed the darker side of Parisian restaurants.) Today, Bourdain is most commonly known for his successful show, No Reservations, and his many other industry books including A Cook's Tour, The Nasty Bits, and most recently No Reservations. (He is also a writer of crime novels, having published two: Gone Bamboo and Bone in Throat.)

Clearly, we've been fans of his for a while.

Thanks to Theresa, who reads the Washington Post, I learned that Bourdain would be in town discussing his new book. Theresa and I headed over to Olsson's bookstore around 11:40am for a noon appearance. The place was crowded (I believe over 200 people were in attendance...and Olsson's is small!) Bourdain spoke for about forty-five minutes and then signed books and took photos.

What is it that draws the average individual to celebrities? Why do we get giddy or nervous when in their presence? I admit, I had butterflies in my stomach as I approached Bourdain, but I honestly had very little to say to him. There was nothing that he hadn't already heard fifty times. He knows he has the best job. I don't need advice on how to quit smoking. And I'm quite sure he isn't interested in my last culinary experience while I was abroad. So, I thanked him for signing my book, posed for a photo, and moved on. But for an hour before I met him, Theresa and I sat about three feet from Bourdain while nearly 200 people awkwardly tried to connect with him. I think our fascination with celebrities is made up of a combination of curiosity, a bit of envy, and the simple fact that these people are simply not part of our planet. Even so, we make fatal attempts to bond, be noticed, or be remembered.