Anthony Bourdain Will Rule Food and Travel Writing Again This Fall

Every fan—and every critic—will find something new in this upcoming essential collection of Bourdain’s best writing.

Black line drawing of a man with rolled-up sleeves writing in a book on a red textured background.

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By Ben Bowers

Published October 6, 2025

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Anthony Bourdain’s legacy isn’t just built on flame and far-flung adventures—it’s in the razor-sharp sentences and truths he left on the page. This fall, a new book promises to pull back the curtain even further, offering fans another window into the unfiltered brilliance of Bourdain’s writing—and mind.

True to its title, The Anthony Bourdain Reader: New, Classic, and Rediscovered Writing contains a definitive collection of essays that launched his legend. However, its real draw lies in Bourdain’s rare and previously unseen work that’s bound to dominate well-read foodie conversations this fall.

What You Need to Know

Two-page spread of a book titled "I Quit My Job Yesterday" with typed title and subtitle on left and a handwritten story draft with edits on lined paper on right. — Highlights of the new book include previous unpublished fiction from Bourdain like the excerpt shown above.

Bourdain’s influence on food culture and travel writing can’t be overstated.

When Kitchen Confidential debuted in 2000, it peeled back the curtain on restaurant life with an honesty and wit that hadn’t been seen before. His work proved that culinary writing could (and should) be irreverent, personal, and boundary-pushing.

And though it’s natural to be wary of posthumous releases name-dropping beloved culture figures, The Anthony Bourdain Reader doesn’t appear to be just another highlight reel.

Handwritten poem titled "KITCHEN" by A. Bourdain on white paper with black ink. — By including images of Bourdain’s unreleased writings in photocopied form, readers are treated to unique insights into how Bourdain composed and wrote.

The first clue is that it’s edited by Kimberly Witherspoon, Bourdain’s longtime agent. It’s also introduced by Patrick Radden Keefe, the acclaimed journalist and author of Empire of Pain and other works.

Like almost everything associated with Bourdain, this 512-page volume cuts deep and contains raw and riveting work chronicling everything from the grit of restaurant kitchens to family, globe-trotting, and what he famously dubbed the “low life,” with stopovers from Vietnam to Paris.

Table of contents page listing chapters "Eating and Drinking" and "Family" with corresponding section titles and page numbers. — A glimpse at the contents page shows readers what to expect.

But what sets this collection apart is the promise of a treasure trove of material that’s never surfaced—until now, including personal essays like “It’s Cruel and Unforgiving Terrain,” plus unpublished fiction and even pages from his unfinished novel, No New Messages.

In short, it feels like a must-read for anyone interested in a rare and unfiltered window into how Bourdain’s edge and honesty took shape.

Pricing and Availability

The Anthony Bourdain Reader is available for pre-order on Amazon and other major book sellers. It will be released on October 28, 2025, and will also be available in Kindle and audiobook formats.