food writing

28th November 2025

Following the success of TV drama series The Bear, chef memoirs have surged in popularity, with readers seeking back-of-house stories full of grit, personality and honesty. Many cookbooks are now leaning towards a more personal, literary writing style, tapping into a curiosity for the inner workings of professional kitchens and the human stories behind them.

And of course, nobody brings this adrenaline-fuelled industry to life with more candour than Anthony Bourdain. Our Book of the Month, The Anthony Bourdain Reader, is a gorgeous bind-up of his best writing, including never-before-published pieces. 

Bookspeed product expert Katie shares her passion for all things Anthony Bourdain, and why the food writing trend is resonating with such a broad range of customers.

‘‘When I first read Kitchen Confidential, I had never come across anyone writing about working in a kitchen or about food like Bourdain does. His writing is very visceral and almost brutal in its honesty, not just about the life they lead and how hard they work or what it’s like working in a kitchen, but the descriptions of the food are just incredible.

"The Bear has renewed a lot of interest in chef memoirs and chef cookbooks that are more about the grittier side and behind the scenes stuff.

"The Anthony Bourdain bind-up coming out is just such a lovely thing. I’m selling it to a lot of gift shops. It’s a great gift because it’s such a nice package. He’s got name recognition, and it could appeal to so many different customers, for example people who like travel writing, foodies, or fans of biographies.

"I’ve always liked travel literature, and a lot of Bourdain's work is an extension of that in some ways. It shows you an inside story of a way of life that you might not have seen otherwise. That was what always appealed to me, and his writing is just phenomenal. He transports you.

"People are more mindful about what they’re buying and whether it’s useful, they want things that have some meaning."

"Customers are also buying Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook, and star of The Bear Matty Matheson’s cookbooks have done really well, for example Soups, Salads, Sandwiches. Retailers might be selling bits and pieces of cookware, and these books would pair well with that. If you have an area dedicated to gifts for guys, The Anthony Bourdain Reader fits into that category as well.

"In recent years, the trend has been less towards novelty books and throwaway titles, it’s about books with substance that have really good content. I think people are more mindful about what they’re buying and whether it’s useful, they want things that have some meaning.

"There’s an element of nostalgia with some of this as well. I really think he deserves for people to read his writing and to remember him, as obviously he is no longer with us. This is his voice; you can hear him talking in your head. It's open, visceral, transportive... the things that make biographical writing worth reading!"

Katie's recommendations

Katie highlights the best food writing and chef memoirs to complement your ranges:

Matty Matheson: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches

"Matty Matheson's book is definitely cookbook rather than memoir, but with anecdotes and elements of his personality sprinkled throughout. He is currently best known for starring in The Bear, the gritty yet hilarious drama set behind the scenes at a New York restaurant. And his recipes are fantastic."