Two great foodie tomes

"Heat" by Bill Buford

Buford quit his New Yorker magazine editting job to become a kitchen slave at celebrity chef Mario Batali's Babbo restaurant to write this book. The appeal here is in the I-did-it-so-you-don't-need-to aspect: You're a fly on the wall behind the scenes of one of New York's destination eateries, but also privy to the best kind of passionate food writing as Buford transforms from a mediocre dinner party cook to a culinary technician capable of smelling when food is done. Mario fans be warned - Buford's take on Batali's celeb-status is somewhat withering at times, painting him as a talented heavy drinker who essentially makes peasant food that is lapped up at exorbitant prices by star-struck Food Network fans.

"Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain

Viewers of Bourdain's travel show on cable television know that Tony has a certain way of finding the miserable in every glorious moment he spends abroad and that immutable crankiness of tone sings throughout this expose/memoir. Following his culinary history from childhood scamp sucking oysters in France to top chef with rock-star-level drug use, the book is quick to paint an image of the professional kitchen as a tough workplace fraught with abuse (both self-inflicted and institutionally imposed) but also incredible passion. Bourdain is also quick to sing the praises of his immigrant kitchen help, an area of the kitchen often overlooked.